Plagues Archives » From Daniel to Revelation

2011-12-212021-05-09

The purpose of the plagues is to show that God judges perfectly.

SUMMARY

The purpose of the plagues is not to save or to punish. But then the question remains, why does God torment men with the fearful plagues?

Revelation uses the literal Egyptian plagues as symbols for the end-time disasters. This implies that the Egyptian plagues can teach us about the end-time plagues, namely:

God will right all wrongs. We complain that life is not fair, but God will ensure that life is eventually fair, except that God’s people receive mercy which they do not deserve.

The plagues are a judgment on false religions.

That the purpose of the plagues is to teach. God purposefully hardened Pharaoh’s heart for His purpose was to teach the Egyptians and the nations about the true God. The end-time plagues will also serve as a lesson.

The plagues in Revelation 16 teach three lessons, namely:

That the people with the mark of the beast, although they appear to be Christians, are hardened beyond repentance, even WHEN THEY KNOW that they oppose God; This shows that, for the happiness of the universe, the only solution for them is the second (eternal) DEATH.

That the repentant sinners—the people with the seal of God—would rather die than disobey God, and are worthy of ETERNAL LIFE.

Consequently, God’s judgment (assessment) of people, as to who will inherit eternal life and who will suffer the second death, is without fault.

These concepts will now be discussed in more detail.

PURPOSE OF THE PLAGUES

Not to save – As indicated by the following, the purpose of the plagues is not to save, for nobody will be saved during plagues:

- - The empty temple (Rev 15:8), which symbolizes that salvation is no longer available; (See Introduction to the Plagues);
  - The repeated mention in the plagues that sinners do not repent (Rev 16:9, 11, 21).

Not to punish – Many believe that the purpose of the plagues is to punish, without any saving purpose. In other words, God will punish the wicked simply for the sake of punishment. This website does not support this view, for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16). He loves even the people with the mark of the beast.

Why then torment? – But then the question remains, why does God torment men with the fearful plagues if nobody will repent? The plagues start to fall after the eternal destiny of every person has been permanently sealed. (See Introduction to the Plagues) Why will Christ not return and end the reign of sin as soon as all destinies are fixed?

EGYPTIAN TYPOLOGY

Both the plagues on ancient Egyptian and the end-time plagues in Revelation 16 include sores, water turning to blood, darkness, and frogs (Exo 7:17-21; 8:2-13; 9:8-11; 10:21-23). In fact, the disasters in Revelation 16 are called plagues because Revelation uses the literal Egyptian plagues as symbols for the end-time disasters. This implies that the Egyptian plagues can teach us about the end-time plagues.

We can learn the following principles from the Egyptian plagues:

1. 1. That God will right all wrongs;
  2. That the plagues are a judgment on false religions; and
  3. That the PURPOSE of the plagues is to teach.

GOD WILL RIGHT ALL WRONGS

Israel was enslaved and subjected to harsh treatment in Egypt. In the same way, in the end-time, the persecution of God’s people (Rev 13:15) will serve as a catalyst for the end-time plagues. Revelation contains a strong theme of avenging the blood of the martyrs:

“The souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God” cried out, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood?” (Rev 6:9-10).

After the first three plagues, “the angel of the waters” commented, “they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it” (Rev 16:6).

After Babylon was judged (Rev 17:16), “a strong angel” declared, “in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth” (Rev 18:21, 24). And the “great multitude in heaven” rejoiced, saying, “He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her” (Rev 19:1-2).

These statements imply revenge or punishment, but only the living wicked will suffer this punishment. Therefore, this should rather be understood more generally as that God will correct all wrongs. We complain that life is not fair, but in the end, God will ensure that life is fair, except that God’s people receive mercy which they do not deserve.

JUDGES FALSE RELIGION

The Egyptians worshiped the sun, the river, and many other things, and the Egyptian plagues were a judgment on their gods:

‘I … will strike down all the firstborn …
and against all the gods of Egypt,
I will execute judgments”
(Exo 12:12)

Similarly, the end-time plagues will show how futile reliance on false religion is:

TO TEACH

But the real main purpose of the plagues is to teach God’s creatures.

In redeeming Israel from Egypt, God chose to act very visibly. But when He liberated Israel from ancient Babylon, but He acted invisible, except as seen through the eyes of the prophets. He sent pagan armies against Babylon and arranged these forces to be favorable towards Israel. Why did He act so visibly in Egypt? God purposefully hardened Pharaoh’s heart for His purpose was to teach the Egyptians and the nations about the true God:

“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart …
and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.”
(Exo 14:4; see also Exo 7:3, 7; 4:21; 10:1, 20, 27; 11:10; 14:8)

The deliverance from Egypt was to serve as a visible lesson to the peoples of the world. In His mercy He wanted them to learn about His existence and power:

“I raised you (Pharaoh) up,
to demonstrate My power in you,
and that My name might be proclaimed
throughout the whole earth” (Rom 9:17).

The end-time plagues will also serve as a lesson, for God will not let people suffer simply for the sake of punishment. But the question is: What is the lesson? To discuss this is the purpose of the current article. The next article discusses the questions: For who is the lesson and why do they need these lessons?

THREE LESSONS

The plagues in Revelation 16 teach three lessons, namely:

That the people with the mark of the beast, although they appear to be Christians, are in reality committed to Satan’s principles and are unable to repent, even when they know that they oppose God;

That the people with the seal of God would rather die than disobey God.

Consequently, the plagues reveal that God’s judgment (assessment) of people, as to who will inherit eternal life, is fully accurate.

MARK OF THE BEAST

Three times (16:9, 11, 21) it is said in the plagues that the people with the mark of the beast blaspheme God and do not repent. This implies that the purpose of the plagues is to see whether they would repent.

WHEN THE PLAGUES BEGIN

When the plagues start to fall, the people of the world are divided into two clearly demarcated groups. For example, the people with the mark of the beast are allowed to buy and sell; the others are not (Rev 13:17). Just like the seal of God is not a literal mark, the mark of the beast is also not a literal mark, but somehow it will be possible to determine to what group each person belongs, for the one group will persecute the other.

Both groups are Christians. See, the throne of the beast is Christian religious authority. People often ask what the mark of the beast is. That question is unnecessary. Irrespective of what the mark of the beast is, when we see a Christian persecuting another person, either physically or by verbal abuse, we see the spirit of the beast in action.

THE PLAGUES

The plagues only target the large group with the mark of the Beast (Rev 16:2). These people must, therefore, become increasingly aware of some sort of supernatural support for the hated minority. In the fifth plague, the mighty angel of Revelation 18 destroys Christian authority. Through the plagues, therefore, the people with the mark of the beast increasingly realize that they themselves are opposing God.

But instead of repenting, they curse Him even more bitterly than ever before (Rev 16:9, 11, 21) and become even more resolute in their opposition. They refuse to admit that they are wrong, even in the face of these severe judgments.

CONCLUSION

One purpose of the plagues is, therefore, to show that the people with the mark of the beast, although they present themselves as Christians, are hardened beyond repentance. The plagues serve to reveal the spirit of rebellion that controls their hearts.

Sin changed people. There is a point where it becomes impossible for a person to turn to God. That is the point at which the person receives the mark of the beast. It means that that person cannot be saved; NOT because God does not want to save, but because something has changed in that individual which makes it impossible to become one with God again.

The plagues, therefore, are not some arbitrary punishment. It has an eternal purpose. Through the plagues, God provides abundant proof of the inability of the people with the mark of the beast to repent. They confess to being Christians, but the plagues will show what they really are; unalterably committed to evil; that the only solution, for the happiness of the universe, is the second death (e.g. Rev. 2:11):

“The wages of sin is death, but
the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:23)

SEAL OF GOD

The second lesson from the plagues that the people with the seal of God are willing to die rather than to disobey God.

“They overcame him (Satan)
because of the blood of the Lamb
and because of the word of their testimony, and
they did not love their life even when faced with death”
(Rev 12:11).

The plagues follow and continue the period of the most intense persecution of believers in history. Under the extremely difficult circumstances created by the plagues, the persecutors continue to blaspheme God (Rev 16:8, 11) and continue to persecute the saints. God will withdraw His restraining Spirit, to allow the persecutors to do whatever they please with God’s people. This will thoroughly test the characters of the saints, but they will rather die than disobey God. It will show the changed nature of repentant sinners who were washed clean with the blood of Christ; that they are worthy of eternal life.

GOD’S JUDGMENTS

In the plagues, God is frequently praised for the righteousness of His judgments (Rev 15:3-4; 16:5-7; 19:2). This implies that the third lesson from the plagues is that God judges righteously. The plagues prove to the intelligent creatures of the universe that God’s distinction between the people that will receive eternal life and those that will die is without error:

It proves that the people with the mark of the beast are hardened beyond the possibility of repentance, even under the most difficult circumstances.

The plagues also prove that the people with the seal of God are not willing to disobey God, whatever the cost.

Together, these issues prove that God judged rightly. This is, actually, the only purpose of the plagues.

The Seventh Plague culminates in the return of Christ.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE

16:17 Then the seventh angel
poured out his bowl upon the air,
and a loud voice came out of the temple
from the throne, saying, “It is done.”

16:18 And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.

16:19 The great city was split into three parts,
and the cities of the nations fell.
Babylon the great was remembered before God,
to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.
20 And every island fled away,
and the mountains were not found.

16:21 And huge hailstones,
about one hundred pounds each,
came down from heaven upon men;
and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail,
because its plague was extremely severe. (NASB)

That Babylon “was remembered before God” does not mean that God forgot and now remembers. “Remember” means to act. For instance, God “remembered” his covenant with Abraham when the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt (Exo 2:24; cf. Gen 8:1 and 19:29).

“The cup” which God gives to Babylon is a common Biblical expression denoting suffering and judgments meted out (Psa 11:6; 75:8; Isa 51:17, 22, 23; Jer 25:15-17, 28; 49:12; Matt 26:39).

According to verse 17, God’s throne is in the temple. The Greek word used for the temple in this verse (naou) describes the inner sanctuary. Elsewhere, it is stated that the temple is in heaven (Rev 11:19; 16:17).

THE EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL ARE NOT LITERAL.

For the following reasons, the (1) lightning and (2) sounds (or voices), (3) thunder, (4) a great earthquake, and (5) huge hailstones in this plague are not literal:

(A) Elsewhere in Revelation, this group of five is symbolic:

REVELATION 4; THE THRONE ROOM

The first time that we read about this group is in the description of the temple in heaven in Revelation 4. There we only read about the first three, namely “lightning, sounds and thunder” which came “out from the throne” (Rev 4:5). For the following reasons, it is proposed that these three represent the activities, discussions, decisions, and instructions emanating from the throne in heaven:

- - “Lightning, sounds and thunder” happen in the air during a thunderstorm.
  - The four living beings that are “in the centre and around the throne” (Rev 4:6) run “to and fro like bolts of lightning” (Ezek 1:14), and their voices sound like thunder (Rev 6:1).

REVELATION 8; TRUMPETS

The next time that we find this group is in the introduction to the seven trumpets, where fire is thrown down from heaven on the earth and there “thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake” (Rev 8:5). This, therefore, adds an earthquake to the previous three.

REVELATION 11:19

This group also appears in Rev 11:19. In this verse, “the temple of God which is in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple.” Then all five follow. In other words, hail is added to the four in Rev 8:5.

Since every main part of Revelation begins in the temple in heaven, we assume that this verse introduces the main section of Revelation contained in chapters 12 to 14.

THE EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL SYMBOLIZE EARTHLY CONSEQUENCES.

If the lightning, sounds, and thunder symbolize what happen in heaven, for the following reasons, it is proposed that the earthquake and hail symbolize the consequences on earth:

(1) Earthquakes do not happen in the air. They destroy things on earth.

(2) In Rev 8:5 the group of four is mentioned after fire has been thrown on the earth. Subsequently, fire (Rev 8:8; 9:17; 11:3-5), burning (Rev 8:7, 10), and smoke (Rev 9:2-5) are mentioned often in the trumpets. Therefore, it is proposed that the earthquake (Rev 8:5) is a summary description of the trumpet plagues.

(3) Revelation 11:19 has a similar connection to the next three chapters: While this verse, which is the introduction to Revelation 12-14, reveals the ark of the covenant (a box which housed the Ten Commandments), Revelation 12-14 contains frequent veiled references to the Ten Commandments (Rev 12:17; 14:12; 13:6, 15, 16; 14:1, 7; 15:5). For that reason, it is proposed that the earthquake and hail in Rev 11:19 is a summary description of the events of Rev 12-14.

In summary, these five manifestations are high-level descriptions of activities in heaven, followed by events on earth. The same then applies in the seventh plague.

(B) Babylon is destroyed by ten kings.

In Rev 16:18-19, a great earthquake splits “the great city … into three parts.” Rev 16:19 continues that God gave Babylon “the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.” The “great city” is the same as Babylon (Rev 17:18; 3, 5). Revelation 17 elaborates on the seventh plague (Rev 17:1) and, in that chapter, Babylon is destroyed by “the ten horns” (Rev 17:16) which symbolize “ten kings” who receive “receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour” (Rev 17:12). In other words, while Babylon is destroyed by an earthquake in the seventh plague, she is destroyed by the kings of the world according to Rev 17. This is another indication that the earthquake is symbolic.

(C) A literal reading does not make sense.

Read literally, this earthquake is so huge that “every island fled away, and the mountains were not found” (Rev 16:20). Given that the sea has already turned to blood (Rev 16:3), such a worldwide earthquake would cause tsunamis of blood that bury all islands, and therefore also all coastal regions.

A literal earthquake of this magnitude would kill all people on earth, but according to Rev 16:21, people continue to blaspheme God, indicating that the earth is still populated.

Furthermore, according to Rev 16:19, this earthquake splits the great city into three parts. A literal earthquake of this magnitude would not do this to a literal city. It would completely destroy all cities.

(D) Babylon is not a literal city.

In the seventh plague, as result of the huge earthquake, the great city Babylon splits into three parts (Rev 16:19). This symbolizes that the coalition of the evil trinity (Rev 16:13) breaks up. Babylon, therefore, is symbolic.

A previous article concluded that Babylon, in Revelation (Rev 17:5, 18), is a symbol of the false religious system that has corrupted mankind for thousands of years. Since Babylon is not literal and since she is destroyed by an earthquake, the earthquake is also not literal.

(E) The plagues use literal historical events as symbols.

The plagues use literal historical events as symbols for end-time events. For example, the first five plagues use literal events from Israel’s liberation from Egypt as symbols. The last two plagues – the drying up of the great river Euphrates and the fall of Babylon (Rev 16:12, 19) – similarly use actual events from Israel’s liberation from ancient Babylon as symbols for the liberation of God’s people from this earth. This symbolic context requires us to interpret the earthquake and hail also as symbols.

In conclusion, the lightning, sounds, thunder, earthquake, and huge hail are not literal but symbolic of massive destruction. Just as a literal earthquake leaves a literal city in ruins, so a figurative earthquake brings ruin and desolation to the symbolic “great Babylon.”

OTHER PLAGUES ARE ALSO NOT LITERAL.

One can take nearly any portion of Revelation and try to read it literally, and it would not make sense. Consider the following examples from the plagues:

(1) After all waters turns to blood (Rev 16:3-4), there still is water in the Euphrates (Rev 16:12).

(2) Why would a river be a barrier to an army, given modern war technology (Rev 16:12)?

(3) After all people with the mark of the beast suffer malignant sores (Rev 16:2), all waters turn to blood (Rev 16:3-4), the sun scorches people with fire (Rev 16:8), where would literal kings get the resources to assemble an army for war (Rev 16:14, 16)? Under such circumstances, people will die in their billions, and the rest would just be trying to survive, perhaps for another day.

(4) How do literal spirits of demons, that look like frogs, come out of the mouth of the dragon, beast, and false prophet, if the dragon is Satan (Rev 12:9), the beast is the church of the middle ages and the false prophet symbolizes end-time false Christianity (cf. Rev 13:11)? And why do the three only have one mouth (16:14)?

(5) How could all armies of the world gather in a single literal place on earth (Rev 16:16)? And how do they get to this place if the oceans have turned to blood, on which no ship can travel?

(6) Taken literally, why would God’s people be warned to watch their clothes, so that they do not walk about naked (Rev 16:15)?

Given these insurmountable obstacles, a literal consequently completely misses the mark.

To say that these plagues are symbolic does not mean they have no meaning. They represent real devastations. To determine what they mean requires a careful study of the symbols in their immediate and wider context.

BABYLON IS DESTROYED
BY THE KINGS OF THE WORLD.

The purpose of Rev 17-18 is to explain “the judgment of the great harlot” (Rev 17:2). The harlot is Babylon (Rev 17:5). In this explanation we see that the seven heads of the beast (Rev 17:3) symbolize seven phases of the beast (Rev 17:9-10). The beast itself is also a final and eighth phase (Rev 17:11).

That explanation also refers to ten horns of the beast (Rev 17:3). They all grow out of the seventh head (cf. Rev 17:10, 12). These ten horns, therefore, are the eighth phase. Consequently, the “ten kings … receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour” (Rev 17:12). This confederacy of kings is the same as the end-time coalition of kings at Armageddon (Rev 16:14, 16).

These ten kings “and the beast … will hate the harlot … and will burn her up with fire” (Rev 17:16). Therefore, when God gives Babylon “the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath” (Rev 16:19), it is at the hands of the kings of the world. In other words, the worldwide religiopolitical anti-God coalition fights among themselves. As Revelation states, “The great city (Babylon) was split into three parts” (Rev 16:19).

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE
ENDS WITH CHRIST’S RETURN.

The sixth plague ends with the kings of the world gathered together at Armageddon (Rev 16:16) “for the war of the great day of God” (Rev 16:14). Logically, the seventh plague must be that war but we do not read about a war in the seventh plague. Rather, we read about the infighting in the evil confederation, causing Babylon to split into three parts (Rev 16:19). The seventh plague then ends with the people (the kings and their armies) cursing God.

But, while the kings and their armies are gathered in the sixth plague, at Christ’s return they are seen gathered (Rev 19:19) and all the cursing people “were killed with the sword” from Jesus’ mouth (Rev 19:21).

Therefore, the war at Armageddon is the return of Christ (Rev 19:11-21). It was previously shown that Rev 17-18 interrupts the seventh plague and that Rev 19 continues where the seventh plague has left off (cf. Rev 16:19; 19:2). Rev 19 then ends with Christ’s return (Rev 19:11-).

THE ROAD TO ARMAGEDDON

After that point in time, God unleashes the plagues. God’s people are being persecuted, but the plagues selectively target the persecutors of God’s people (Rev 16:2, 6, 10). However, the people of the world are so hardened that they are unable to repent. It is not that God does not want to save them:

‘As I live!’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! (Ezek 33:11).

However, the wicked are beyond the point of return and continue to blaspheme God (Rev 16:9, 11, 21) and to persecute His people. But support for their religion wanes, depicted by the symbol of the Euphrates drying up, because they now realize that it is false.

But then Satan strikes back with a renewed attack, using his supernatural forces to unite the kings of the earth behind him. False Christianity joins forces with Satanism. Previously, Satan created false religion by corrupting true religion. Consequently, the people did not know that they were really following Satan. But now they know. Knowingly, they join forces against God, determined to exterminate all His followers on earth.

It is in this context that the seventh plague (Armageddon) brings an end to Babylon (Satanism at this stage), the Beast and the False Prophet.

FINAL CONCLUSIONS

(A) This plague, and the plagues in general, are symbols and must not be interpreted literally.

(B) When Babylon is destroyed in the seventh plague, the Beast and the False Prophet are also destroyed.

(C) The entire Revelation 19, including the killing of the people of the world (Rev 19:21), is part of the seventh plague.

Next: Purpose of the Plagues

AVAILABLE ARTICLES ON REVELATION

For general discussions of theology, I recommend Graham Maxwell, who you will find on the Pineknoll website.

Tag: Plagues

The purpose of the plagues is to show that God judges perfectly.

SUMMARY

PURPOSE OF THE PLAGUES

EGYPTIAN TYPOLOGY

GOD WILL RIGHT ALL WRONGS

JUDGES FALSE RELIGION

TO TEACH

THREE LESSONS

MARK OF THE BEAST

WHEN THE PLAGUES BEGIN

THE PLAGUES

CONCLUSION

SEAL OF GOD

GOD’S JUDGMENTS

OTHER ARTICLES

The Seventh Plague culminates in the return of Christ.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE

THE EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL ARE NOT LITERAL.

(A) Elsewhere in Revelation, this group of five is symbolic:

REVELATION 4; THE THRONE ROOM

REVELATION 8; TRUMPETS

REVELATION 11:19

(B) Babylon is destroyed by ten kings.

(C) A literal reading does not make sense.

(D) Babylon is not a literal city.

(E) The plagues use literal historical events as symbols.

OTHER PLAGUES ARE ALSO NOT LITERAL.

BABYLON IS DESTROYED
BY THE KINGS OF THE WORLD.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE
ENDS WITH CHRIST’S RETURN.

THE ROAD TO ARMAGEDDON

FINAL CONCLUSIONS

AVAILABLE ARTICLES ON REVELATION

INTRODUCTORY

SEVEN SEALS

BABYLON

SEVEN-HEADED BEASTS

REVELATION 13

SEVEN PLAGUES

SUMMARY

PURPOSE OF THE PLAGUES

EGYPTIAN TYPOLOGY

GOD WILL RIGHT ALL WRONGS

JUDGES FALSE RELIGION

TO TEACH

THREE LESSONS

MARK OF THE BEAST

WHEN THE PLAGUES BEGIN

THE PLAGUES

CONCLUSION

SEAL OF GOD

GOD’S JUDGMENTS

OTHER ARTICLES

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE

THE EARTHQUAKE AND HAIL ARE NOT LITERAL.

(A) Elsewhere in Revelation, this group of five is symbolic:

REVELATION 4; THE THRONE ROOM

REVELATION 8; TRUMPETS

REVELATION 11:19

(B) Babylon is destroyed by ten kings.

(C) A literal reading does not make sense.

(D) Babylon is not a literal city.

(E) The plagues use literal historical events as symbols.

OTHER PLAGUES ARE ALSO NOT LITERAL.

BABYLON IS DESTROYED BY THE KINGS OF THE WORLD.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE ENDS WITH CHRIST’S RETURN.

THE ROAD TO ARMAGEDDON

FINAL CONCLUSIONS

AVAILABLE ARTICLES ON REVELATION

INTRODUCTORY

SEVEN SEALS

BABYLON

SEVEN-HEADED BEASTS

REVELATION 13

SEVEN PLAGUES

BABYLON IS DESTROYED
BY THE KINGS OF THE WORLD.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE
ENDS WITH CHRIST’S RETURN.