Read chapter in full: biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=Revelation+016

 

Chapter 16 (ESV)

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 out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

³ The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.

⁴ The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵ And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say,

“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
for you brought these judgments.
⁶ For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”

⁷ And I heard the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
true and just are your judgments!”

⁸ The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. ⁹ They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

 

REFLECTION:

1. In this scene, the seven angels leave heaven to pour out their bowls filled with God’s wrath. The seven bowls, similar to the seven trumpets, are reminiscent of the judgment plagues in Egypt. This reinforces the absolute importance on worship.  The ten plagues came on the Egyptians not because they were extraordinarily evil but for their determination to prevent Israel from worshipping God.
2. It has been said, “The greatest evil that people of faith face from the outside is the obstruction of worship. The greatest evil that they face from the inside is the subversion of worship.”  Can you identify some of these forces in our contemporary society? How should the church counteract these external and internal forces?
3. Have you noticed such forces in you – either hindering your worship of God or corrupt your sense of significance of worship? Have you ever hindered others from worshipping God by your behaviours or attitudes? What do you need to repent, and claim victory in Christ?

 

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, forgive my indifference to worship and not giving You the glory You deserve. My worship is only superficial, and sometimes it becomes a responsibility, and I lose my love for being close to You. I am willing to repent and reorganize my worship life to worship You in spirit and in truth.

 

HYMN:

Open the Eyes of My Heart – youtu.be/Fm-zb-AH8Xc