Revelation Chapter 16 Seven Angles Pour Out Seven Plagues

In this chapter the vision resumes and the seven plagues are poured out.

The day of God’s judgment is a day of God’s wrath – and that day is fast approaching. “Vengeance cometh speedily,” the Lord says, “as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth” (D&C 112:24).

The righteous will be blessed with a degree of protection: “Zion shall escape if she observe to do all things whatsoever I have commanded her” (D&C 97:25). But those among the saints who are hypocrites have no such promise; indeed, they will be the first to be judged: “Upon my house shall it [the day of vengeance] begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; first among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord” (D&C 112:25-26).

This chapter of Revelation details the scourges and plagues that will afflict mankind in the day of the final judgments – plagues that will smite the land, the sea, the rivers, the sun, and the kingdoms of spiritual darkness. Through the power of God, the very foundations of the earth are shaken, and Babylon is prepared to be totally destroyed. These plagues may well fit the description the Lord gave us elsewhere in modern revelation: “For behold, and lo, vengeance cometh speedily upon the ungodly as the whirlwind; and who shall escape it? The Lord’s scourge shall pass over by night and by day, and the report thereof shall vex all people; yea, it shall not be stayed until the Lord come; for the indignation of the Lord is kindled against their abominations and all their wicked works” (D&C 97:22-24).

And again: “Their testimony [the elders] shall also go forth unto the condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts against them; for a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming” (D&C 5:18-19).

Some commentators believe that the judgments in this chapter are a repetition of the plagues seen in Revelation 8, 9, and 11 (Draper, Opening the Seven Seals, 251). That is one possible reading; there are remarkable parallels between the two sections. But it seems more likely that Revelation 16 represents a later and more severe occurrence of plagues. In Revelation 8, for instance, a third of the sea becomes blood and a third of the creatures in the sea die (verses 8-9). But in Revelation 16, all of the sea becomes blood and all creatures therein die (verse 3). A comparison of the plagues in both sections shows a similar progression – as God continues to plead with and to punish the earth through his judgments, those judgments become more severe.

1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials [bowls] of the wrath of God upon the earth.

verse 1 “I heard a great voice out of the temple” In Revelation 15:8 we learned that no one could enter the temple until the next seven plagues were completed. This voice might be the voice of God himself, commanding the seven angels to act.

“Go your ways” The voice tells the angels to move ahead with their commission to administer plagues to the earth.

“pour out the [bowls] of the wrath of God” Under the law of Moses, the priests used a sacred bowl to capture the blood of the sacrifice. As part of the ritual, the priest then sprinkled the blood around the altar (Leviticus 1:5; 3:8). Perhaps in this part of the vision John is seeing a reversal of this ritual – rather than blood coming from the bowls to save the people, John sees something come from the bowls that sheds blood and punishes the people. That which is poured from the bowls represents different manifestations of God’s wrath.

2 And the first went, and poured out his vial [bowl] 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.

verse 2 “the first . . . poured out his [bowl] upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore” The first plague, which is directed at the wicked, is of “disgusting and virulent sores” (JB). This plague parallels the sixth plague that fell on the Egyptians in the time of Moses (Exodus 9:8-12). The contents of this bowl are poured out on the earth itself; and the affliction falls on those who dwell on the earth. The wicked have earlier worn the mark of the beast; now they will wear the mark of the wrath of God (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 293). Noisome (from kakos) is often translated “evil.” The word emphasizes the pernicious and destructive nature of the sores that plague the mind as well as the body. Grievous (from ponros) suggests their virulent and serious nature. The sores themselves are open abscesses or ulcers.

Zechariah prophesies a plague that may be similar: “This shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth” (Zechariah 14:12). And we read in latter-day revelation: “Their tongues shall be stayed that they shall not utter against me; and their flesh shall fall from off their bones, and their eyes from their sockets” (D&C 29:19). These descriptions sound very much like some of the effects of nuclear war (The horrific results of atomic warfare can be read in Hersey’s, Hiroshima.).

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.

verse 3 “the second angel poured out his [bowl] upon the sea; and it became as . . . blood / every living soul died in the sea” This plague and that which follows parallel the first plague that the Lord brought on the ancient Egyptians – the waters turned to blood (Exodus 7:19-21). In Revelation 8:8-9, a third of the waters were afflicted; here, the polluted water kills every creature. This may have connection with words of the Lord given in our dispensation: “Behold, there are many dangers upon the waters, and more especially hereafter; for I, the Lord, have decreed in mine anger many destructions upon the waters” (D&C 61:4-5). We can only speculate on the cause of this destruction; it may be related to the fallout from nuclear war.

There may be another meaning to sea in this passage. In Revelation 17:15, the waters symbolize “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Perhaps here, as well, the sea represents the wicked people of the world, all of whom are eventually destroyed.

“as the blood of a dead man” A person’s blood gives life to the body, as water gives life to the world and the creatures thereof. But a dead man’s blood is corrupted and coagulated, no longer able to help sustain life. So shall it be with the waters of the seas as a result of this plague.

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

verse 4 “the third angel poured out his [bowl] upon the rivers . . . they became blood” This plague (like that of Revelation 16:3) parallels the one found in Exodus 7:19-21 (see also Psalm 78:44). In Revelation 8:10-11, a burning star turned a third of the rivers and fountains of waters bitter. Here, all the rivers and fountains are polluted, though the result is not given.

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.

verse 5 “the angel of the waters” Anciently, the Jews believed that different angels had charge of different elements of nature. The vision of John seems to support this belief. In Revelation 7:1 we see four angels who have power over “the four winds of the earth.” In Revelation 14:18 we read of an angel who has “power over fire.” Here we have one or more angels who seem to have power over the fate of the waters. Or, if we read this verse more simply, we might understand that it refers only to the angel who, in Revelation 16:4, poured his bowl out upon the rivers.

“Thou art righteous, O Lord, . . . because thou hast judged thus” Even though the judgments on the earth are terrible, the angel proclaims that the Lord is righteous and correct to have so judged (see Psalm 119:137). Why? The answer is given in the next verse. Not only have the people chosen lives of sin, but they have slain those who desired to follow the Lord. For such great sin, the Lord rightly punishes them with devastating judgments.

“which art, and wast, and shalt be” See commentary on Revelation 1:4 (see also 1:8; 4:8; 11:17).

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy [deserving].

verse 6 “For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets / given them blood to drink” The motif of blood continues as we are reminded that the wicked have slain many of the righteous (Revelation 13:7, 15; 17:6; 18:24) – and learn that, in a punishment that fits the crime, the wicked will themselves be forced to drink blood (Isaiah 49:26). “To be drunk with blood . . . signifies slaughter by the sword” (Davidson, New Bible Commentary, 1187). The King James Version says the wicked are “worthy” of this punishment; a more accurate translation may be “deserving” (See note “c” to Revelation 16:6 in the LDS edition of the KJV).

The scriptures tell of many specific instances of martyrdom (1 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 24:20-21; Mark 6:25-28; Acts 7:57-60; 12:1-2; Revelation 2:13; 11:7; Mosiah 17:20; Alma 25:7). They also record many general statements documenting the rejection and killing of the Lord’s prophets (1 Thessalonians 2:15; Hebrews 11:37; Revelation 6:9; 12:11; 16:6; Helaman 13:24; 3 Nephi 10:15). The mortal Jesus prophesied that martyrdom was precisely what many of his followers would suffer (Matthew 23:29-38; 24:9).

7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

verse 7 “I heard another [angel who came out from the altar]” Almost without exception, the altar in Revelation is connected with the judgments of God (Revelation 8:3-5; 9:13-14; 14:18; the one exception is Revelation 11:1). The angel declares that God’s judgments are indeed “true and righteous” (see also Revelation 15:3-5; Psalm 19:9) – as is the case with all his works.

“And I heard another angel who came out from the altar saying, 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.

verse 8 “the fourth angel poured out his [bowl] upon the sun / scorch men with fire” The righteous are promised in Revelation 7:16 that “neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat,” meaning that they will not suffer from the heat of the sun. But here the wicked suffer from intense heat, perhaps from the sun. This may result from a breakdown of the ozone layer of the atmosphere, which could result from a nuclear blast and which would remove much of our protection from the sun’s potentially deadly rays, or it may have a cause that we cannot yet imagine. (For a discussion of the effects of nuclear war on the ozone layer, see Schell, Fate of the Earth, 20-21, 79-92.) The scriptures often connect fire with judgment (Deuteronomy 28:22; 1 Corinthians 3:13; 2 Peter 3:7) this fire prefigures the scorching fire of the last judgment (Malachi 4:1). The fourth angel acts under the direction of God and by “power” that “was given unto him.”

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.

verse 9 “men were scorched with great heat / blasphemed the name of God / repented not to give him glory” The heat of this plague is here described as “great,” and the idea of “scorching” is repeated, perhaps for emphasis. But rather than acknowledge their guilt, the wicked appear to blame God for their troubles, speaking evil of him and his righteousness. Blasphemy is a recurring accusation against the wicked in Revelation (Revelation 2:9; 16:11, 21). Even at this late hour in the world’s history, men have an opportunity to repent – but still they refuse (Revelation 9:20-21; 16:11; see the contrast in 11:13). An angel in Revelation 14:7 admonished the world to “fear God, and give glory to him,” but the great body of people on earth choose their sin instead.

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,

verse 10 “the fifth angel poured out his [bowl] upon the seat of the beast / his kingdom was full of darkness” In the ninth plague that Moses proclaimed in Egypt, the whole kingdom was stricken with thick darkness (Exodus 10:21-23). Here, darkness fills the kingdom of the beast (Isaiah 60:2; D&C 82:5; 84:49; 112:23). The darkness may be literal or spiritual – or both. Most likely, because the darkness results from an action of an angel of God, who would not be the source of spiritual darkness, it is probably a literal darkness that reflects the spiritual darkness in the beast’s kingdom. The “seat of the beast” may more accurately be translated the “throne of the beast” (RSV, NEB, JB, NIV). The idea is that the Lord will attack the beast at his very headquarters, striking at his power and authority.

This plague may be a fulfillment of a curse that the Lord pronounced on the wicked in the times of Moses: “The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: and thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee” (Deuteronomy 28:28-29).

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

verses 10-11 “they gnawed their tongues for pain / blasphemed the God of heaven / repented not of their deeds” The terrible pain that men suffer may be a result of the sores in Revelation 16:2, combined with the lack of clean water in Revelation 16:4 and the scorching heat of the sun in Revelation 16:9. The darkness into which they are plunged can only exacerbate their plight. Again, they follow their leader, the beast, in blaspheming God (Revelation 13:1, 5-6; 17:3), blaming him for their pains and sores. And still they will not repent. It seems incredible that people would not turn to God with humble spirits after suffering so much, but they follow the pattern of a scriptural type of long ago: despite all that he and his people suffered, the Egyptian pharaoh in the time of Moses only hardened his heart (JST Exodus 7-10). The plagues of this angel may also be connected with nuclear war.

The core of John’s message centers on the reaction of men to the plagues. They recognize God as the one who controls the plagues, and they curse him because of their pains and anguish, but they do not repent (see Revelation 9:20-21). Instead, they blaspheme their maker. This point is significant. Before, only the beast has spoken blasphemy. In chapter sixteen, men are the ones who thrice curse God (verses 9, 11, 21). John seems to be showing that these men have wholly taken on the character of the beast they serve. The mark of the monster has become indelible not only on their bodies, but also upon their souls, resulting in a sickness that can only reap the reward for which it has blindly sought: reprobation and annihilation (see Revelation 14:10-11; 20:15; 21:8; 22:15).

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.

verse 12 “the sixth angel poured out his [bowl] upon the great river Euphrates / the water thereof was dried up” In the days of Moses and Joshua, the Lord divided and dried up a passage through two different bodies of water to enable his people to be delivered from bondage and then to inherit their land of promise (Exodus 14:21; Joshua 3:13-17). But in John’s vision, the Lord through his angel will dry up the water of a river to clear the way for destruction and war. The Euphrates formed the eastern and northeastern boundary of the land the Lord gave to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7-8; Joshua 1:3-4) and served as a natural barrier to the enemies of Israel. When that barrier is removed, the enemies of Israel can begin their march. The Old Testament speaks often of the Lord drying up waters to accomplish his purposes (Exodus 14:21; Joshua 3:13- 17; Isaiah 11:15-16; 44:27; Jeremiah 51:36; Zechariah 10:11).

“that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” It is uncertain who the kings of the east are. One commentator notes that there have been more than fifty different interpretations of this expression (Walvoord, Revelation of Jesus Christ, 236). What most agree on is that the kings are enemies of the Lord’s people and of the Lord himself and that they are prepared to go forth to war.

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.

verse 13 “I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon / beast / false prophet” The “satanic trinity” (Harrington, Revelation, 166) of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet send forth evil spirits, or devils, to do their work. Their emergence from the mouths of the devil and his helpers suggests that these evil spirits are symbolic of false communications, lies, and propaganda designed to deceive the people of the world. Similarly, in Revelation 12:15, a river that may represent lies comes from the mouth of the dragon; in Revelation 13:5, blasphemies come from the mouth of the beast; and in Revelation 13:14, the false prophet, or second beast, seems to speak threats and ungodly commands.

Frogs, to which the spirits are compared, are unclean animals under the law of Moses (Leviticus 11:10). One of the plagues that Moses and Aaron brought on Egypt was a plague of frogs (Exodus 8:2-6). Interestingly, Pharaoh’s magicians, using Satan’s power, duplicated this plague (Exodus 8:7). In nearby Persia, which was east of the Euphrates (Revelation 16:12), frogs were “considered to be the instrument of Ahriman, the god of darkness.” (Schick, Revelation of St. John, 2:51.) Further, Ahriman had power to change his shape – and the animal form that fit him most naturally was that of a frog (Interpreter’s Bible, 12:485).

The fact that three unclean spirits come forth from three different evil beings suggests that each of those beings (the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet) may send forth one of the spirits. These evil spirits are the agents and representatives of those who send them forth. As righteous men on earth can stand for God by virtue of the priesthood they hold, so can these unclean spirits stand for Satan through the evil power he bestows on them.

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.

verse 14 “For they are the spirits of devils” Here we learn definitively who the three unclean spirits of 16:13 are – spirits of devils. Devils, of course, are not body and spirit combined but are only spirits. Perhaps a better translation would be “spirits that are devils.”

The Lord has told us: “Hearken, O ye elders of my church, and give ear to the voice of the living God; and attend to the words of wisdom which shall be given unto you, according as ye have asked and are agreed as touching the church, and the spirits which have gone abroad in the earth. Behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many spirits which are false spirits, which have gone forth in the earth, deceiving the world. And also, Satan hath sought to deceive you, that he might overthrow you” (D&C 50:1-3).

“working miracles” Jesus Christ prophesied that “there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24; see also commentary on Revelation 13:14). These evil spirits are part of the fulfillment of that prophecy. The miracles of Satan and the miracles of God may often be indistinguishable from one another to the outward senses. Only through the discernment given by the Spirit of God can we know the difference.

Elder Orson Pratt wrote, “The reason the Lord will suffer the devil to work miracles to deceive ‘the kings of the earth and of the whole world,’ is because they will previously have rejected ‘the everlasting gospel;’ therefore the devil will deceive them, and lead them on to destruction, as he did the Egyptians.” (Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, number 5 [1851]: 66.)

“go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world” The deceiving spirits sent forth by Satan will have worldwide influence, including with the rulers of the nations of the earth. The spirits will cause the gathering of the kings and their armies together to battle.

“to gather them to the battle” This battle is the great final battle at Armageddon, which will be fought by the armies of the earth (Revelation 16:16). That battle, perhaps when it reaches its crisis point, will be interrupted by the coming of the Lord (Zechariah 14:1-4), “the great day of God Almighty.”

“great day of God Almighty” See commentary on Revelation 6:17.

“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 the 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.

verse 15 “Behold, I come as a thief” See commentary on Revelation 3:3.

“Blessed is he that watcheth” We have often been commanded to be alert and to watch the signs of the times as the day of Christ’s return draws closer (Matthew 24:42-51; 25:1; D&C 45:44; 133:10). Watching also implies being obedient and prepared (Matthew 24:45-46, 48-51; 25:3, 8-9). Specifically, latter-day revelation tells us we need to be prepared by having the Holy Spirit for our guide (D&C 45:56-57).

“keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” To keep one’s garments is to be ready for any eventuality (specifically, here, the coming of the Lord). If a soldier does not know when the battle will begin, he needs to keep the proper clothing (armor) at hand for any eventuality. If he does not, he might be caught unawares and have to go forth naked (Mounce, Book of Revelation, 300).

But there is a deeper meaning, suggested by a similar statement in Revelation 3:3-5. There we read the warning that the Lord will come as a thief and the promise that those who have “not defiled their garments . . . shall walk with me in white” (Revelation 3:4). To keep one’s garments in this sense is to keep them pure, to avoid and resist sin. It is to keep the covenants and promises one made in the temple. As Alma said, “And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out” (Alma 7:25).

This verse is an interjection, a parenthetical warning and word of comfort to the Saints: The terrors of the last days will continue and worsen. Those who yield themselves to sin will be exposed, but those who remain prepared and pure will be blessed.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

verse 16 “he gathered them together / Armageddon” Armageddon is the site of the last great battle before the coming of the Lord. The person gathering the armies together is not identified, but it is likely Satan, working through the evil spirits he sends to the earth (Revelation 16:14).

John calls this place “Armageddon.” Just what he had in mind is unclear due to ambiguity with the term. The Greek form is Harmagdn. John states that this is a transliteration of a Hebrew word, but he does not supply the word. Many feel it should be “har-magedon,” meaning “the mount of Megiddo.” If this is the case, then the reference would be to an ancient fortress that guarded one of the major highways going through the Jezreel valley to and from Jerusalem. Megiddo was the site for a number of famous battles, perhaps the most celebrated being the defeat of Sisera and his army when “the stars in their courses fought against Sisera” (Judges 5:19-20). Also in the valley Esdraelon (Jezreel), Gideon’s three hundred soldiers roundly defeated the Midianites (see Judges 7); Saul and Jonathan met their end (see 1 Samuel 31:1-6); and king Josiah fought Pharaoh-necoh and was killed (see 2 Kings 23:29-30).

A problem arises in that there is no reference to a “Mount Megiddo” in any ancient writing. Scriptural references abound for Megiddo and its three small towns (see Joshua 17:11; Judges 1:27), to “the waters of Megiddo” (Judges 5:19), and even to “the valley of Megiddo” (2 Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:11), but there is not a whisper about a mount with the name Megiddo. In John’s day, the site of the city would have been little more than seventy feet above the plain. That hardly qualifies for the epithet “mountain.”

Other scholars have suggested that “Har” identifies Mount Carmel and “Megadon” as the citadel Megiddo, both being alluded to in the same breath. Others translate the expression as the mount of assembly mentioned in Isaiah 14:13; or “his [Jehovah’s] fruitful field,” or “the desirable city” meaning Jerusalem, still others as the “marauding mountain” paralleling Jeremiah’s destroying mountain (see 51:25).

Whatever John had in mind, one thing seems clear: as with his other names, the intent is symbolic. The final battle is not to end in northern Israel but at Jerusalem. Zechariah connects Jerusalem and Megiddo in this context (see 12:10-11). The mountain that is the object of the battle must be the Mountain of the Lord’s House, for, as has been shown, the battle is essentially religious: one ideology and theology against another. Therefore, the beast must eventually destroy the Mountain of the Lord’s House, the seat of God’s power on earth, if he is to reign supreme.

The great battle of Armageddon will not be a localized conflict but the center of a worldwide war. Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained, “The center of the battle will be on the mount and in the valley of Megiddo and on the plains of Esdraelon, though, since all nations are involved, it cannot be other than a worldwide conflict” (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 397).

The battle of Armageddon was seen and prophesied anciently by Joel and Zechariah (see also Luke 21:20-23):

Prepare war . . . Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and . . . come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision (Joel 3:9-14).

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity. . . Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west. . . And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains . . . and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee” (Zechariah 14:2-5).

Ultimately, the objective of Satan and his armies is not the conquest of northern Israel nor of Jerusalem but the destruction of the Lord’s temple and the Lord’s work (McConkie, Millennial Messiah, 476-94).

verses 14-16 The great final cleansing battle of Armageddon is mentioned where “all nations” will gather “against Jerusalem to battle” (Zacharias 11-14).

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.

verse 17 “the seventh angel poured out his [bowl] into the air” Other angels poured their bowls out upon the earth, the sea, the rivers, the sun, the seat of the beast, and the Euphrates. By pouring his bowl out into the air, the angel seems to be affecting all of earth through its all-encompassing atmosphere. The sounding of the last trumpet and the pouring forth of the last bowl are quite similar in their results, both signifying the end of earth’s history.

“the temple of heaven” This is John’s name for the celestial kingdom.

“great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done” Because this voice comes from the throne in the temple of heaven, it must belong to God the Father, who is seated on that throne and rules over all. By saying “It is done,” he announces that all things have been accomplished and the time has come for the final destruction of Babylon and of the earth.

A comparison between the events following the sounding of the trumpet and the pouring forth of God’s wrath from the bowl:

#Trumpet Bowl

the Lord’s kingdom is established (11:15) God’s purpose is accomplished (16:17)

the time of judgment is announced (11:18) judgment falls on the earth (16:19-20)

the temple in heaven is opened (11:19) a great voice comes from the temple in heaven

(16:17)

there are lightnings, voices, thunderings, there are voices, thunders, lightnings, a great

a great earthquake, and earthquake, and hail (16:18, 21)

a hailstorm (11:19)

Though there are parallels these two events may well be different, occurring at different times. The first series seems to prefigure the second.

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.

verse 18 “there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings” The thunders and lightnings may indicate that all nature is in an uproar as a result of the judgments poured forth from the last bowl. The voices may be God’s proclamations of judgment and command as we see in the Doctrine and Covenants, where he prepares the earth to return to its paradisiacal glory: “And he shall utter his voice out of Zion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people; and it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found. He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided. And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh” (D&C 133:21-25). See commentary on Revelation 4:5; see also Revelation 8:5; 11:19.

“there was a great earthquake” This earthquake is different from the ones mentioned in Revelation 6:12 and 11:13-14. The earthquake in Revelation 6:12 was so great that the mountains and islands are “moved out of their places” (Revelation 6:14), but that earthquake occurred in the period of the sixth thousand years (D&C 77:6-7). The earthquake in Revelation 11:13-14 was the first in the seventh thousand-year period; it is of indeterminate size and intensity. The earthquake in Revelation 16:18 is described as the greatest in the history of the world. It is so great, as we read in 16:20, that it appears to be connected with the flattening of the mountains and the unifying of the continents.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote:

One of the plainest and most oft-repeated statements about the ushering in of the Millennium is the promise of a great shaking of the earth, of earthquakes that are everywhere at one and the same time, and of mountains and valleys and seas and landmasses that move. ‘Yet once, it is a little while,’ saith the Lord, ‘and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come.’ (Haggai 2:6-7.) Christ, the Desire of all nations, shall come amid the greatest shaking of the earth and of all things that there has ever been or ever will be in the entire history of this planet. Everything on earth – the historical events then in progress, the beasts and all forms of life, and the inanimate objects that do not act for themselves – everything on earth will be affected by the great shaking (Millennial Messiah, 620-21; see also Ezekiel 38:19- 20; Joel 3:16; D&C 133:31).

In vivid language, John describes the power God unleashes against the wicked: thunder, lightning, tumult, and finally an earthquake of unprecedented proportions (cf. Daniel 12:1). “For, with you saith the Lord Almighty, I will rend their kingdoms; I will not only shake the earth, but the starry heavens shall tremble” (D&C 84:118). In reality, all this is nothing less than the preparation of the earth for its paradisiacal state.

He shall utter his voice out of Zion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people; and it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found. He shall command the great deep, and it shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; and the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided. And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh (D&C 133:21-25).

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.

verse 19 “the great city was divided into three parts” The great city seems to be Babylon, which at the end times is not a literal city but a figurative city, representative of all the wicked societies of the earth. The division into three parts suggests that the city is fully weakened and prepared for the final destructive blow.

“the cities of the nations fell” The cities of the nations fall in the earthquake, but this passage also seems to refer to the destruction of governments. The events in these verses bring about the fulfillment of the latter-day prophecy made by Joseph Smith: “With the sword and by bloodshed the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn; and with famine, and plague, and earthquake, and the thunder of heaven, and the fierce and vivid lightning also, shall the inhabitants of the earth be made to feel the wrath, and indignation, and chastening hand of an Almighty God, until the consumption decreed hath made a full end of all nations” (D&C 87:6).

“great Babylon came in remembrance before God” See commentary on Revelation 14:8.

“the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath” See commentary on Revelation 14:10.

#20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

verse 20 “every island fled away/the mountains were not found” This passage describes the great leveling of the earth as the Lord prepares it for the millennial era. This leveling will occur as a result of the tremendous earthquake in Revelation 16:18. As we read in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Continue in steadfastness, looking forth for the heavens to be shaken, and the earth to tremble and to reel to and fro as a drunken man, and for the valleys to be exalted, and for the mountains to be made low, and for the rough places to become smooth – and all this when the angel shall sound his trumpet” (D&C 49:23; 109:74; 133:21).

Elder Parley P. Pratt wrote of this event:

From these verses [Isaiah 40:1-5] we learn, first, that the voice of one shall be heard in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord, just at the time when Jerusalem has been trodden down of the Gentiles long enough to have received, at the Lord’s hands, double for all her sins, yea, when the warfare of Jerusalem is accomplished, and her iniquities pardoned. Then shall this proclamation be made as it was before by John [the Baptist], yea, a second proclamation, to prepare the way of the Lord, for his second coming; and about that time every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and rough places plain, and then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. . . .

Having restored the earth to the same glorious state in which it first existed – leveling the mountains, exalting the valleys, smoothing the rough places, making the deserts fruitful, and bringing all the continents and islands together, causing the curse to be taken off, that noxious weeds, and thorns, and thistles shall no longer be produced; the next thing is to regulate and restore the brute creation to their former state of peace and glory, causing enmity to cease from off the earth. But this will never be done until there is a general destruction poured out upon man, which will entirely cleanse the earth, and sweep all wickedness from its face (Pratt, Voice of Warning, 159-60, 162).

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.

verse 21 “there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven” Deadly hailstones are one of the elements of nature God periodically uses to assist the righteous in their battles and to punish the wicked (Joshua 10:11; Mosiah 12:6), and hailstorms are often prophesied among the troubles to come (Ezekiel 13:13; 38:22; Revelation 11:19; D&C 29:16). A “very grievous hail” was one of the plagues sent upon Egypt in the days of Moses (Exodus 9:18).

“every stone about the weight of a talent” Each of these hailstones weighs between forty-five and ninety pounds (the exact weight of a talent is uncertain) (Douglas, ed., New Bible

Dictionary, 1324). The point is that these hailstones are tremendous in size and catastrophic in their effect.

“men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail” Not only do the people of the world fail to repent but they speak evil of God for that which he does in perfect justice. Obviously, the pounding hailstorm does not bring penitence. Once again John notes how hardened these men have become who can only curse God and wish to die and who never for a second consider repentance. Little wonder that the angels declared that God’s judgments against the wicked were entirely true and just.

After bringing his reader three times to the point of judgment, John finally shows its execution. Sandwiched between all the symbolically graphic material is a warning to the saints: watch and be prepared (see verse 15). Now is the time to set that watch. The Lord has charged his prophets to “prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come” (D&C 88:84-85). To the saints, he commands: “Entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes. For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man. . . [For] after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people” (D&C 88:86-88).

The world must respond to the cry of repentance or face the consequences. Chapter sixteen describes what will happen to those who will not repent. Ironically, their refusal to repent is the very thing that continues the plagues. They curse God when they should be blaming themselves. God is not the cause of their misery – they are. But they are too blinded, too hardened, too spiritually dead to see it. They bring upon themselves the fires of Hades even in mortality. Yet while they hate it, their minds have become so perverted that the filth of hell seems better than the purity of heaven. And thus, they die.