The Sixth Bowl of Wrath
"The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east." (Revelation 16:12 - English Standard Version)
Depending upon how we understand previous passages in Revelation, this verse may or may not be difficult to interpret. In our study of Revelation chapter 12, we considered the very real possibility that the Euphrates River will be diverted because of the earthquake activity during the Tribulation. This would occur around the middle of the Tribulation.
If the Euphrates was diverted into the Jordan River system about 42 months before the sixth bowl is poured out, the drying of the Euphrates at this point is puzzling. There are two possibilities, either only part of the water was diverted then and the rest now dries up, or else, the head waters of Euphrates are dried up at this time which in turn dries up the Jordan River system into which these waters now flow. If the kings of the east are to easily enter into the Valley of Megiddo, they must cross the Jordan.
God will prepare the way for all peoples to move toward Jerusalem. He will dry up rivers. He will squeeze the sides of the Gulf of Suez together to allow the kings of the south easy access. Isaiah 11:15 says, “And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod.” (King James Version)
The next verses in Revelation tell us who will come and gather in this valley. It has been called the Valley of Jezreel, the Valley of Esdraelon and the Valley of Megiddo. Christians usually call it Armageddon.
Depending upon how we understand previous passages in Revelation, this verse may or may not be difficult to interpret. In our study of Revelation chapter 12, we considered the very real possibility that the Euphrates River will be diverted because of the earthquake activity during the Tribulation. This would occur around the middle of the Tribulation.
If the Euphrates was diverted into the Jordan River system about 42 months before the sixth bowl is poured out, the drying of the Euphrates at this point is puzzling. There are two possibilities, either only part of the water was diverted then and the rest now dries up, or else, the head waters of Euphrates are dried up at this time which in turn dries up the Jordan River system into which these waters now flow. If the kings of the east are to easily enter into the Valley of Megiddo, they must cross the Jordan.
God will prepare the way for all peoples to move toward Jerusalem. He will dry up rivers. He will squeeze the sides of the Gulf of Suez together to allow the kings of the south easy access. Isaiah 11:15 says, “And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod.” (King James Version)
The next verses in Revelation tell us who will come and gather in this valley. It has been called the Valley of Jezreel, the Valley of Esdraelon and the Valley of Megiddo. Christians usually call it Armageddon.
posted by David Frank Wilson | 6:31 AM
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