16:1 The Seven Last Plagues: These seven angels are messengers of wrath bringing pain and destruction. Like the plagues God loosed on ancient Egypt (Exodus 7:19-12:30) when they persecuted His people, so these seven last plagues are poured out upon those who seek to harm the Lord’s faithful saints at the end of time. These plagues are not universal, or man would perish from the earth. They will, however, be the worst disasters this world has ever known as God’s wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.

16:2 The 1^st Plague—Sores on the Worshipers of the Beast: These painful sores do not fall upon God’s people, but unto many of the inhabitants of the earth who have the mark of the beast. The “miracle working power” of the beast (Revelation 13:14) is helpless to heal its followers of this plague.

16:3 The 2^nd Plague—The Sea Turns to Blood: This second plague kills every living thing in many of the seas and oceans of the world.

16:4-7 The 3^rd Plague—The Rivers Turn to Blood: The beast has “shed the blood of saints and prophets.” By worshiping the beast and receiving her mark, men become guilty of her crimes. They also prove themselves to be guilty of the same spirit which originated those crimes, supporting the death decree for God’s faithful people. Because the saints will not obey the end of time Sunday law, these evil men clamor for their blood—so God gives them “blood to drink.”

16:8-9 The 4^th Plague—The Sun Scorches Men: In addition to the suffering caused by the extreme heat there will also be other effects. Many streams and rivers will be dried up (Joel 1:17-20), causing trees and grass to die, and a great famine. Joel 1:10-12; Amos 8:3. Those who would deny God’s people the right to buy and sell the necessities of life are now starving and thirsty, but the bread and water of the righteous will be miraculously provided to them by their God. Isaiah 33:15-16; 41:17. “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.” Psalm 91:7-8.

16:10-11 The 5^th Plague—Darkness on the Seat of the Beast: This plague is poured out on “the seat of the beast.” It fills “his kingdom” “full of darkness,” and causes “pain.” Those who worship the beast find that not only cannot protect them from these plagues, but that the beast itself smitten. The world has loved the darkness of error and hated the light of truth so God gives them darkness.

Those affected by these plagues “blaspheme” God “because of their pains and sores.” It is likely that these plagues are cumulative so that now they have sores, lack of water, scorching heat with drought and famine, and a painful darkness to deal with all at the same time.

16:12-16 The 6^th Plague—The Euphrates River is Dried Up: “The dragon” is Satan in the guise of modern spiritualism, pagan religions, and occult and the new age movement. Revelation 12:3-6. “The beast” is the Roman Catholic Church System revived and healed of its Protestant churches in the United States who influenced the government to make religious laws. Revelation 13:11-18. These three make up “the great city,” “Babylon,” which fights against God’s holy city and people.

These three, “The dragon,” “the beast,” and “the false prophet” send out their demonic messengers and work their miracles to deceive the nations and gather them to the battle of “Armageddon.” Revelation 12:17. They intend to carry out the death decree and destroy God’s people who have refused to worship the beast or his image—those who will not desecrate the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and refuse to comply with the Sunday law. See Revelation 13:11-15.

The “Euphrates” river ran through the ancient city of Babylon; it was quite literally the life of the city. When the armies of Cyrus the Persian, under his General Darius, overthrew Babylon, they did so by digging channels to divert the water. The river “dried up” enough to allow them to march into the city along the riverbed and successfully attack through the inner river gates. They drying up of the Euphrates symbolizes a drying up of support for Babylon the Great.

When things seem the darkest for God’s remnant people and they are surrounded by the armies of the unholy trinity of beast, dragon and false prophet, they hear the voice of Jesus who is approaching with the host of heaven proclaiming to the world that these are His people. The attackers realize that they have been deceived, that they are eternally lost. They are filled with terror and withdraw their support from Babylon and turn on her in rage. Revelation 17:16. This fulfills the prophecy that the “Euphrates” will be “dried up.”

Soon after he conquered Babylon, Cyrus freed the Israelites from captivity and allowed them to return to their homes. Cyrus, the king from the east, became a symbol of Christ the deliverer. God through the prophet Isaiah calls him His “shepherd” and His “anointed.” Isaiah 44:24-45:1. The “kings of the east” are Jesus, the King of Kings, and the mighty host who accompany Him in battle.

16:17-21 The 7^th Plague—The Destruction of the Wicked: From the “throne” of the “Temple of Heaven” “a great voice” is heard “saying, It is done.” The cup of human guilt has been filled up, the true character of the great city, Babylon, has been unmasked and God’s people have been delivered. Finally the seventh plague destroys the wicked.

As the battle of Armageddon commences, God sends great hail on the wicked, and strikes the entire world with a mighty earthquake that levels whole mountain ranges, causing islands to sink beneath the waves and leaves the cities on the earth in ruins. This earthquake takes place in connection with the return of Christ. Isaiah 2:19-21; Revelation 6:14-17.

“The great city” divides “into three parts” as support for Babylon dries up and the alliances between its members disintegrates.

Babylon is judged and punished for her sins and drinks the “wine of the fierceness of His wrath” to the full.