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Revelation

About this book
Chapter 16

1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.⁠ 3 Next, the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.⁠ 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 5 Now I heard the angel of the waters saying:⁠ “You are just—the one who is and who was, the Holy One—because you have passed these judgments, 6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!”⁠ 7 Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!” 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire. 9 Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory. 10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain.⁠ 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds. 12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.⁠ 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked 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.⁠ 14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. 15 (Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.) 16 Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.⁠ 17 Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!” 18 Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake—an⁠ earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath. 20 Every island fled away, and no mountains could be found. 21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a 100 pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare 1 Enoch 66:2 and Revelation 16:5

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · New Testament

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Summary

Revelation 16 introduces an angel in charge of the waters who announces that God’s judgments are just. This echoes 1 Enoch 66, where angels are given authority to control the cosmic waters beneath the earth, which are used for judgment.

Passages

1 Enoch 66:2

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses
1 After that, he showed me the angels of punishment who are prepared to unleash all the powers of the waters beneath the earth to bring judgment and destruction upon all who dwell on the earth. 2 The Lord of Spirits commanded the angels who were about to go forth not to let the waters rise but to hold them back, as these angels had authority over the powers of the waters. 3 Then I left the presence of Enoch.
300 BCE – 100 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 1 Enoch

Revelation 16:5

New Testament
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. 3 Next, the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died. 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 5 Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just—the one who is and who was, the Holy One—because you have passed these judgments, 6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” 7 Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!”
92–96 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Revelation

References

"... The angel of water is an expression which is found nowhere else. In 7:1, we have four angels who control the four winds, and in 14:18, the angel who has power over fire. In Enoch 66:2, we read of angels who were over the powers of the waters and who had the power to hold back the waters. The voice of this angel proclaims the justice of God's judgments upon those who have shed the blood of those who were loyal to God. The judgment of those who have martyred the saints is suited to the evil they have done. This is only what men deserve ..."
George Eldon Ladd, A Commentary on the Revelation of John (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1993), 211.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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1 Enoch 66:2 and Revelation 16:5

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