THE study of the seven vials affords us a vivid ^ picture of the terrible scenes enacted at the very end of the Great Tribulation just before the appearing of the Son of Man from heaven. The period covered by the seven vials is a very short one, lasting only seventy-five days, but the events which happen during this short time, are tremendous and tragic. It is the time in which God's wrath is "filled up" (Rev. 15:1). The seal-judgments have been in progress for seven years, and for three and one half years the seven trumpets have been sounding and judgment has been breaking forth upon the earth with ever-increasing intensity. With the vials we reach the climax of the tribulational judgments — a climax which results in the tragic and sure defeat of the Antichrist and the victory and enthronement of Christ.

In Revelation 15 we see the preparation for the vials of judgment. The seven judgment angels are brought before us (vs. 1, 6, 7, 8). The seven angels come out of the temple, and one of the four living creatures gives unto them the seven vials full of the wrath of God. The scene is set. The hour of judgment upon Antichrist is come.

"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth" (Rev. 16:1).

And each of the seven angels goes, vial in hand to take his turn in emptying the vials and executing the most dramatic and severe of God's judgments.

THE FIRST VIAL

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them that worshipped his image" (Rev. 16: 2).

This series of judgments is directed toward the Antichrist and his worshippers particularly. This first vial judgment brings grievous sores to all who have received the mark of the beast. This plague has its counterpart in the plague of boils in Egypt (Ex. 9:8). These judgments are severe, but it cannot be otherwise. The beast has exalted himself as God and has lifted up his defiance against God Almighty. The Lord must pour out His fury and indignation upon the beast and his worshippers. God is a jealous God and He has in times past smitten idolatry, and this He will do with the false trinity of the Great Tribulation.

THE SECOND VIAL

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea" (Rev. 16:3). The second vial, the same as the second trumpet, is directed toward the sea and sea-dwellers; however the extent of the vial-judgment is far greater than the trumpet-judgment. Only one third of life is affected under the trumpet-judgment.

There is both a symbolical and a literal message in these judgments. Symbolically, the sea stands for the nations; therefore in this judgment the nations will become as blood. The bloodshed will be great and the dead so many that they will not bury them (Isa. 26:21).

This judgment also literally falls upon the sea. How widespread will be the results! Think of the effect it will have on transportation. The oceans will be full of blood, and rotten, stinking fish. The air will be full of disease and death.

Men who have spurned God's mercy and will not have it, must take His judgment and wrath.

THE THIRD VIAL

"And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood" (Rev. 16:4).

The object of this judgment is the rivers. The outcome is that the waters are turned to blood. In the third trumpet-judgment the rivers were made bitter; here they are all turned to blood. Blood! Blood!! Blood!!! Blood everywhere. The sea is full of blood; the rivers cannot carry it away; the earth discloses it.

The angel of the waters speaks and justifies God in this judgment.

"Thou art righteous, O Lord" (vs. 5).

"They have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy" (vs. 6).

God remembers. Sin cannot get by God. Sin must be judged. They shed blood, now they must sup blood. Another angel said:

"Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments" (vs. 7).

THE FOURTH VIAL

"And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

"And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, Which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give Him glory" (vss. 8-9).

Thus far the worshippers of Antichrist have been stricken with grievous sores; the sea is full of blood and dead fish, also the rivers. Now the heat of the sun is increased, and this added to the preceding judgments will create a terrible condition.

Under the trumpet-judgment the light of the sunwas reduced, but here it is increased. The sun has long been the source of good — rising upon the good and evil alike. In these coming dreadful days the sun will rise upon evil men to scorch them. Of this day Isaiah says:

"Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold" (Isa. 30:26).

Malachi spoke of the coming day:

"That shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble" (Mai. 4:1).

The sun's heat will not hurt the faithful remnant of Israel. They will escape the stroke of judgment.

"Neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat" (Rev. 7:16).

But the major part of the nation Israel will pass through this judgment and will be "devoured with burning heat" (Deut. 32:24).

THE FIFTH VIAL

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast: and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.

"And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds" (Rev. 16:10-11).

The judgment now centers upon the Antichrist The fifth vial is poured out upon his throne and his kingdom becomes "full of darkness." It will be a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness (Joel 2:1-2). And still they remain unrepentant. They charge God with their pains and sores, and they gnaw their tongues and stand it.

THE SIXTH VIAL

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared" (Rev. 16:12).

The Euphrates is a great river. It is 1800 miles long, and nearly a mile wide at the widest, and it is very deep. But it is not too long, or wide, or deep, for God to dry it up when He gets ready to. The purpose of this drying up is to make a way for the kings of the East. The Euphrates is connected with Babylon which will be the Antichrist's political and commercial capital (Rev. 17, 18). The fall of Babylon is near. It is the end-time and at the end, God will use the kings of the East to break the power of Antichrist.

This judgment directly affects the false trinity and they belch forth demons like frogs, and these work miracles (Rev. 16:13). Thousands will be attracted by these wonders. They are the Antichrist's deceptive lure. The world is waiting for such as this. These miracles are used advantageously to mobilize a mighty army with which the kings of the earth will come. So these demon messengers will gather all nations to the battle of the great day of God Almighty (vs. 14).

THE SEVENTH VIAL

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying. It is done.

"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings: and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

"And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great" (Rev. 16:17-21).

We come to the last judgment of this series. Once from the cross on the Hill of Calvary was heard the cry, "It is finished." That was the cry indicating the finish of the work of salvation — the completion of a purchase. Now we hear the voice saying, "It is done." This indicates that the judgments are finished, and we are brought to the hour of the end. Armageddon and the hour of the Son of Man have come. The hour of the final judgment has arrived and the King will take His Kingdom. What a terrible hour it will be! There will be flashing lightning, rolling thunder, great voices, and earthquakes so great that the cities of the nations will fall. God will remember Babylon; she must drink of the cup of the fierceness of His wrath. The mountains and the islands will sink away. Consternation and terror will fall upon all. It is the day of God's wrath.

The law of God provided that blasphemers should be put to death (Lev. 24:16). The law will be executed and great hail shall fall upon the blasphemers (Antichrist and his followers). Their weight is the weight of a talent which is one hundred and fourteen pounds. Language runs riot in depicting the terrible scenes that will take place. The cup of human sin is full — so also will be the vials of wrath.

"It is done!" The hour has come for all rival powers to relinquish their authority and give it unto Him. The King once rejected is about to return and reign. The time of His absence is finished. The time has come for righteous government upon the earth. The Kingdom long promised is about to be established. When the seventh vial is poured out, the scheduled time will have arrived. The days of horror of the Great Tribulation are ahead, days of dark judgment scenes; but blessed be God! the Day of days is also ahead, when the returning Christ shall take the throne and reign forever and ever. May God set our hearts upon His glorious appearing!