Revelation 16:17-21 (NKJV) Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
V17 “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” This is the last of 21 judgments against evil. The contents of this bowel symbolize the worst earthquake to ever happen. See verse 18. The loud voice is God’s voice and command. He says, “It is done.” The Greek word is (G1096) γίνομαι ginomai, which means to come into existence, that is, it is finished. This is different than Jesus’s words on the cross (Τετέλεσται—G5055 in John 19:30). Robertson writes: “The whole series of plagues is now complete.” Compare Revelation 15:1.
Precept Austin on this verse: “Here is more evidence against the idea that the bowl judgments are a recapitulation of previous seal or trumpet judgments, merely providing additional detail. For there is no indication at the opening of the seventh seal (Rev. 7:8+) or in the sounding of the seventh trumpet (Rev. 11:15+) that judgment has been completed, as here.58 The impossibility of a recapitulation is also seen in the closure of the heavenly Temple for the duration of the bowl judgments (Rev. 15:8+), whereas during the seal and trumpet judgments, the heavenly Temple is not so sealed (Rev. 7:15+; Rev. 11:19+; Rev. 14:15+, Rev. 14:17+; Rev. 15:6+).”
V18 “And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.” This bowl judgment was poured into the atmosphere, hence all the atmospheric manifestations. Finally, the most severe earthquake ever to happen in the past or future.
Revelation 16:18 (Holman Commentary) “This one, however, was on Earth, and clearly off the Richter scale: No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on Earth, so tremendous was the quake. This is the final shaking of nature from which there is no recovery, as verse 20 will state. The prophet Haggai is the only Old Testament writer to write about an earthquake at the end of the world (Haggai 2:6,7,21). The Epistle to the Hebrews quoted Haggai’s words thus: “Now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the Earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken— that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27). Here, then, the final global earthquake that undoes planet Earth.”
V19 “Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” The “great city” is Babylon. Babylon was divided into three parts perhaps by a valley or something similar. All the cities experienced the effects of this earthquake. Remembered has the idea that finally God gets revenge on everything Babylon stood for—rebellion, evil, false religion, wrong type of government, etc.
A few comments about Babylon:
(Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) “According to Babylonian tradition, it was built by the god Marduk. The city must have been built sometime before 2300 B.C., because it was destroyed about that time by an invading enemy king. This makes Babylon one of the oldest cities of the ancient world. Genesis 10:10 mentions Babel (the Hebrew spelling of Babylon) as part of the empire of Nimrod.”
Revelation 18:9 (NKJV Study Notes Full Color, 3rd Edition) “In Revelation, the world in rebellion against God is called “Babylon.” The OT prophets often prophesied the fall of Babylon, the capital of an empire that destroyed God’s city, Jerusalem, and carried His people away as captives (Isaiah 14:22; 21:9; 43:14; Jeremiah 50:9; 51:37). Today, the ruins of this city stand as an eloquent testimony to the passing of proud empires and to the providential hand of God.”
V20 “Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” Showing the extent of destruction. Compare Jeremiah 4:23-28.
Precept Austin writes: “Those saints yet living on the earth during this time will understand Psalm 46 in a completely literal way: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea . . . The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved, He uttered His voice, the earth melted” (Ps. 46:1-2, 6). The earth is essentially a ruin by the Second Coming of Christ. All of man’s environmental efforts and their pagan foundations will be for naught. For appeal to Mother Earth (Gaia) for shelter and sustenance will be of no avail when she herself is judged by Father God Who created the earth. In a similar way to how God will create a new heavens and a new earth after the final judgment (Rev. 21:1+), He will regenerate the earth prior to the Millennial Kingdom. Jesus promised his disciples, “In the regeneration (παλιγγενεσίᾳ [palingenesia], again Genesis), when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Mat. 19:28). Isaiah also saw a “new heavens and a new earth,” but which is followed by childbirth, sin, and death (Isa. 65:17, 20, 23). 69 It is by this regeneration that Jerusalem is lifted up above the surrounding lands (Zec. 14:10) to form the mountain of the Lord’s house from which will flow the river of life during the Millennium (Isa. 2:2; 27:13; 30:29; 56:7; Eze. 17:24; 20:40; 40:2; Mic. 4:1). Then Isaiah’s prophecy will become a literal reality:
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth; the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isa. 40:3-5)
V21 “And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.” A talent is 100+ pounds/46 kg. No amount of pain and suffering will bring these evil people to repentance. They love their sin. Compare Proverbs 27:22 and Jeremiah 5:3.
We learn:
- God’s final judgment on the earth and its inhabitants
- Fallen humans (sinners) will not repent in the most extreme pain, because that class loves their sin