Can Revelation 16 be Taken Literally?

Freedm

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Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.
 

ewq1938

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Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink?

There are other sources of water plus advanced filters.

And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

IMO all the vials are poured on the same day so I don't think this is a long term affect.

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Rev 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Rev 16:12 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.

The third vial was for some rivers but not all. The 6th vial was intended for one river only, Euphrates.

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

I read somewhere that they have a way to get water out of the dust/dirt on the moon so they could make drinkable water here as well and easier.

Rev 16:14 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.

Perhaps one of these miracles is to gather and move an army in a very short period of time like an hour or so?
 
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HTacianas

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Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.

Let's look at this from a different perspective. During the Jewish war with the Romans, leading to the destruction of the temple and finally culminating with the fall of Masada, as Josephus gave account of the fall of Joppa:

But some of them thought that to die by their own swords was lighter than by the sea, and so they killed themselves, before they were drowned; although the greatest part of them were carried by the waves, and dashed to pieces against the abrupt parts of the rocks, insomuch that the sea was bloody a long way, and the maritime parts were full of dead bodies, for the Romans came upon those that were carried to the shore, and destroyed them; and the number of the bodies that were thus thrown out of the sea was four thousand, and two hundred."

And again, at Tarichea and Gennesareth:

"...but as many of these were repulsed when they were getting ashore, they were killed by the darts upon the lake; and the Romans leaped out of their vessels, and destroyed a great many more upon the land: one might then see the lake all bloody, and full of dead bodies, for not one of them escaped."

Described elsewhere as "every living thing in the sea died". As to the River Euphrates drying up:

Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood...

There was a drought in the Middle East at that time, lowering the water level in the Euphrates. Four Roman Legions were stationed at the frontier across the Euphrates and since the water level was low they were able to cross and join the rest of the invasion force at Jerusalem. Remembering that an "angel" is a messenger sent to do the will of God:

Rev 9:14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

Rev 9:15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

It goes on and on.
 
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Douggg

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Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?
They better hope it rains during that time, so they can catch some rain water.
 
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BobRyan

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Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.

While it does have some symbols - it is primarily literal.

For example -- "River of blood" is a river red like blood - there is an algae that is known to do that in small scale.

Rev 16
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Ex 7
17 Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

And the Euphrates river is drying up
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are Drying Up.
 
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ewq1938

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While it does have some symbols - it is primarily literal.

For example -- "River of blood" is a river red like blood - there is an algae that is known to do that in small scale.

Rev 16
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Seems the blood of a dead man would likely not be referring to the color red.
 
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chad kincham

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Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.
Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.

Here’s something from the expositors Bible that might help explain some of your questions:

REVELATION 16


NOTHING can more clearly prove that the Revelation of St John is not written upon chronological principles than the scenes to which we are introduced in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of the book. We have already been taken to the end. We have seen in chap. 14 the Son of man upon the throne of judgment, the harvest of the righteous, and the vintage of the wicked. Yet we are now met by another series of visions setting before us judgments that must take place before the final issue. This is not chronology; it is apocalyptic vision, which again and again turns round the kaleidoscope of the future, and delights to behold under different aspects the same great principles of the Almighty s government, leading always to the same glorious results.

One other preliminary observation may be made. The third series of judgments does not really begin till we reach chap. 16. Chap. 15 is introductory, and we are thus reminded that the series of the Trumpets had a similar introduction in Rev 8:1-6. It is the manner of St. John, who thus in his Gospel introduces his account of our Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus in chap. iii. by the last three verses of chap. 2, which ought to be connected with the third chapter; and who also introduces his narrative regarding the woman of Samaria by the first three verses of chap. 4.

To introduce chap. 16 is the object of chap. 15.

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God (Rev 15:1)."

The plagues about to be spoken of are "the last," and in them the final judgments of God upon evil are contained. What they are, and who are the special objects of them, will afterwards appear. Meanwhile, another vision is presented to our view:
And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire; and them that come victorious out of the beast, and out of his image, and out of the number of his name, standing upon the glassy sea, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all the nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy righteous acts have been made manifest (Rev 15:2-4)."

It can hardly be doubted that the glassy sea spoken of in these words is the same as that already met with at Rev 4:6. Yet again, as in the case of the hundred and forty and four thousand of Rev 14:1, the definite article is wanting; and, in all probability, for the same reason. The aspect in which the object is viewed, though not the object itself, is different. The glassy sea is here mingled with fire, a point of which no mention was made in chap. 4. The difference may be explained if we remember that the "fire" spoken of can only be that of the judgments by which the Almighty vindicates His cause, or of the trials by which He purifies His people. As these, therefore, now stand upon the sea, delivered from every adversary, we are reminded of the troubles which by Divine grace they have been enabled to surmount. It was otherwise in chap. 4. No persons were there connected with the sea, and it stretched away, clear as crystal, before Him all whose dealings with His people are "right." The sea itself is in both cases the same, but in the latter it is beheld from the Divine point of view, in the former from the human.

The vision as a whole takes us back to the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and hence the mention ofthe song of Moses, the servant of God.The enemies of the Church have their type in Pharaoh and his host as they pursue Israel across the sands which had been laid bare for the passage of the chosen people; the waters, driven back for a time, return to their ancient bed; the hostile force, with its chariots and its chosen captains, "goes down into the depths like a stone;" and Israel raises its song of victory, "I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea."*(*Exo 15:1)
C
 
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chad kincham

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Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.
Revelation 16 speaks of the seven bowls of wraths and broadly describes the effect of each bowl poured out. Giving it a cursory reading makes it easy to imagine the horrible things described, such as people receiving sores, the sea turning to blood and the kingdom being thrown into darkness, but can these things really be literal?

Take for example, the sea and the rivers and the springs all turning to blood. If this were to literally happen, where would people get water to drink? And assuming there is no water to be found, how long will humanity survive after this plague is poured out? Long enough to survive the next three plagues?

Speaking of the next three plagues, the sixth bowl in particular is said to dry up the water in the river Euphrates so that armies from the east can cross, but when the fourth bowl was poured out all rivers were turned to blood. So assuming that these bowls are poured out in order, there shouldn't be any water in the river to dry at all, since it was all turned to blood. Why does it say water?

Furthermore, knowing that it can take several months to organize armies for battle, it seems unlikely that humanity could survive these months having only blood to drink.

Point being, I'd love to hear what everyone's thoughts are on this entire chapter and the pouring out of the bowls of wrath. If you believe them to be symbolic, have you given it enough study to share your thoughts on the symbolism? And if you believe these descriptions to be literal, can you explain the blood thing to me please, as well as the conundrum of the water drying up from a river of blood.

Here’s something from the expositors Bible that might help explain some of your questions:

REVELATION 16


NOTHING can more clearly prove that the Revelation of St John is not written upon chronological principles than the scenes to which we are introduced in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of the book. We have already been taken to the end. We have seen in chap. 14 the Son of man upon the throne of judgment, the harvest of the righteous, and the vintage of the wicked. Yet we are now met by another series of visions setting before us judgments that must take place before the final issue. This is not chronology; it is apocalyptic vision, which again and again turns round the kaleidoscope of the future, and delights to behold under different aspects the same great principles of the Almighty s government, leading always to the same glorious results.

One other preliminary observation may be made. The third series of judgments does not really begin till we reach chap. 16. Chap. 15 is introductory, and we are thus reminded that the series of the Trumpets had a similar introduction in Rev 8:1-6. It is the manner of St. John, who thus in his Gospel introduces his account of our Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus in chap. iii. by the last three verses of chap. 2, which ought to be connected with the third chapter; and who also introduces his narrative regarding the woman of Samaria by the first three verses of chap. 4.

To introduce chap. 16 is the object of chap. 15.

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God (Rev 15:1)."

The plagues about to be spoken of are "the last," and in them the final judgments of God upon evil are contained. What they are, and who are the special objects of them, will afterwards appear. Meanwhile, another vision is presented to our view:
And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire; and them that come victorious out of the beast, and out of his image, and out of the number of his name, standing upon the glassy sea, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all the nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy righteous acts have been made manifest (Rev 15:2-4)."

It can hardly be doubted that the glassy sea spoken of in these words is the same as that already met with at Rev 4:6. Yet again, as in the case of the hundred and forty and four thousand of Rev 14:1, the definite article is wanting; and, in all probability, for the same reason. The aspect in which the object is viewed, though not the object itself, is different. The glassy sea is here mingled with fire, a point of which no mention was made in chap. 4. The difference may be explained if we remember that the "fire" spoken of can only be that of the judgments by which the Almighty vindicates His cause, or of the trials by which He purifies His people. As these, therefore, now stand upon the sea, delivered from every adversary, we are reminded of the troubles which by Divine grace they have been enabled to surmount. It was otherwise in chap. 4. No persons were there connected with the sea, and it stretched away, clear as crystal, before Him all whose dealings with His people are "right." The sea itself is in both cases the same, but in the latter it is beheld from the Divine point of view, in the former from the human.

The vision as a whole takes us back to the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and hence the mention ofthe song of Moses, the servant of God.The enemies of the Church have their type in Pharaoh and his host as they pursue Israel across the sands which had been laid bare for the passage of the chosen people; the waters, driven back for a time, return to their ancient bed; the hostile force, with its chariots and its chosen captains, "goes down into the depths like a stone;" and Israel raises its song of victory, "I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea."*(*Exo 15:1)
 
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Freedm

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Let's look at this from a different perspective. During the Jewish war with the Romans, leading to the destruction of the temple and finally culminating with the fall of Masada, as Josephus gave account of the fall of Joppa:...

It goes on and on.

Just to be clear; is it your position that Revelation 16 is describing events of the past?
 
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Freedm

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They better hope it rains during that time, so they can catch some rain water.
I considered that, though rain water comes from the rivers and oceans, which will be blood, though some of it also comes from melting glaciers. Not sure if water from a bloody ocean would still evaporate into the sky for rain water, and I'm not sure if glacier run off would be enough water to satisfy the entire population of the earth.
 
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Freedm

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While it does have some symbols - it is primarily literal.

For example -- "River of blood" is a river red like blood - there is an algae that is known to do that in small scale.

Rev 16
3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Ex 7
17 Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. 18 The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”’” 19 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, and over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, that they may become blood; and there will be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

And the Euphrates river is drying up
Tigris and Euphrates Rivers are Drying Up.

Not sure I follow your point here. Do you mean, by using the example of Moses, that Revelation 16 is most likely literal because a similar event was literal in Moses' time? Or are you saying that the pouring out of the fourth bowl happened in Moses time, and by saying that the Euphrates is now drying up, the sixth bowl has now also been poured out?
 
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Freedm

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Here’s something from the expositors Bible that might help explain some of your questions:

REVELATION 16


NOTHING can more clearly prove that the Revelation of St John is not written upon chronological principles than the scenes to which we are introduced in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of the book. We have already been taken to the end. We have seen in chap. 14 the Son of man upon the throne of judgment, the harvest of the righteous, and the vintage of the wicked. Yet we are now met by another series of visions setting before us judgments that must take place before the final issue. This is not chronology; it is apocalyptic vision, which again and again turns round the kaleidoscope of the future, and delights to behold under different aspects the same great principles of the Almighty s government, leading always to the same glorious results.

One other preliminary observation may be made. The third series of judgments does not really begin till we reach chap. 16. Chap. 15 is introductory, and we are thus reminded that the series of the Trumpets had a similar introduction in Rev 8:1-6. It is the manner of St. John, who thus in his Gospel introduces his account of our Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus in chap. iii. by the last three verses of chap. 2, which ought to be connected with the third chapter; and who also introduces his narrative regarding the woman of Samaria by the first three verses of chap. 4.

To introduce chap. 16 is the object of chap. 15.

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God (Rev 15:1)."

The plagues about to be spoken of are "the last," and in them the final judgments of God upon evil are contained. What they are, and who are the special objects of them, will afterwards appear. Meanwhile, another vision is presented to our view:
And I saw as it were a glassy sea mingled with fire; and them that come victorious out of the beast, and out of his image, and out of the number of his name, standing upon the glassy sea, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are Thy works, O Lord God the Almighty; righteous and true are Thy ways, Thou King of the nations. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all the nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy righteous acts have been made manifest (Rev 15:2-4)."

It can hardly be doubted that the glassy sea spoken of in these words is the same as that already met with at Rev 4:6. Yet again, as in the case of the hundred and forty and four thousand of Rev 14:1, the definite article is wanting; and, in all probability, for the same reason. The aspect in which the object is viewed, though not the object itself, is different. The glassy sea is here mingled with fire, a point of which no mention was made in chap. 4. The difference may be explained if we remember that the "fire" spoken of can only be that of the judgments by which the Almighty vindicates His cause, or of the trials by which He purifies His people. As these, therefore, now stand upon the sea, delivered from every adversary, we are reminded of the troubles which by Divine grace they have been enabled to surmount. It was otherwise in chap. 4. No persons were there connected with the sea, and it stretched away, clear as crystal, before Him all whose dealings with His people are "right." The sea itself is in both cases the same, but in the latter it is beheld from the Divine point of view, in the former from the human.

The vision as a whole takes us back to the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and hence the mention ofthe song of Moses, the servant of God.The enemies of the Church have their type in Pharaoh and his host as they pursue Israel across the sands which had been laid bare for the passage of the chosen people; the waters, driven back for a time, return to their ancient bed; the hostile force, with its chariots and its chosen captains, "goes down into the depths like a stone;" and Israel raises its song of victory, "I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed gloriously, the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea."*(*Exo 15:1)
C
A very interesting post, but it fails to summarize your point. I understand that Revelation was written in the style of progressive parallelism, repeating the same stories multiple times but from different points of view or with progressively more (or less) detail, but it's unclear what exactly your conclusion is from this understanding. Are you saying that the bowls were poured out in the days of Moses?
 
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HTacianas

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Just to be clear; is it your position that Revelation 16 is describing events of the past?

Compare Revelation 6:6 to book 5 chapter 10 of The Jewish War:

Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny...


Many there were indeed who sold what they had for one measure: it was of wheat, if they were of the richer sort; but of barley, if they were poorer.
 
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Freedm

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Compare Revelation 6:6 to book 5 chapter 10 of The Jewish War:

Rev 6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny...


Many there were indeed who sold what they had for one measure: it was of wheat, if they were of the richer sort; but of barley, if they were poorer.
I'm going to take that as a "yes".
 
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BobRyan

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Not sure I follow your point here. Do you mean, by using the example of Moses, that Revelation 16 is most likely literal because a similar event was literal in Moses' time? Or are you saying that the pouring out of the fourth bowl happened in Moses time, and by saying that the Euphrates is now drying up, the sixth bowl has now also been poured out?

I am saying that the Euphrates delta is now literally drying up so that a future prediction about the Euphrates drying up is not "forced to be only symbolic" - it is very reasonable to accept that it would be literal and would not just be limited to the river delta.

That is just one example where we have a good indication that it is not required to be only symbolic.

I am not saying we are in the time of the 7 last plagues of Rev 16.

And the reason for pointing to the 10 plagues of Egypt is just to illustrate that literal plagues where some have a very similar description is well within the domain of what is possible.
 
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