The Strand Study Bible

Written From the Island of Patmos REVELATION the mark of the beast, the first vial judgment will only affect those which had the mark of the beast . Henry M. Morris in The Revelation Record notes: Although it is impossible to be certain, it may well be that the very process by which men had received this mark had rendered them susceptible to these unique sores. The mark had been permanently affixed to the skin, like a tattoo, and something in the chemicals or in the marking process (possibly a process of irradiation, because of the government’s mandate to mark billions of people rapidly and permanently) may have entered the bloodstream. The angel with the plague, knowing the nature of this poison, could then release some other agent into the atmosphere which would specifically and quickly react with all human bodies so affected, causing them to break out in these “loathsome and penetratingly painful” sores. 1 16:3 The phrase “ upon the sea ” is symbolic of beauty, dreams, and desires. Sadly, in Hell every longing and every want will forever remain unfulfilled (Lk 16:22-24). 16:4 The phrase “ fountains of water ” is symbolic of the good life. Sadly, in Hell every appetite and thirst for the good life will forever remain unfulfilled (Lk 16:22-24 and Ezk 31:16-18). 16:8 “ Fire ” is symbolic of danger (Mt 5:22 & 18:9 and Deut 32:22), pain (Rev 19:20 & 20:14 & 21:8), and torment (Lk 16:23-24, Mt 13:40-42,50 and Mk 9:43-48). Sadly, in Hell this fire (or, burning ) will last forever. 16:10 “ Darkness ” is symbolic of pain (Jonah 1:17 - 2:2) and torment (Mt 8:12 & 13:40-42,50, II Pet 2:17 and Jude 11-13). Sadly, in Hell this darkness will last forever. 16:12 No doubt, the heat of the sun due to the fourth vial (vs 8-9) will lend its support to the sixth angel as he pours out his own vial upon the great river Euphrates in order to dry it up ( and the water thereof was dried up ). The Euphrates River, once the source of great blessing (Gen 2:8-14), will now become a curse. Harold Willmington in Willmington’s Bible Handbook notes: With its demise enabling Armageddon, the Euphrates will have proved to be both the cradle (see Gen. 2:14) and the grave of human civilization. 2 16:13 “ Unclean spirits ” are symbolic of demonic activity (Mt 25:41, Rev 20:10 and Isa 14:15). There are some who believe that when the numerous ancient texts, from Scripture (Joel 2:2-11, Zeph 2:11, Jere 46:25) to extra-biblical sources (II Esdras 5:8, Enoch 15:9-10, and Jubilees 10:7-12), are added up, that there is persuasive evidence that we will have a repeat of Genesis 6:2-4, and that angels will once again alter the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) of humans in order to bring about giants (Heb. nephilims ), i.e., “mighty men” (Heb. giborim ) during the Tribulation Period. Thomas Horn in Apollyon Rising 2012 notes: 2167 If this is so, Joel’s army of “mighty men” (Heb. giborim – Joel 2:7) could be more than simple grasshoppers, and that this massive gibborim army that runs upon the wall from which nobody can escape could be the result of man’s willingness to play “god” in reviving forbidden science and opening “gates” to what lurks beyond. 16:14 Some of Satan’s imps will “call” the kings of the earth (probably Europe, America, South America, Canada and Australia) to send their armies to the plain of Megiddo to join the kings of the East (probably China, Korea, etc. – vs 12) in order to destroy the armies of the Antichrist in Israel for the final battle (Zech 12:3 and Rev 19:17-21). Herb Vander Lugt and Dave Branon in Understanding the Endtimes notes: As the clock winds down on the reign of Antichrist, more and more countries will align together against him and do battle with him in Palestine. 4 The Devil has no problem using his own Antichrist as bait in order to destroy Israel. He knows that if there is no Israel, there can be no SECOND COMING OF CHRIST . 16:15 The SECOND COMING OF CHRIST will begin the same way a thief enters a place to rob it –unexpectedly! The Second Coming will begin with the DAY OF THE LORD 3½ years earlier than expected (Mt 24:43-44, Lk 12:39-40, I Thess 5:2, II Pet 3:10-14 and Rev 3:3a ). 16:16 This word ( Armageddon ) is now a part of the English language, and is correctly defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “the place of the last decisive battle.” The plain of Megiddo (the plain of Jezreel - Hos 1:5,11), about twelve miles wide, was famous in Israel’s history, both for her victories (Judg 4-5,7) and for her defeats (I Sam 4 and II Ki 23:29-30). 16:17 This phrase ( It is done ) is a term symbolizing the "finality" of all things (Ezk 39:8). NOTE - In Hell everything will be final, including hope from endless destruction (Lk 16:24-26 and II Thess 1:9). For this reason, we who are saved are called to reach our generation with the glorious gospel of JESUS CHRIST (Mt 28:18-20). Given that the prophets foretold a day when mythical characters and “gods” would return to earth to conduct war against the God of the Bible, it is more than a little disturbing that man has, for the first time since before the Great Flood, intentionally set course to repeat what ancient records say the Watchers ( nephilims , i.e., fallen angels in Genesis 6:2-4 – my emphasis ) did. The accelerated pace by scientific exploration against God’s divine order, and the subsequent revival of Watcher technology leading to transhuman or revived forms of nephilim, has without doubt pushed the end-time clock closer to midnight than most comprehend. 3

1 Morris, Henry M. The Revelation Record , Carol Stream, ILL, Tyndale, 1983. Print. 2 Willmington, Harold L. Willmington’s Bible Handbook , Wheaton, ILL, Tyndale House Pub, Inc., 1997. Print. 3 Horn, Thomas. Apollyon Rising 2012 , Crane, MO, Defender, 2009. Print. 4 De Haan II, M.R. Understanding the Endtimes , Grand Rapids, MI, RBC Ministries, 2004. Print.