Daily Devotion of Revelation 16

Daily Nugget:
John’s report returns to the seven angels in Heaven. He tells how the angels, one by one, will step to their position and pour vials of the wrath of God on the earth.

• The first will pour his vial, and grievous sores will develop on men that have taken the beast’s mark of 666 and those that worshipped his idol (vs. 2). This plague is similar to the sixth plague Moses was used to inflict the Egyptians (Ex. 9:8-12).
• When the second angel will pour out his vial upon the sea, it will become blood and all that remain in the sea will die. It is similar to the plague of the second trumpet in Rev. 8:8-9.
• The third angel’s vial will be poured out on rivers and water supplies, and they will become blood (vs. 4). This is a repeat of the first plague Moses was used to impose on the Egyptians (Ex. 7:19-24).
• A fourth angel will pour his vial upon the sun. Men will be scorched from the sun’s great heat (vs. 8), as was prophesied in Malachi 4:1-2. Instead of repenting and turning to God, the men on earth refused to repent and blasphemed God (vs. 9). 
• The fifth angel will pour his vial on the Beast’s kingdom, darkening his domain. It will be a repeat of the ninth Egyptian plague of darkness (Ex. 10:21-23). Like the Pharaoh of Moses’ day, the Beast’s subjects also hardened their hearts and will continue to curse God. This day was also prophesied to happen by Joel (Joel 2:1-2), and by Jesus (Mark 13:24).
• The sixth angel will pour out his vial upon the Euphrates River, and it will be dried up (vs. 12). What was prophesied in Isaiah 11:15-16 will come true. God may allow the river to be dried up so the Kings of the East and their armies will be able to cross over and assemble for the Battle of Armageddon.
• When the seventh angel pours his vial into the air, a voice from the Temple in Heaven will proclaim, “It is done!” The last of the vial judgments will bring thunders, and lightning to the earth.
  
  The greatest earthquake that ever occurred on earth will rearrange the earth’s geography. Islands will disappear, as will mountains. Hailstones will rain from heaven weighing over 94 pounds (vs. 21). Through all these terrible events, man will still blaspheme God.

Some quickly, turn to God in times of testing, trials, and tribulations, but there are always those that do not. One would think through all these final events the remaining men’s hearts would easily fear and respect God, but they do not.

Even today, when some go through trials and tribulations, there are those that draw closer to God; but there are still those that continue to shake their fist at God and rebel against Him. From an outsiders point of view, it seems logical to turn to God during those times, but a rebellious heart is hardened against spiritual things and becomes more and more wicked. Each time one does not react the way the Holy Spirit intends, one’s heart gets darker and further away from obeying God.

Today’s Thought: “Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” Proverb 28:14

Today’s Reading: Revelation 16
1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 ¶ And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
12 ¶ And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 ¶ And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. (KJV)