1. So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
2. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
3.The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters[a] say,
“Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”
And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
4. The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.
5. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.
6. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river the Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. John saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. The good and evil spirits in the Jewish Revolt were in or on the Dragon, Beast, and False Prophet (cf. Eph.6:12; 2 Cor. 10:3-6). The image of frogs emphasizes the uncleanness that characterizes them (Lev. 11:9-11). In the plagues against Egypt, frogs covered Egpyt. When they died, the stench rose from the piles of dead frogs (Ex. 8:1-15). In this text, the frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon (Satan), the Beast (John of Gishala), and the False Prophet (Eleazar) which produced legions of frogs in the seditious Jews who covered Palestine at the time of the Revolt. They came from the countryside into the very courts of the city and houses to spread their corruption and pollution. Like the frogs, their dead bodies were eventually gathered in heaps when the destruction was complete and the land stank (Wars VI, ix, 3; VI, ix, 4; Rev. 19:17-18). These demonic spirits that animated the Jewish frogs have no concern for those in whom they dwell. They go into the kings of the whole world to gather them unto the war of the great day of God. This day is the great and terrible day of Jehovah (Joel 2:28-32), “day of the Lord,” or the Lord’s day (2 Peter 3:10-12); 2 Thess. 2:2; Luke 17:30, Rev. 1:10).
The first war of this book culminate in the binding of Satan (Rev. 20:1-3) and precedes the millennium (Rev. 20:4-6) that would occur in that generation. This war is attributed to the activity of the unclean spirits of the first century (cf. Zech. 13:1-2; Rev. 12:7-12, Matt. 8:29).
Verse fifteen reads, “Behold, I am coming like a thief!” Several passages speak of Christ coming as a thief (Matt. 24:42-44; 25:1-13; Luke 12:39-40; 1 Thess. 5:1-6; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3) and are applied to the concept of the end of the universe. Once again, we must respond that these passages apply to a first century premillenial event that occurred in the first century or apostolic age (Matthew 24:34; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2-3; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 2 Pet. 3:10; 1 Pet. 4:7; Rev. 1:10, 1-13). The destruction of Jerusalem was one accomplishment of this day of wrath. Jerusalem, the Great Harlot, would be surrounded by armies (Luke 21:20; Rev. 17:16-18) who had previously gathered for the battle in one place called Armageddon, or the mountain of Megiddo (Mt. Carmel). This had been the sight of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal that is recorded in 1 Kings 18:19-46. Only a day’s march to Jerusalem, Titus gathered forces here to besiege and destroy the city (Wars, IV,xi, 5; V, i, 1, 6). Nothing in the text tells us that the battle was to be fought there. This was only the place where nations gathered to join forces and adopt a strategic battle plan.
The text ends with the statement, “Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” God’s people would not be overtaken as the coming of a thief ( 1 Thess. 5:4). The sons of light were always vigilant, ready for the Lord’s return (Matt. 24:44). Also, they knew how to read the signs of the time (Matt. 16:2-3) like the siege of Jerusalem and the Jewish revolt (cf. 2 Thess. 2:3; Lk. 21:20). While the Father, alone, knew the day and hour, discernable signs were given to identify certain events that precede His coming. Just because some individuals would err in their interpretation (2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:17-18) and the Jews were also asking for signs does not invalidate the existence of certain signs and the expectation to read them. Saints could see the “day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25) and were expected to know the time of His coming (Lk. 19:41-44; Matt. 24:15-22, 34; cf. Dan. 12:11-12) John would warn brethren, saying, “It is the last hour.”
The second world war in the Revelation of Jesus Christ is when Magog gathers the nations against the camp of the saints that follows the 1,000 year reign of Christ with His saints (Rev. 20:7-9). Satan is the only unclean spirit loosed in this post millennial war (Rev. 20:7) which has yet to occur.
16 And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon