Tag: Kings from the east

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The Kings from the East (Rev 16:12) are Christ and His angels.

“The sixth angel poured out his bowl
on the great river, the Euphrates;
and its water was dried up,
so that the way would be prepared
for the kings from the east“
(Revelation 16:12).

The purpose of the current article is to identify the kings from the east. It proposes that they symbolize Christ and His angels at His return. This conclusion is justified as follows:

SUMMARY OF THIS ARTICLE

(1) SYMBOLIC

Since the previous plagues are symbolic, and since everything else in Rev 16:12 is symbolic, the kings from the east are not literal kings but symbolic.

(2) TWO GROUPS OF KINGS

The sixth plague contrasts two groups of kings. Since “the kings of the whole world” (Rev 16:14) are from earth, it is implied that “the kings from the east” are not from earth. Since “the kings of the whole world” are gathered together by “spirits of demons” (Rev 16:14), the kings from the east represent God’s army.

(3) GOD COMES FROM THE EAST.

The kings from the east come from God because the Scriptures associate the east with God (Rev 7:2; Ezek 43:2; cf. Rev 22:16).

(4) GOD DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE FROM BABYLON.

The sixth plague borrows language from God’s deliverance of His people from literal Babylon through Cyrus, whom God calls His “anointed one” (Isa 45:1) and “My shepherd” (Isa 44:28). These most honorable titles (Isa 45:4) were later reserved for Jesus.

Since the seven last plagues fall at the very end of time, the use of Old Testament language of God’s deliverance of His people from literal Babylon implies that this plague points to God’s deliverance of His people from end-time spiritual Babylon, which God will do through the return of Christ.

(5) THE SIXTH PLAGUE CULMINATES IN CHRIST’S RETURN.

HIGH-LEVEL VIEW OF REVELATION 16 TO 19

The sixth plague does not describe “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev 16:14). It only describes the preparation for it. If the sixth plague is the preparation, then the seventh plague must be the war. The seventh plague is described at the end of Rev 16, is interrupted by Revelation 17 and 18, and then continues in Rev 19, culminating in the return of Christ.

PARALLELS BETWEEN THE SIXTH PLAGUE AND HIS RETURN

The following parallels between the sixth plague and His return confirm that His return is the conclusion of the sixth plague:

      • In the sixth plague, demon spirits gather the kings of the whole world (Rev 16:14) and, when Christ’s returns, they are seen gathered (Rev 19:19).
        –
      • The sixth plague mentions “the war of the great day of God” (Rev 16:14) but does not describe the war. That “great day” is Christ’s return (Rev 6:17; 12-15) when He will ”strike down the nations” (Rev 19:15).

PARALLELS THAT IDENTIFY THE KINGS FROM THE EAST

The following further parallels between the sixth plague and His return indicate that the “kings from the east” are Christ and those who are with Him at His return:

      • There are two groups of kings in the sixth plague and there are also two groups of kings at His return, for Jesus is the “KING OF KINGS” (Rev 19:16, 19).
        –
      • The waters of the Euphrates dries up to prepare the way for the “kings from the east” (Rev 16:12) to move from the east towards the “kings of the whole world.” In Christ’s return, “the armies which are in HEAVEN” (Rev 19:13) move towards the earth.
        –
      • Both the sixth plagues and His return mention the dragon, the beast, the false prophet, and the “kings of the earth” (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:2). Both also mention a fifth group, namely the “kings from the east” (Rev 16:12) and the “kings” that are with Christ (Rev 19:16).

– END OF SUMMARY –

THE KINGS FROM THE EAST

(1) THESE ARE SYMBOLIC DESCRIPTIONS.

Since the previous plagues are symbolic, and since the other elements in Rev 16:12 are also symbolic, the kings from the east are not literal kings but symbolic.

(2) THERE ARE TWO GROUPS OF KINGS.

The sixth plague contrasts two groups of kings, namely “the kings from the east” and “the kings of the whole world” (Rev 16:14). In the context of Revelation, which is a symbolic description of the age-old cosmic war between God and Satan, these two groups of kings oppose each other:

    • Since “the kings of the whole world” (Rev 16:14) are from earth, it is implied that “the kings from the east” are not from earth.
    • Since “the kings of the whole world” are gathered together by “spirits of demons” (Rev 16:14) and, therefore, oppose God, the kings from the east represent God’s army.

(3) GOD COMES FROM THE EAST.

The kings come from the east and the Scriptures associated the east with God. For example, the angel brings the seal of the living God from the east (Rev 7:2; cf. Ezek 43:2). (The term in Greek for the east is the rising of the sun.) Consistent with the principle that the east refers to God, Jesus is called “the bright morning star” (Rev 22:16). (The morning star rises in the east.)

(4) GOD DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE FROM BABYLON.

The waters of the Euphrates were literally dried up, hundreds of years before Christ, by the kings of the Medes and Persians with Cyrus as the king of kings. By diverting the river, they took the ancient city of Babylon, which lead to the liberation of Israel from that Babylonian captivity. (See Euphrates.)

The Bible describes that event as God’s deliverance of His people. For example, through Cyrus and his kings, God delivered Israel from their oppressors and brought them back to their homeland (Jer 50:33-34). God said of Cyrus, “He will build My city and let My people go free” (Isa 45:13; cf. 44:28). For that reason, God calls Cyrus His “anointed one” (Isa 45:1) and “My shepherd” (Isa 44:28). These most honorable titles (Isa 45:4) were later reserved for Jesus.

The sixth plague borrows language from this event.

The seven last plagues fall at the very end of time; after all people have received either the mark of the beast or the seal of God. (See Introduction to the Plagues.) In this end-time context, the use of Old Testament language of God’s deliverance of His people from literal Babylon through Cyrus implies that this plague describes God’s deliverance of His people from end-time spiritual Babylon. However, in the end-time, God will deliver His people through the return of Christ.

The sixth plague, therefore, describes the preparation for Christ’s return. This implies that the kings from the east, for whom “the way” is prepared, are Christ and His angels:

“The Son of Man is going to COME
in the glory of His Father WITH HIS ANGELS”
(Matt 16:27; cf. Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rev 14:10; 19:11-16).

(5) THE SIXTH PLAGUE CULMINATES IN CHRIST’S RETURN.

This fifth justification is quite long; more than 50% of the entire article. By providing a high-level view of Revelation 16 to 19, it attempts to show that the sixth plague in Rev 16 is the preparation for the return of Christ in Rev 19. For that reason, and because of the parallels between the kings from the east and Christ at His return, the “kings from the east” are Christ and His angels. The argument is as follows:

(5a) THE SIXTH PLAGUE IS THE PREPARATION FOR THE WAR.

The sixth plague does not describe “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev 16:14); only the preparation for it. For example, it says that the way is prepared for the kings from the east (Rev 16:12) and that “the kings of the whole world” are gathered by “spirits of demons” “to the place … called Har-Magedon” (Rev 16:14, 16).

(5b) THE SEVENTH PLAGUE IS CHRIST’S RETURN.

If the sixth plague is the preparation for the war, then the seventh plague is the war. The seventh plague causes massive catastrophes (Rev 16:18, 20) and God gives Babylon “the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath” (Rev 16:19). Since Babylon was not mentioned earlier in Revelation, except very briefly by the three angels (Rev 14:8), Revelation 17 and 18 interrupt the seventh plague to explain who she is and how she will come to her end. For example, Revelation 18 jumps back to the time of the warning to God’s people to “come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues” (Rev 18:4). (The sixth and seventh plagues are explicitly “her plagues.“)

The important point is that the seventh plague continues in Revelation 19, for a great multitude rejoices that “He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality” (Rev 19:2; cf. 16:19). The “great multitude” (Rev 19:1, 6) continues to praise God for “the marriage of the Lamb has come” (Rev 19:7), which refers to Christ’s return. This is followed by the description of His Return (Rev 19:11-).

In conclusion, Revelation 17 and 18 are an interruption and the seventh plague continues in Rev 19 and includes or culminates in the Return of Christ.

(5c) PARALLELS BETWEEN THE SIXTH PLAGUE AND HIS RETURN

The following parallels between the sixth plague and His return confirm that His return is the conclusion of the sixth plague:

THE KINGS OF THE WHOLE WORLD

In the sixth plague, demon spirits gather the kings of the whole world (Rev 16:14) at Armageddon (Rev 16:16) “for the war of the great day of God” (Rev 16:14). At Christ’s return in Revelation 19, we see “the kings of the earth and their armies assembled” (Rev 19:19). The NASB uses the word “assembled,” but, in the Greek, it is exactly the same word (συνάγω – sunagó) for “gathered” as in Rev 16:14 and 16:16. 

THE WAR OF THE GREAT DAY

The sixth plague mentions “the war of the great day of God, the Almighty” (Rev 16:14) but does not describe the war. The term “great day” also appears in the sixth seal where it is the “great day” of the wrath of God and the Lamb (Rev 6:17). The sixth seal has the signs of Christ’s return (Rev 6:12-15). Therefore, the “great day” refers to Christ’s return as described in Revelation 19, when He will ”strike down the nations” (Rev 19:15). “The rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse” (Rev 19:21).

(5d) PARALLELS THAT IDENTIFY THE KINGS FROM THE EAST

The following further parallels between the sixth plague and His return indicate that the “kings from the east” are Christ and those who are with Him at His return:

TWO GROUPS OF KINGS

There are two groups of kings in the sixth plague and there are also two groups of kings in His return, for the kings of the earth are gathered “to make war against” the “KING OF KINGS” (Rev 19:16, 19). The “King of kings“ is identified as “the Word of God” (Rev 19:13), which is Christ. As the “King of kings,” He leads many other kings.

THE KINGS FROM THE EAST MOVE TOWARDS THE EARTH.

The sixth plague dries up the waters of the Euphrates to prepare the way for the “kings from the east.” This means that these kings will MOVE from the east to another place. Arguably, they will move towards the “kings of the whole world” to engage them in battle.

The sixth plague does not describe their arrival but at Christ’s return the kings of the east move towards the kings of the whole world:

“The armies which are in HEAVEN …
were following Him on white horses” (Rev 19:13).

FIVE CATEGORIES OF ACTORS

Another indication that the “kings from the east” refer to Christ at His return is that the sixth plague and Christ’s return both mention five categories of actors: On Satan’s side, both mention the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:2) and the “kings of the earth.” It follows, therefore, that the fifth category in both must also be the same, namely that the “kings from the east” (Rev 16:12) are the “kings” that are with Christ (Rev 19:16).

 

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE SIXTH PLAGUE AND CHRIST’S RETURN

Consequently, the following connections between the sixth plague and the Return of Christ (Rev 19) have been identified:

      • Both have two groups of kings.
      • In both the one group is called “the kings of the earth” (Rev 19:19; cf. 16:14), and in both, they are gathered.
      • In both, the other group of kings is God’s kings and they move towards “the kings of the earth.”
      • The five categories mentioned above.

CONCLUSION

The Kings from the East are Christ and His angels, and the sixth plague angel dries up the river to prepare for Christ’s return.

The previous article concluded that the drying up means that false Christianity loses its influence over the people of the world. The question remains, why would it be necessary for that to happen before Christ may return?  That critical question is discussed in a further article.

ARTICLES ON THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES

Introduction – Revelation 15

The first four plagues
– Must not be interpreted individually
– Target the earth, sea, waters and sun, but the people do not repent.

The Fifth Plague
– The Throne of the Beast is Christian Religious Authority.
– The Light of the Mighty Angel of Rev 18 causes the darkness.
– The Roman Empire gave to the Church is throne and power.

The Sixth Plague
– The Great River, the Euphrates, dries up.
– The Kings from the East are Christ and His angels.
– Armageddon is not a literal place but Judgment Day.
– Does “coming like a thief” (Rev 16:15) support a secret rapture?
– Why the Euphrates has to dry up to prepare the way for the kings
– Summary of these articles & conclusions

The Seventh Plague culminates in the return of Christ.

Purpose of the Plagues
– To show that God judges perfectly
– Why is it necessary to show that God judges perfectly?

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What does it mean that the Euphrates dries up? (Rev 16:12)

This is an article in the series on the vision of the seven last plagues (Rev 15-16).

“The SIXTH angel poured out his bowl
on the great river, the Euphrates;
and its water was DRIED UP,
so that the way would be prepared
for the kings from the east” (Rev 16:12).

This article discusses the following questions:

What is the great river, the Euphrates?
What does it mean that it dries up?

The next article identifies the Kings from the East. A further article deals with the most important question, namely, why does the water have to dry up to prepare the way for the kings from the east?

Summary

The Euphrates symbolizes the people of the world.

1) The Euphrates is worldwide.

Since the first five plagues, as discussed in the previous articles, are worldwide and since there are no indications in the plagues of portions, as one finds in the seals and the trumpets (e.g., Rev 6:8; 8:7), the Euphrates River is also worldwide. This also means that the drying up of the waters of the Euphrates is a global event.

2) The Euphrates symbolizes the people of the world.

Revelation uses the names Euphrates and Babylon several times, but it nowhere explicitly defines a relationship between the two. However:

Babylon sits on “many waters” (Rev 17:1). Since we know from history that the Euphrates River flowed THROUGH the ancient city of Babylon, the “many waters” is another name for the Euphrates.

Revelation explicitly defines the “many waters” as the peoples of the world (Rev 17:15).

Therefore:

The Euphrates
= the “many waters”
= the peoples of the world.

Drying up means that false religion loses influence.

1) The Euphrates was literally dried up.

Hundreds of years before Christ, the water of the literal Euphrates was literally dried up to prepare the way for literal kings from the east, namely Cyrus and the kings of the Medes and the Persians, who came from the east. Revelation 16:12, therefore, uses a literal historical event to symbolize a future event.

2) Drying up means losing influence.

Hanging Gardens of Babylon

As discussed above, Babylon “sits” on the Euphrates (Rev 17:1). Babylon is the false system of religion that has existed for all of human history. That she sits on the peoples of the world symbolizes the intoxicating influence of false religion over the people of the world (Rev 17:2). “Dried up” then symbolizes that false religion will lose its hold on the people of the world.

3) End-Time Babylon is False Christianity.

However, in the end-time, Babylon is represented by false Christianity. For example, as discussed in previous articles:

This means that the Euphrates represented the people that are intoxicated by false Christianity and the drying up symbolizes that false Christianity will lose its hold on its supporters.

– End of Summary – 

The Euphrates symbolizes
the people of the world.

The Euphrates is worldwide.

The first five plagues are worldwide:

      • ALL followers of the Beast receive sores in the first plague (Rev 16:2).
      • ALL the water in the sea and rivers turn to blood in the second and third plagues (Rev 16:3, 4).
      • The sun scorches the ENTIRE earth in the fourth plague (Rev 16:8).
      • Even the darkness of the beast’s kingdom in the fifth plague is global because the beast’s kingdom is the entire world. (E.g., “ALL who dwell on the earth will worship him” (Rev 13:8).)

Furthermore, there are no indications in the plagues of portions of the world, as one finds in the seals and the trumpets:

The “FOURTH of the earth” over which death rules in the fourth SEAL (Rev 6:8); and
The “THIRD of the earth” that is harmed in the TRUMPETS (Rev 8:7, 8, 10, 12, etc.).

The global nature of the plagues, in general, implies that the Euphrates is not a local river, somewhere in the Middle East, but a symbol of something worldwide. This also means that the drying up of the waters of the Euphrates is a global event.

The Euphrates symbolizes the people of the world.

Revelation uses the name “Euphrates” twice and the name “Babylon” six times, but nowhere does it explicitly specify a relationship between the river and the city.  However, the “many waters” connect them:

Babylon “sits on many waters” (Rev 17:1), and, for the following reasons, we conclude that the “many waters” refer to the Euphrates River:

Firstly, in the days of Daniel the prophet, the Euphrates flowed through the city of Babylon, providing it with water (Jer 51:12-13, 63-64). As such, it was an integral part of the city. In a physical sense, the ancient city of Babylon sat on the Euphrates.

Secondly, the Old Testament also refers to the Euphrates as “many waters” (Jer 51:13). 

Furthermore, Revelation explicitly defines the “many waters,” on which Babylon sits, as the “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues” (Rev 17:15). 

Therefore, the Euphrates symbolizes the people of the world. It is not a physical river, but a symbol of the entire world’s population. This is one example of how Revelation uses words and concepts from the Old Testament as symbols for future events.

Drying up means that False Christianity loses influence.

The Euphrates was literally dried up.

Hundreds of years before Christ, the Euphrates was literally dried up to prepare the way for literal kings from the east. According to the famous Greek historian Herodotus, and confirmed in modern times by the Cyrus Cylinder, Babylon was overthrown when Cyrus, the Persian king, DIVERTED THE EUPHRATES RIVER that runs through the center of Babylon, allowing the Persians to wade into the city unexpectedly.

Jeremiah and Isaiah predicted this event:

“A sword against … the inhabitants of Babylon …
“A drought on her waters, and they will be dried up!”
(Jer 50:35-38)

“Thus says the LORD, “… I will dry up her sea
And make her fountain dry'” (Jer 51:36).

“It is I who says to the depth of the sea, ‘Be dried up!’
And I will make your rivers dry.
It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd!
And he will perform all My desire.’
And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid'” 
(Isa 44:27-28).

“Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, …
To subdue nations before him …
To open doors before him so that gates will not be shut” 
(Isa 45:1).

To prepare the way for the Kings from the East

In the sixth plague, the purpose of drying up the Euphrates is:

“So that the way would be prepared
for the kings from the east” (Rev 16:12).

“Cyrus” is mentioned twice in the verses quoted above from Isaiah.  He was the commander in chief of the allied forces of the nations that were ruled by Media and Persia. As such, He was king of many kings:

“Consecrate the nations against her,
The kings of the Medes, …
And every land of their dominion. 
(Jer 51:28 cf. 51:11).

Since Media and Persia are to the east of Babylon, these kings were from the east, as Isaiah confirms:

“Who has aroused one from the east …
He … subdues kings” (Isa 41:2).

“A bird of prey from the east,
the man who executes My counsel,
from a far country” (Isa 46:11).

Therefore, in the Old Testament, Cyrus and the kings under his command were literal “kings from the east” associated with the literal drying up of the literal Euphrates.

Conclusion

Rev 16:12, therefore, uses a literal historical event to symbolize a future event. Since this is symbolic language, we need to determine what these symbols mean.

Drying up means losing influence.

“The great harlot who sits on many waters,
with whom the kings of the earth
committed acts of immorality,
and those who dwell on the earth
were made drunk with the wine of her immorality”
(Rev 17:1-2; cf. 17:5). 

This explains sitting as the intoxicating influence that Babylon has on the population of the world. The article on Babylon identifies it as the false system of religion that has existed for all of human history. This means that drying means that the false system of religion will lose its hold on the people of the world. 

End-time Babylon is False Christianity.

However, in the end-time, Babylon is represented by false Christianity for Christianity has become “a dwelling place of demons” (Rev 18:2). For example, as discussed, the beast is the church of the middle ages and the throne of the beast is Christian religious authority. This means that the Euphrates in Rev 16:12 represented the people that are intoxicated by false Christianity and the drying up symbolizes that false Christianity will lose its hold on its supporters.

Therefore, drying up does not mean that the Euphrates will literally dry up again, or even that the population of the world will be reduced in numbers by the plagues, but that the false system of religion, and in particular false Christianity, will lose its hold on the people of the world. 

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