AS THE BLOOD OF A DEAD MAN

This chapter describes the third of the three series of seven judgements in Revelation. The seven seal judgements, 6. 1-17; 8. 1, are connected to the throne. The seven trumpet judge­ments, 8. 7 to 9. 21; 11. 15-19, are connected to the altar. The seven vial, or bowl, judgements, 16. 1-21, are connected to the temple. In a manner and intensity without parallel in history, Matt. 24. 21, the second half of the seven year long tribulation period will experience the outpouring of divine wrath. These vial judgements all fall within that period.

These sore judgements will affect the whole earth. Earlier, the third and fourth parts were affected. It is clear that God will now deal punitively with men because of the beast and all that he stands for, vv. 10, 11. The vial judgements are directed in turn upon the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the seat of the beast, the river Euphrates and the air.

Not for the first time in the history of God’s interventions in judgement in the earth, the waters are affected: there are echoes here of His intervention on behalf of His people in Egypt when the first of the ten plagues involved the turning of water into blood. In contrast to that plague, the first miracle of the Lord Jesus involved the turning of water into wine, a symbol of joy.

As a result of the third vial being poured out the rivers and fountains of waters actually turn into blood. This is not said of the sea: rather, it becomes as the blood of a dead man. ‘The life of the flesh is in the blood’, Lev. 17. 11. In a living man, the blood delivers necessary substances to the body’s cells, such as nutrients and oxygen, and takes away waste products from those same cells. But, at death, it becomes noth­ing more than a corrupted and congealed mass of chemicals. Sea that has this character clearly cannot support life and a world-wide ecological catastrophe will therefore occur. Not only will marine life perish but the water cycle, on which life depends, will be critically disrupted. This is surely one of God’s most terrible judgements.

Thank God that now we wait for His Son from heaven, even Jesus, our deliverer from the coming wrath, 1 Thess. 1. 10.