958. CHAPTER 16.

1. AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying unto the seven angels, Go, and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth.

2. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth and there came a great and noxious sore on the men who had the mark of the beast, and worshipped his image.

3. And the second angel poured out his vial into the sea and it became blood as of one dead; and every living soul in the sea died.

4. And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers and the fountains of waters; and they became blood.

5. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art just, O Lord, who is, and who was, and art holy, because thou hast judged these things.

6. Because they have shed the blood of saints and of prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

7. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.

8. And the fourth angel poured out his vial into the sun and it was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory.

10. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast; and his kingdom became dark; and they gnawed their tongues for anguish.

11. And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their anguish and their sores, and repented not of their works.

12. And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings from the rising of the sun might be prepared.

13. And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits like frogs.

14. For they are spirits of demons, working signs to go forth to the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them together to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16. And he gathered them together into a place, called in the Hebrew, Armageddon.

17. And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18. And there were voices, and lightnings, and thunders and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake.

19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his anger.

20. And every island fled, and the mountains were not found.

21. And great hail, as it were of the weight of a talent, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

EXPLANATION.

VERSES 1, 2. And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying unto the seven angels, Go, and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth. And the first angel went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there came a great and noxious sore on the men who had the mark of the beast, and who worshipped his image.

"And I heard a voice out of the temple saying unto the seven angels," signifies, manifestation by means of Divine truth from the Word of the evils and falsities that have devastated the church: "go, and pour out the vials of the anger of God into the earth," signifies, the state of the devastated church.

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth," signifies, manifestation of the state of the church in general: "and there came a great and noxious sore," signifies, evil works therein, and the consequent falsifications of the Word: "on the men who had the mark of the beast, and who worshipped his image," signifies, those who acknowledge faith alone, and the doctrine thereof, and live according to it.