Year of the Bible
Revelation 16
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Commentary on the Book of Revelation, Chapter 16:
Angels pour out the first six bowls of plagues upon the earth. Similar to the plagues against the Egyptians (Exodus 7:14-12:30), these plagues only impact those who are not following God and, despite the mounting disasters, the people do not repent. The plagues destroy creation (bowls 1-4) and human-made kingdoms (bowls 5-6). These plagues are called God’s wrath, which could also be translated as His passion. God’s passion is for justice against His enemies, as is referenced in an angelic hymn. Through these plagues we are marching toward the final battle between good and evil on the great day of God at the place of Armageddon. When the final, seventh plague is poured out, the judgment “is done” and all of creation is impacted. How this judgment is accomplished is more thoroughly described in coming chapters.
The Book of Revelation, Chapter 16:
The Bowls of God’s Wrath
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth, and foul and evil sores came upon the men who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
4 The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of water say,
“Just are you in these your judgments,
you who are and were, O Holy One.
6 For men have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is their due!"
7 And I heard the altar cry, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your
judgments!”
8 The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch men with fire;
9 men were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was in darkness; men gnawed their tongues in anguish 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
12 The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 And I saw, issuing from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, three foul spirits like frogs; 14 for they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!”) 16 And they assembled them at the place which is called in Hebrew Armageddon.
17 The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a great voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as had never been since men were on the earth, so great was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered great Babylon, to make her drain the cup of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; 21 and great hailstones, heavy as a hundred weight, dropped on men from heaven, till men cursed God for the plague of the hail, so fearful was that plague.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"It is done." (v.17) This brings to mind Jesus' crucifixion when he says "It is finished" (John 19:30). Meditate on the parallel between this chapter and the Crucifixion of Jesus and ask God to make the Crucifixion and what it accomplished for you more real in your life.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
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1 Oí una fuerte voz, procedente del
templo, que decía a los siete ángeles:
–Id a verter sobre la tierra las siete
copas de la ira de Dios.
2 Marchó el primero, vertió sobre
la tierra su copa, y sobrevino una llaga
maligna y perniciosa a los hombres que
tenían la marca de la bestia y a los que
habían adorado su imagen.
3 El segundo vertió su copa en el
mar, que se convirtió en sangre como de
muerto, y todos los seres vivos del mar
murieron.
4 El tercero vertió su copa en los ríos
y en las fuentes de las aguas, que se convirtieron
en sangre. 5 Entonces oí al ángel
de las aguas que decía:
«Justo eres Tú, el que es y el que era,
el Santo,
porque has juzgado de esta forma,
6 porque a los que derramaron la
sangre
de los santos y profetas
les has dado a beber sangre.
Se lo merecen».
7 Y oí al altar que decía:
«Sí, Señor Dios Todopoderoso,
verdaderos y justos son tus juicios».
8 El cuarto vertió su copa sobre el sol
y se le permitió abrasar a los hombres
con fuego. 9 Fueron abrasados los hombres
con un gran ardor, y blasfemaron
contra el nombre de Dios, que tiene la
potestad sobre aquellas plagas, y no se
arrepintieron para darle gloria.
10 El quinto vertió su copa sobre el
trono de la bestia, y su reino quedó en
tinieblas y se mordían las lenguas de
dolor. 11 Blasfemaron contra el Dios del
cielo a causa de su dolor y de sus llagas,
pero no se arrepintieron de sus obras.
12 El sexto vertió su copa sobre el
gran río Éufrates y se secaron sus aguas,
de modo que quedó preparado el camino
a los reyes del oriente. 13 Entonces vi
tres espíritus impuros como ranas que
salían de la boca del dragón, de la boca
de la bestia y de la boca del falso profeta.
14 Son espíritus demoniacos que hacen
prodigios y se dirigen a los reyes de
omnipotente.
15 Mirad que vengo como un ladrón.
Bienaventurado el que esté vigilante y
guarde sus vestidos, para no andar desnudo
y que le vean sus vergüenzas.
16 Y los reunió en el lugar que se llama
en hebreo Harmagedón.
17 El séptimo vertió su copa en el
aire, y salió del templo, desde el trono,
una voz que decía:
–¡Ya está hecho!
18 Hubo relámpagos, estampidos de
truenos, y se produjo un gran terremoto
como nunca existió desde que hay
hombres sobre la tierra: ¡tan grande fue
el terremoto! 19 La gran ciudad se partió
en tres trozos, y las ciudades de las naciones
se derrumbaron. La gran Babilonia
fue recordada ante Dios para darle
a beber la copa del vino del furor de
su ira. 20 Todas las islas desaparecieron y
de los montes no se encontró rastro. 21 Y
un pedrisco con granizos como de un
talento de peso cayó del cielo sobre los
hombres, que prorrumpieron en blasfemias
contra Dios por el azote.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
"Está hecho". (v.17) Esto nos trae a la mente la crucifixión de Jesús cuando dice " Está consumado" (Juan 19:30). Medita sobre el parecido entre este capítulo y la Crucifixión de Jesús y pídele a Dios que haga más real en tu vida, la Crucifixión y lo que logró para ti.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).