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Context No. 1195 of 4322 · Revelation

Context · Reflection

Revelation 16:17-21: in context

17The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not happened since there were men on the earth—so great an earthquake and so mighty. 19The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague was exceedingly severe.

The seventh angel pours out the last bowl of God's wrath into the air, and a loud voice comes from the throne in heaven: It is done. There follow lightning, thunder, and an earthquake unlike any in human history; the great city splits, the cities of the nations fall, and Babylon the great is finally made to drink the cup of God's fury. Islands vanish, mountains disappear, and huge hailstones fall on people, who respond, even under this final plague, by cursing God.

Two things stand out at the end of the bowls. First, the voice from the throne: It is done. God's purposes are not endless or open-ended; there comes a point where judgment is complete, where his patience with evil reaches its appointed finish and the word goes out, it is done. History is heading somewhere, toward a real conclusion where God has the final say and the long story of rebellion is brought to its close. There is a solemn comfort in that for those who long for justice: it will not go on forever; there will be a done. Second, and chilling, is the human response even here: they cursed God because of the plague of hail. Under the final, undeniable outpouring of God's power, the hardened still do not repent; they blaspheme. It is the same terrible truth seen earlier in Revelation, that judgment by itself does not change a heart set against God. Even at the very end, staring at the unmistakable hand of God, the impenitent curse rather than kneel. The two together are sobering: God's judgment does reach a decisive it is done, and a heart that has refused his mercy will refuse it even then. The time to be softened is now, by grace, not later, under the hail.

Do I live in light of the coming it is done, and will I let God's mercy soften me now, rather than being one who, even under his undeniable hand, would curse rather than kneel?

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