Up to Revelation 11:19 we get, with the exception of a parenthesis or two, an orderly chronological order of events. Then this order is arrested, and we have a series of what we might call sectional views, all related to each other as parts of a whole, but looked at separately, and without reference to their connection with each other in order of chronology.
Revelation 12 gives us the sectional view of Israel from the birth of Christ till the great tribulation. Satan's power is manifest here.
Revelation 13 gives us the sectional view of the rise of the Roman Empire, leading up to the great tribulation as viewed from the Gentile side, under the leadership of the two beasts—the head of the revived Roman Empire and the Antichrist. Satan's instruments are thus prominent here.
Revelation 14 gives us a series of sectional views, which we have already briefly explained. They are seen in: (1) verses 1-5; (2) verses 6 and 7; (3) verse 8; (4) verses 9-12; (5) verse 13; (6) verses 14 and 16; (7) verses 17-20.
In Revelation 15 we get the resumption of what is more or less chronological. The seven angels with the seven golden vials are introduced to us. The vials are distinctly said to contain the seven last plagues.
In order to make plain our thoughts respecting the series of vial judgments, which we trust will commend themselves to the spiritual judgment of our readers, we have placed the trumpet judgments and vial judgments alongside one another for the purpose of easy comparison, for it is in the intelligent comparison of them that we shall be helped in the understanding of this Book.
Trumpet Judgments.
1. The Roman Empire affected — Hail and fire mingled with blood and destroy the third part of trees and all green grass (Rev. 8:7).
2. The Sea affected — A great mountain burning with fire, cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea becomes blood (Rev. 8:8-9).
3. Rivers, fountains, affected — Great star, burning as it were a lamp, falls from heaven and falls upon a third part of rivers and fountains of waters. Star is named Wormwood. It embitters the third part of waters, and many die because of their bitterness (Rev. 8:10-11).
4. Sun affected — A third part of the sun, moon, and stars smitten, third part of them darkened so that day shone not for a third part of it and the night also (Rev. 8:12).
5. Demoniacal Power let loose — A star falls from heaven. The key of bottomless pit was given to him, and he releases myriads of evil spirits under the symbol of locusts, who have power to hurt for five months (Rev. 9:1-11).
6. River Euphrates affected — Four angels bound in River Euphrates are loosed, and are prepared to slay the third part of men. The unslain remnant do not repent (Rev. 9:13-21).
7. Lightnings, Thunderings, Earthquake, Hail — Great voices in heaven proclaiming the world-kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. Worship of the elders. Wrath of the nations. Temple of God opened. Ark of Testament seen. Lightnings, voices, thunderings, earthquake, and great hail (Rev. 10:1-11).
Vial Judgments.
1. The Roman Empire affected — a noisome and grievous sore upon men who had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image (Rev. 16:2).
2. The Sea affected — A vial poured upon the sea, and it becomes as the blood of a dead man, and every living soul dies in the sea (Rev. 16:3).
3. Rivers, fountains, etc., affected — A vial poured upon rivers and fountains of waters, and they become blood (Rev. 16:4-7).
4. Sun affected — A vial poured upon the sun and power given to the angel to scorch men with fire. Men scorched with great heat (Rev. 16:8-9).
5. Kingdom full of Darkness — A vial poured on the seat of the beast. His kingdom was full of darkness. Men blaspheme God because of their pains and sores (Rev. 16:10-11).
6. River Euphrates affected — A vial poured upon the River Euphrates. The way of the kings of the East might be prepared. Myriads gathered to battle at Armageddon (Rev. 16:12-16).
7. Lightings, Thunderings, Earthquake, Hail — A vial poured into the air. There were voices, thunders, lightnings, great earthquake. Babylon is judged. Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Hail of terrible nature falls (Rev 16:17-21).
It will be seen that there exists between them an extraordinary parallelism. We have seen previously that the seventh seal was not so much a judgment in itself, as that which contained in it the seven trumpets, and was the signal of their sounding.
Are the seven vials in a like manner contained in the seventh trumpet?
A little examination will lead us to the conclusion that this is not so, for two reasons:
1. The seventh trumpet, or third woe, carries with it its own judgment, just like the preceding six. This is quite unlike the seventh seal.
2. We are distinctly told that when the days of the voice of the seventh angel arrived the mystery of God should be finished or completed (Rev. 10:7). When the seventh trumpet sounds the voice is heard announcing the advent of the world-kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ. Evidently then the vials do not follow the seventh trumpet, seeing that the seventh trumpet brings us up to God's final dealings in the establishment of the Kingdom.
Are they, then, two descriptions of the same things?
A little reflection, spite of their extraordinary parallelism, will negative this question. Take the case of the third trumpet and of the third vial. In the one, the waters become bitter; in the other, blood—evidently two very different things. The fourth trumpet and fourth vial confirm the difference, and put the matter beyond dispute. In the one case the sun is darkened, in the other it scorches men with great heat—two very opposite things. In the one case the supreme authority (the sun) is affected adversely in the way of perplexity, not knowing what to do; in the other it oppresses men till they blaspheme. On these grounds we reject the theory that these series of judgments are identical.
We see then that whilst the first four trumpets and vials show great similarity, yet there is sufficient divergence to lead us to treat them separately.
But the last three trumpets and vials are so very parallel that we are forced to the conclusion that they may be at least contemporaneous.
But seeing the seventh trumpet finishes the mystery of God, and the vials are called the seven last plagues, there is only one conclusion possible, that the two sevenths coincide in point of time.
Indeed, the last three trumpets and vials afford such a close and striking parallelism that we are inclined to believe that they are contemporaneous, and it may be because of the horror of the last three vials being added to the last three trumpets that the latter are specially called woes. Further, and this is most important to our inquiry, Revelation 11 gives us the testimony of the two witnesses, that is, of a representative company in Israel, who will suffer martyrdom during the great tribulation, that is, during the second half of Daniel's seventieth week, which brings the time of judgment to a close, and this is said to occur in the period marked by the second woe (see verse 14). This conclusively proves that the seventh trumpet (third woe) and the seventh vial must occur simultaneously.
Taking what we have said as a whole, we come to the conclusion that probably the vials commence while the trumpets are already being sounded, the first four vials running on more quickly than the first four trumpets, thus enabling the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets and vials to take place simultaneously.
The word third is prominent in the trumpet judgments, thus signifying that these judgments affect the Roman earth. But no such limitation is given us in connection with the vials, save in the first and fifth. In the first vial all who come under the power of the beast are judged, and, doubtless, this extends beyond the third part. For this Revelation 13:7 prepares us, as the power of the beast goes out there to “all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
In the fifth vial the seat of the beast is judged. It is not so much the third part, but rather a blow struck at the central power.
Then again, running one's eye over the two series one can only come to the conclusion that the vials are not only more extensive in their range of judgment, but also more intensive as to their severity.
Let us now look at things in detail in connection with Revelation 15. John sees a wonderful sign in heaven, seven angels having the last seven plagues which fill up and complete the wrath of God. As we have seen before, the redeemed engage John's vision first. He sees a sea of glass mingled with fire, and standing on it the martyred company, who have sealed their testimony with their blood, in connection with the persecution by the beast. The sea of glass speaks of fixed holiness, a wonderful thing to contemplate. “Mingled with fire” speaks of the fiery trial through which they arrived at this state of blessedness.
This company sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. Moses sang of God's great deliverance of His people and judgment on their enemies. The song of the Lamb is evidently not the song of His redeeming love, but of His work of judgment, as is characteristic of the Book of Revelation. Verses 3 and 4 show this, as they give the substance of the song, ending with the words, “Thy judgments are made manifest.”
Then John sees the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven opened. Seven angels come therefrom bearing the seven last plagues. Clad in white linen, their breasts are girded with golden girdles, thus showing that in the work of judgment all affection is restrained. The temple is filled with smoke from the glory of God, and so great is the display of that glory, though it be connected with judgment in this case, that no man is able to stand in its presence.