Third Bowl

When the seven angels who had the seven plagues come out from the Temple of God, they receive from one of the four living creatures a bowl of God's wrath (Rev 15:6-7), and it appears that each plague is mixed with each corresponding bowl (Rev 21:9).

The third bowl / plague (Rev 16:4-7):

1. Poured into the rivers and springs of water and all fresh water became blood; this implies that all living creatures in it died.

2. With the poisoning of all fresh water, the angel of the waters said, "Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." The angel at the altar said, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."

3. With the poisoning of all fresh water, governments will be severely tested and societies could quickly collapse. Among numerous issues: drinking water is confined to limited supplies of packaged goods, personal hygiene is curtailed, and cooking is restricted. The third trumpet had already poisoned 1/3 of all fresh water.

In light of the eagle's woe for "those who dwell on the earth" (Rev 8:13; 11:14), the bowl plagues represent the third, last woe, and the only remaining judgments against those left on earth; they represent the "reaping" by the angel (Rev 14:18-20).

The reaping figuratively speaks of gathering the "ripe" grapes and throwing them into the great wine press of God's wrath "outside the city" (Rev 14:18-19), which is a reference to the bowl judgments (Rev 16:1-21). This period of reaping includes the angelic assistance of carrying out Jesus Christ's judgment at Armageddon, because it is Jesus who treads upon the grapes in the great wine press of God's wrath (Rev 19:15-21).


This is an exerpt from: The First Six Bowls.