Revelation Q&A: Bowls of Wrath

Lynn Hardy
Jun 3
10 min read

Updated: Jun 3

Video: Bowls of Wrath

Video: Bowls of Wrath Q&A

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 on the Earth. (Revelation 16:1 AKJV)

The Greek word phialē (fee-al’-ay) describes a broad, shallow cup. Bowl of wrath would probably be a more appropriate word. How long will this wrath last? We know that...

There are 12 years left after the Tribulation.
God doesn’t count years when His people are not in their land.
Jesus said the time would be cut short, lest all mankind be wiped out.

Because of these factors, we don’t have a firm timing for the wrath of God. There are three distinct possibilities:

It could be as little as five years after the Tribulation if God’s people are present in the land because that would be the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles.
It could also go on through most of that Feast, which is seven days (seven years) long, so it may be closer to 12 years.
Should the AntiChrist remove all of God’s people from Israel, then it could be thousands of years.

For now, the best estimation is that it will be at least five years of wrath.

1st Bowl

So the first [angel] went and emptied his bowl on the Earth, and foul and painful ulcers (sores) came on the people who were marked with the stamp of the beast and who did homage to his image. (Revelation 16:2 AMPC)

The first plague that will be released after the rapture will come solely upon those who received the Mark of the Beast AND worshiped him. The Greek word kakos (kaw-kos’) translated as “foul” or “noisome” in the King James Version, can mean “distressing, whether to mind or to the body,” which is a good description of what it could be like to have painful sores appear on your body. This wording is also used to describe the sores upon Job and the plague that was released against Egypt.

There is no indication of how soon after the rapture this will happen. The one thing we know is that the mark will be present, and the Beast, the AI, which is really a demon, will be fully active. We can place this first bowl anywhere after the rapture within the next 12 years.

2nd Bowl

The second [angel] emptied his bowl into the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a corpse [thick, corrupt, ill-smelling, and disgusting], and every living thing that was in the sea perished. (Revelation 16:3 AMPC)

The next bowl will release something that will affect the entire planet. Fishing is a big industry that provides a lot of food for the world. The prior seals and trumpets caused the skies to darken, which will hinder food production on land. When the animals in the oceans are killed, food will be hard to come by. Science links this to the 2nd Trumpet:

“The impact of a large asteroid near Chicxulub, Mexico, is increasingly recognized as the trigger of the dinosaur extinction, causing global darkness and a pronounced cooling,” explains Julia Brugger, lead author of the study published in the Geophysical Research Letters and now at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre Frankfurt…For the first time, using an enhanced Earth-system model that can simulate how the ocean biosphere reacts to changes in climate and nutrient supply, we were now able to show that the asteroid impact caused a relatively short-lived, yet massive algal bloom.

Red algae could make water thick and foul-smelling like blood. It could also be literal blood: Turning water into blood and sores upon the body were two of the plagues that came against Egypt. Will we see more of Egypt’s plagues in the remaining wrath?

We can place this bowl rather close to the last trumpet, since they may all be linked!

3rd Bowl

Then the third [angel] emptied out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into (became) blood. (Revelation 16:4 AMPC)

Now all the water has been poisoned! Even springs will be contaminated. Not only will food be scarce, but water as well.

And I heard the angel of the waters say, “You are righteous, O Lord, which are, and were, and shall be, because You have judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.” And I heard another out of the altar say,” Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments. (Revelation 16:5-7 AKJV)

Declarations from angels make it clear why water has been turned into blood. This is a judgment from Heaven, blood for blood. The payment is now due for all the lives of God’s holy people who have been taken, and the punishment is given for the blood spilled. Water that turned a river into blood was the very first sign God sent against Egypt.

Scientists claim climate change may be responsible for algae blooms, which would account for the rivers, but not springs. Even if the climate is partially responsible, I’m sure the angel is also a factor! We can place this close to the other bowls.

4th Bowl

Then the fourth [angel] emptied out his bowl upon the sun, and it was permitted to burn (scorch) humanity with [fierce, glowing] heat (fire). People were severely burned (scorched) by the fiery heat, and they reviled and blasphemed the name of God, Who has control of these plagues, and they did not repent of their sins [felt no regret, contrition, and compunction for their waywardness, refusing to amend their ways] to give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9 AMPC)

The UV rays from the sun will not only create “heat” but will also burn the skin. Having a sunburn is doubly painful when the temperature is hot outside! Instead of turning to God for help, people will follow the AntiChrist’s example and speak against God.

Reduction of the ozone layer is an effect of the trumpets, fewer plants will be producing oxygen in a heated atmosphere with quick-burning UV rays. Scientists project that this could occur within a year of a meteor strike.

The fourth Vial will be poured out around a year after the meteorite strikes the Earth.

First, clouds will drop the temperature.
Next, acid rain poisons the water.
Finally, a year or so later, the “greenhouse effect” of heat with a thin ozone layer will scorch people.

The Apostle John correctly prophesied the effects of a meteorite striking the Earth almost 2,000 years ago! Because we can say that the second trumpet is about a year before this vial is poured out, we have proof for our Tribulation timeline. Trumpets four through six will occur within one year of the fourth vial. The “silence” with the breaking of the seventh seal is now explained:

And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for about the space of half an hour. And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. (Revelation 8:1-2 AKJV)

There will be a “lull” in activity after the seals are broken before the trumpets begin. The peace will last until close to the end of Daniel’s Week. The small meteorites and the big one that hits the ocean fall in the latter part of the second half of the Tribulation. To give time for people to be killed for not taking the Mark of the Beast, as seen in Revelation chapters 14-15, there is a gap between the last trumpet and the first vial.

Trumpets sound around three years after the Two Witnesses die
Wrath begins six to 10 months after

5th Bowl

Then the fifth [angel] emptied his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was [plunged] in darkness, and people gnawed their tongues for the torment [of their excruciating distress and severe pain]... (Revelation 16:10 AMPC)

The Greek word skotoō (skot-ah-o) can mean either literal or metaphoric darkness. We don’t really have a time frame for when this will occur. It could be months or years after the last bowl of wrath.

We know that time stopped on God’s calendar when His people were not in their land. If Satan clears out all of God’s people who go into hiding outside Israel and destroys the temple in Jerusalem, then it could be hundreds of years before these next bowls of wrath come to pass.

With all the debris in the atmosphere from the earthquakes, smoke from the bottomless pit, and the meteorite, there is a possibility that the sky is completely blocked out.
- If the Jews are still in Israel, this may happen very quickly after the fourth bowl.
This could also mean that the AntiChrist is mentally blinded to what is happening.
- If the Jews are not in the land, this could happen for decades or longer.

Darkness was another plague of Egypt. What is the world’s response to God’s wrath?

And blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their anguish and their ulcers (sores), and they did not deplore their wicked deeds or repent [for what they had done]. (Revelation 16:11 AMPC)

There is no repentance, no turning from what they have done. As we have explained when investigating the seals and trumpets, there may be a scientific reason behind what is happening that they will embrace. From the prior chapters, we know the AntiChrist will be blaspheming God and those in Heaven. It looks like he will convince the world to do the same.

Four out of the first five plagues are a repeat of something God has done in the past when His people were being enslaved by a corrupt government system in Egypt. God sent Moses to declare the plagues, and God is sending Two Witnesses to prepare the Body of Christ.

6th Bowl

Then the sixth [angel] emptied his bowl on the mighty river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to make ready a road for [the coming of] the kings of the east (from the rising sun). (Revelation 16:12 AMPC)

The Euphrates is the longest river in Southwest Asia. A tectonic plate runs under this river, so a shifting of the Earth’s crust from the meteorite could cause the river to dry up. China has the largest army in the world and relies heavily upon water, both in the sea and on land, for rice production. The drying up of this river will clear the way for an army to march, possibly from China, in search of water and food, as the river to the east of Israel is drained.

It is interesting to note that God dried up the Red Sea to free His people and destroy the army of Pharaoh in Egypt. He is once again drying up water to bring an army across the dry river.

And I saw three loathsome spirits like frogs, [leaping] from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet. For really, they are the spirits of demons that perform signs (wonders, miracles). And they go forth to the rulers and leaders all over the world, to gather them together for war on the great day of God the Almighty. (Revelation 16:13-14 AMPC)

We now have proof that the King of the bottomless pit is inhabiting the AI that the AntiChrist brought to life because a spirit comes from it! Also, Satan is indwelling the AntiChrist as well as the false prophet. At this point, Satan gathers the marshals of his army, sending out his demonic forces to influence the nations of the world.

Behold, I am going to come like a thief! Blessed (happy, to be envied) is he who stays awake (alert) and who guards his clothes, so that he may not be naked and [have the shame of being] seen exposed! (Revelation 16:15 AMPC)

The Lord gives a warning, with words that seem very familiar. Locating where these words are spoken in the Bible will reveal who He is speaking to:

…If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come on you. You have a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:3-4 AKJV)

This was addressed to the “church at Sardis.” It seems this church will be here when the armies begin marching and must keep watch so that “I (Jesus) will come upon you as a thief.” By looking at these teachings, you are preparing yourself to “watch” so that this day will not come upon you this way! You may want to check out the “Loving God” series if you are in a Sardis church.

And they gathered them together at the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16 AMPC)

Where exactly their forces will gather is still a great debate. Armageddon is translated from Greek, and the most common belief is that it means: Har-Magedon or the hill at Magedon, a place of many bloody battles in Israel. Unfortunately, this is the only place in the whole Bible where this word appears. For that reason, this may be metaphoric, merely stating that the enemies are gathering for a great, bloody battle against God’s nation.

This is another bowl that we cannot place with any accuracy. It will happen after the fifth bowl, and that is all we really know.

7th Bowl

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. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightning; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were on the Earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. (Revelation 16:17-18 AKJV)

Just as with the seals and trumpets, the seventh angel from Heaven brings “voices, and thunders and lightning, and an earthquake.” With each set of events, the earthquake seems to increase, this time being the strongest of all.

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 to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:19-20 AKJV)

The Lord is revealing that the time for destruction has come. The city of Babylon cannot be 100% identified, but it could be either Rome or New York City. The destruction continues in the next verse:

And there fell on 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. (Revelation 16:21 AKJV)

The hail that comes with this vial weighs about 80 pounds. This does not convince them to repent from their evil ways, and they rail at God even more. In the next few chapters, we get a full description of Babylon, which we will discuss next.

One of the calamities God released on Egypt was great hail, which destroyed livestock. This final bowl contains hail like the Earth has never seen before.

The only instrument of wrath God did not use as He freed His people from Egypt is the scorching heat that may be a foreshadowing of what happens at the end of the 1,000-year reign. All of the other events were brought against Egypt, an evil government that was ruling the Earth and enslaving God’s people. We can now clearly see that the exodus from Egypt is a foreshadowing of the closing of this age when God’s people will be freed from Satan, who will be the ruler of this Earth for a short time.