“But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its furthest regions, and said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous Right Hand.’ Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them- those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,’ saying, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” (Isa. 41:8-13) NKJV

In the 21st day and millennium in the days-pattern of the Moedim Paradigm of God; the 13th day and millennium from the beginning of the great Genesis mystery, at year 12,001; the 7th day and millennium from the creation of Adam in God’s image, at year 6,001; the 3rd day and millennium from the cross, at 2,001 years; in the seventh seal and year of the Apocalypse week; on the morning of the Great Sabbath; being around year 2029 A.D./C.E. +/-4 in our time; the Lord arises to shake the planet, with the sounding of seven trumpet warnings and seven vials of wrath poured out with those warnings, to subject the rebellious world to the panoramic truths of His Word and the messianic Kingdom in which all nations shall indeed serve at the return of the King, Jesus Christ (a.k.a. Yeshua haMashiach).

In the last two articles we considered the Feast of Firstfruits of the early Ekklesia (Shavuot, Pentecost) and the Feast of Ingathered Fruits (i.e., those who are gathered for the coming of Christ) in fulfillment of Tabernacles (Sukkot).

In this chapter of Revelation, God gives a third and final look at the coming Year of Vengeance (7th year of Apocalypse), on the first year of the Great Sabbath (Day of the LORD). Throughout these articles, I posit that the first six years are centered on the works of the Antichrist and False Prophet, and the seventh/last year is when God will sound His trumpets and pour out vials of wrath on the nations that resist Him, and gather against His people. Rather than two separate events, trumpets then vials/bowls, I assert that they are one series repeated in three passages so that there are more than one record and witness, with the Revelation vision repeated to adamantly decree that these things are determined and will “shortly coming to pass.”

Thus, in this chapter, I will join several passages, including the trumpets/shofars and vials/bowls while keeping the sequence of each- to confirm what I postulate. Moreover, within this chapter we will take the last showing of the curses and wrath and join it with the previous passages.   

The first angel sounded (Rev. 8:7): Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth– to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people- saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Rev. 14:6-7). So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth (Rev. 16:2). And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up (Rev. 8:7), and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image (Rev. 16:2). .

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Then the second angel sounded (Rev. 8:8): And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (Rev. 14:8). So the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea (Rev. 16:3). And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures [ktisma, creatures, sealife] in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed (Rev. 8:8-9). And it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature [psuche, soul, person] in the sea died (Rev. 16:3). Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone [punishment for misleading, abusing, offending children of God] and threw it in the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore (Rev. 18:21).”

Then the third angel sounded (Rev. 8:10): And a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they shall have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Rev. 14:9-12). Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water (Rev. 16:4). And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter (Rev. 8:10-11). And they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be, because You have judged these things. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. For it is their just due.” And I heard another from the altar saying, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Rev. 16:4-7).

Then the fourth angel sounded (Rev. 8:12). Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. “Yes,” says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.’” Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. (Rev. 14:13). Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun and power was given to him to scorch men with fire (Rev. 16:8). And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night (Rev. 8:12). And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give him glory (Rev. 16:9).

Then the fifth angel sounded (Rev. 9:1). And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle (Rev. 14:14-17). Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast (Rev. 16:10). And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given the authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon (Rev. 9:1-11). And his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds (Rev. 16:10-11).

And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon [Mount of Meggido] (Rev. 16:16). And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed- by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm (Rev. 9:17-19). So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs [stadia, about 184 miles] (Rev. 14:19-20). But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries [drugs] or their sexual immorality or thefts (Rev. 9:20-21). And when they [the Two Witnesses, Moses and Elijah] shall have finished their testimony, the Beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit shall engage them in war, and overcome them and kill them (Rev. 11:7). 

Then the seventh angel sounded (Rev. 11:15). Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on High thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS (Rev. 19:11-16). Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” (Rev. 16:17). And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.” Then the Temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail (Rev. 11:15-19). And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. Now the great city [Jerusalem] was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. For great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since the plague was exceedingly great (Rev. 16:18-21).

As for the Year of Vengeance, the Lord Himself reveals the primary cause for the wrath poured-out upon the world- because “Babylon was remembered before God.” “She has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,” exclaimed the angel. This Babylon, which has fornicated with the nations, brings God’s wrath on her and the nations of her fornication.

Thus, the revelations continue for several chapters, and Babylon must now come  into focus. Before the king of the Babylonian world falls, although Rome has already fallen as the world leader (that it was in John’s day) in commerce and religious authority over Western nations, first the harlot of Babylon must fall into complete ruin.