Chapter 16 is the final wrath of God that will happen after the Rapture stages and there isn't much I can say that isn't already said here. It appears that this chapter is very literal as what is going to happen to those who have taken the mark of the beast. Although there's no indication of whether Jesus is still here or not, it's highly possible that Jesus will have already ascended to the clouds when the last plagues begin. After all, there's no reason for him to be here anymore.
Seven angels are given seven tasks to perform, each one designed to punish the remaining population.
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth." Rev 16:1 |
Included in this chapter is a description of Satan and his two colleagues who help him deceive.
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Rev 16:13-14 |
This verse can be confusing if not taken in proper perspective. The three frogs will gather the nations for a big battle that will take place in one single day as described in chapter 18. It also describes what we are up against in this world and shows us that Satan, the False Prophet (Antichrist), and the beast (kingdoms) are spirits that control the world.
John is describing how Satan works with the false prophet and the beast to bring on a first hand battle of will power, Satan and the world against Jesus and God. What's interesting here is what will take place, some how Satan will convince those who are left in the world that Jesus and the 144,000 can be defeated if they all gather together and make a stand.
Since the chosen ones are gone at this stage and the only ones left are those who have sworn to follow Satan and have the mark of the beast, what else can they do except fight for their lives because their salvation is completely gone at this stage. I expect they will be thinking they killed Jesus once, they can do it again.
THE FALSE TRINTY:
I'm going to step aside for a minute and explain something. John said he saw three unclean spirits come out of the mouths of three different things; the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. Now, think about this for a minute, what do we call three of a kind that work together? We call it a trinity. This is a description of what is called the Holy Trinity these days. Yes, the false prophet, Satan, and the beast have done a good job at deceiving many people.
God is singular, not plural. Jesus is his son, and the Holy Spirit is a lesser spirit than God almighty. In today's modern world of bible scholars, there's a completely false teaching going around about the trinity and a so called triune God. It's done by teaching that God died on the cross instead of Jesus. It's also done by teaching that Jesus is God and not his son. Then it's being taught the reason for this is because Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are all the same being. This is completely false and is nothing more than the work of these three spirits coming out of these three entities.
Many false things have been taught about Jesus, God and about prophecy for decades. The beast is also part of it because it doesn't want anyone to know that the nation of Israel is part of its scheme.
There are other versions of the trinity that's being taught as well, such as saying that Jesus was an angel before he came to earth and not a son of God, or even saying that Satan was also an angel. Neither of which were angels but rather both of them were spirits and in the very likeness of God. The difference being that Jesus came to support God and has taken on a human body, while Satan is still a spirit and tends to take care of no one but his own desires.
Another thing to understand is the false prophet is also the spirit of the antichrist. The antichrist is not mentioned in the book of Revelation because it will have no power in the end. The only power it has is deception. When the false prophet is thrown into the lake of fire, there will be no more spirit of antichrist here to confuse people. Like Satan, Jesus, and God who have different names, the Spirit of the Antichrist is also the Spirit of the False Prophet. The Antichrist is a spirit, not a person.
Getting back to chapter 16, Jesus gives a warning for people who walk naked. Being naked is not a literal meaning of being unclothed or having sex with someone, it means walking without the outer garment of salvation.
Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." Rev 16:15 |
The garment is your salvation robe. Next comes the drying up of the great Euphrates river.
Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. Rev 16:12 |
And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. Rev 16:16 |
One can only speculate as to why the kings of the east will be heading towards Jerusalem, except that it is to kill Jesus and the 144,000. Keep in mind that these things will be happening when the chosen ones are long gone and in a period of 30 days. 1290-1260=30 days.
After they trek towards Jerusalem they are soon devoured by the last plague from God and no longer found to exist.
Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Rev 16:20 |
The mountains are foundations of kingdoms. The last plague finalizes that there are no more kingdoms here on earth because they have all been completely destroyed. This event is not to be confused with Ezekiel 38:19 and 20, where God destroys every city one earth and every wall to every building.
For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: 'Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 'so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.' Ez 38:19-20 |
That event will take place in chapter 20, verses 7 and 8, and is not part of the wrath here in chapter 16. It is scheduled for the later days of this world, and since the later days are not until after the millennium, it will not take place just yet.
After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; Ez 38:8 |
When Jesus returns only a hand full of the worlds past and present population will be alive, and so they will miss out on Gods show of power and destruction of every city. In order for him to show all people his glory, all people must be alive to see it.
Of which, after the millennium the rest of the dead will rise from their graves bringing the entire historic population back to life, minus those who took on the mark of the beast of course, and they will see the final battle then.
For now, at this stage in chapter 16, the kingdoms the become Jesus's after the wrath. If they are all destroyed then there would be nothing for him to take over.