## Introduction
Let us proceed to Chapter 16 of the Book of Revelation. Consider the hard reality of this chapter: even if you manage to dodge one disaster after another, and even if you attempt to compromise and cling to a pathetic existence when the Beast seeks your life, what will be the outcome? Absolute torment. The core theme of this chapter is straightforward: "True and just are the judgments of the Almighty!"
## The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath Poured Upon the Earth
**Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth." (Revelation 16:1)**
A fundamental flaw among people on this earth is that most live merely for the sake of surviving. Some ask me: "Pastor, if we do not live to survive, what else is there to live for?" The tragic reality is that men live in total ignorance of their impending death. When your final day arrives, will you be left with nothing but regret?
A man's life is defined by the choices he makes. If your choices align with the Almighty, blessings are inevitable. But we must be realistic: obeying the Almighty requires paying a price, and that price often appears unreasonable by worldly standards.
Make no mistake: living in this world without being deceived by demonic forces is impossible unless you stay vigilant. How do demonic forces deceive you? They entice you into God's wrath. Consider the Israelites leaving Egypt—a bizarre spectacle of cowardice and obsession with physical survival. One wonders how they could be so blind.
We must reflect deeply on our own thinking. Often, we do not even understand why we think the way we do. Are the thoughts in your head from God, or from demons? Most people cannot tell the difference.
Recently, I counselled someone who talked relentlessly until my head spun. I asked him a simple, direct question: "Among everything you have just said, which of it is the word of God?" The answer was not a single word. What he spouted came from nowhere solid—it was derived entirely from demonic deception.
If demonic forces can fool you, it means you have agreed with their premises, reasoned along their lines, and ultimately invited the wrath of God upon yourself. Our God is full of grace and mercy. But if you align yourself with human calculations, demonic logic, and the petty anxieties of mere survival, you will inevitably be led astray.
And what happens once you are deceived? Severe suffering follows. After suffering, you attract more demonic oppression, leaving Jesus Christ to bear the burden of your sickness. Remember, the blood of Jesus covers us not so that we can indulge in foolishness, but because He bore our sicknesses on the cross.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, exercise caution. Do not provoke God’s anger. Do not harbor the delusion that you can defer repentance until the seven bowls of plague arrive. By then, it will be far too late. Those who receive the mark of the Beast will suffer a fate worse than death—desiring to die, yet forced to endure excruciating pain.
Understand this fundamental truth: man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. If your speech consists entirely of worldly human logic, you are standing on the precipice of God’s wrath. People love to argue their own points, convinced of their own righteousness, yet none of it aligns with God's word.
Let the words of the Law never depart from our mouths. Act according to God’s word all the days of your life. Even if it costs us our physical lives, we must not depart from God's word, for our God is eternal, and He will lead us into eternal life. In this life, you either please God or provoke His wrath. If you provoke His wrath, whatever calamity befalls you is entirely of your own making.
Some people live as though they are immortal. The husband of a sister in our church died of cancer two months ago. Even after his diagnosis, he was still pulling strings to secure a government promotion. He was clever at maneuvering—even while bedridden, he managed to get elected. The end result? He dropped dead.
Our brothers and sisters exhausted themselves caring for him, but he remained stubbornly hardened. Why? Because he was utterly deceived by demonic forces. He chose the side of the enemy, and consequently reaped the wrath of God. These seven bowls will claim men's lives. You wanted to live for yourself, didn't you? You refused to enter God's kingdom or die for His cause? Then you belong to the kingdom of the Beast, marked by his seal.
## The First Bowl: Ugly and Painful Sores
**The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. (Revelation 16:2)**
The first bowl is poured upon the earth. Instantly, every individual carrying the mark of the Beast and worshipping its image is afflicted with sores. Picture the scene: you board a bus or enter a train, and every single face is covered in festering sores, dripping with pus, inflicting agonizing pain. Foul and malignant sores strike everyone who aligned with the Beast worldwide.
Will there be any need for diagnostic testing then? None. These sores are spiritual in origin and highly contagious. God pours out the bowl, while secular scientists frantically analyze the DNA, the bacteria, or the virus. They will research in vain, while the very scientists conducting the research break out in painful sores themselves. Is it painful? Extremely so.
The depth of malice within a person will dictate the severity of their sores. Some will have localized afflictions; others will be covered from head to toe. It will be an absolute catastrophe. This is merely the first bowl. Can anyone escape it? Even if you have the means to buy premium medicine, where will you buy it? The finest pharmaceutical companies in America will be powerless against a single bowl dropped by God. This is the hard truth: if you compromise to survive in this world, you will end up living a wretched existence.
If we observe carefully, God's wrath is continually manifested. When you see hospitals overwhelmed today, do not be surprised—no one is judged unjustly. Their minds are filled with worldly logic, entirely ignorant of their mortality. I have seen dying men on their deathbeds instructing their sons: "You must secure ownership of that property at all costs." What kind of foolish thinking is that?
## The Second Bowl: The Sea Turns Into Blood
**The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. (Revelation 16:3)**
Look at contemporary geopolitics: nations contest territorial claims in the South China Sea, arguing over borders and military outposts. Why this obsession over the oceans? Because maritime access represents vast economic wealth and strategic power.
Yet when the second bowl is poured out, the entire ocean turns to blood—resembling the blood of a corpse—and every marine organism dies. The entire world will be engulfed in an unbearable stench. Some might say, "Thank God I live in the mountains." Do not celebrate prematurely; more bowls are coming.
When the sea turns into blood, what becomes of the global economy? The first plague of sores would have already crippled global trade. Hospitals will be paralyzed, with patients and doctors alike covered in festering wounds. Imagine a patient telling a doctor, "Doctor, I have sores," and the doctor replying, "So do I, but I will do my best." The economic order will crumble rapidly. Before the sores can heal, the oceans turn to blood. Total economic collapse is inevitable.
The Antichrist may unify the world, but to what end? If you pit yourself against God under the delusion that "man can conquer nature," you will be crushed. A single bowl from heaven is more than humanity can bear. Granted, these events lie in the future, but when they occur, those faithful to God must stand clear.
Reflecting on this grim reality, one must ask: why cling to life on earth at that point? Is it better to be martyred by the Antichrist and caught up into the air, or to remain trapped on this tormented earth? I would far rather face martyrdom than endure that era.
When the oceans turn to dead blood, who will eat seafood? All marine life will perish. Fishermen, aquaculture operators, and maritime workers will all lose their livelihoods. Someone might argue, "It does not matter, I can still consume freshwater." Understand that this is only the second bowl—already a devastating blow.
How will society function? If you have taken the mark of the Beast, you may technically remain alive, but to what purpose? People scheme to migrate, shifting assets between jurisdictions, moving capital out of Western or Asian markets. But where can you hide? What good will your capital do you then? It is utter futility. Some pride themselves on stockpiling instant noodles and bottled water—such human cleverness is meaningless.
## The Third Bowl: Rivers and Springs Turn Into Blood
**The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
"You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were;
for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve."
And I heard the altar respond:
"Yes, Lord God Almighty,
true and just are your judgments."
(Revelation 16:4-7)**
In modern warfare, the most critical vulnerability is the disruption of water and power supplies. Destroy a city’s water treatment infrastructure, and urban life collapses immediately. In this judgment, the global water supply is terminated. Humanity will be forced to drink blood—foul, thick, and putrid. What options remain?
When nations wage war today, power plants and water facilities are targeted. If you rely on desalination plants powered by electricity, cutting the power grid halts water production entirely. In that day, angels in heaven and the souls beneath the altar will declare: "Let us see how you survive now." If your sole obsession is physical survival, your fate will be tragic. When human survival instincts degrade to the level of wild beasts, man becomes nothing more than a beast.
Humanity dares to wage war against the Almighty. Those who blaspheme God act as though they are invincible. Yet God cuts off your water supply in an instant. Everything turns to blood—even the soup in your hotpot becomes blood. How will you manage?
Depriving man of water results in absolute misery. Before the sores have healed, and while the oceans remain dead blood, freshwater sources are completely destroyed. How can anyone survive? In week one, men are struck with malicious sores; in week two, the oceans turn to blood; in week three, the rivers and springs become blood. 
Even if you survive a few weeks through sheer resilience, do not be deceived—there are four more bowls to follow. You wanted to live for the sake of living? You will reach a point where death is denied to you. This is the tragic outcome of human rebellion. Those who know God yet refuse to revere Him, preferring cowardice over faith, will inevitably face these consequences.
## The Fourth Bowl: The Sun Scorches People with Fire
With the oceans and freshwater sources turned to blood, humanity will be dying of thirst. Then another bowl is poured upon the sun, granting it power to scorch people with fire. We do not know the exact increase in solar radiation—suppose the Almighty increases solar heat by twenty percent—the sun will literally burn men alive. Already dehydrated and desperate, humanity endures this fourth calamity: intense, unrelenting heat. Everything breaks down under the scorching sun.
We have experienced heatwaves where the pavement gets hot enough to cook an egg. This judgment will be infinitely worse; stepping outside will mean being scorched alive. It is pure torment. Yet some will still cling to the foolish adage, "A miserable life is better than a good death." So they will drag out their miserable existence, drinking blood and enduring the scorching heat.
Remember this truth: if a man lives merely for the sake of survival, he will fail miserably—not just during the end-time plagues, but right now in daily life. Examine this reality closely: when the sun scorches humanity, the agony will be unprecedented. And immediately following it, the fifth bowl arrives. These judgments unfold in rapid succession, leaving no respite.
## The Fifth Bowl: The Kingdom of the Beast Plunged into Darkness
**They were scorched by the fierce heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. 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 agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. (Revelation 16:9-11)**

Man simply cannot withstand natural disasters. Before the sores from the first bowl have even healed, people are forced to drink blood. Widespread ulcers break out, and the kingdom of the beast is plunged into darkness. The pain is so excruciating that men bite their tongues. Yet, despite such agony, there is no repentance. They blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores.

People do not even realize where they have gone wrong. How can anyone survive when pitching themselves against God? Why have people turned out like this? Because they have been deceived by demonic spirits. Even if someone wished to repent, he can find no path to it. Besides, do you dare to repent? Repent, and the authorities will take your life; do not repent, and you simply endure the torment.

At that time, the sun continues to scorch, the seas remain blood, the sores persist, and all springs of water turn to blood. With tongues aching, men do nothing but blaspheme God. Can you imagine what this world will look like? It will be far more brutal than what Pharaoh and the Egyptians suffered when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.

The Sixth Bowl: Gathering the Kings to Fight Against the Almighty

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. Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16)

In such a dire situation, the United Nations is still holding meetings! Where are these kings gathering to go? Every one of these kings is covered in sores, forced to drink blood, and barely surviving. Why then do they gather? Because they believe a demonic lie. They gather for conferences, perhaps thinking they can solve the crisis by tackling carbon emissions—though carbon emissions have long ceased to matter. They assemble at a place called Armageddon. For what purpose? To gather for battle on the great day of God Almighty.

I reckon these three demonic spirits will say: "Martians are attacking Earth; the leaders of the world must unite!" You have all seen such sci-fi movies, haven't you? Aliens arrive, and global leaders gather to discuss: "How do we fight the aliens? This must be alien poison—that is why the rivers have turned into blood. It is all the work of extra-terrestrials!"

How insidious these demons are! The sixth bowl causes the kings to wage war against the Almighty. And these leaders actually buy into the lie, thinking: "Yes, that must be it! Intelligent life from outside the galaxy is attacking us!" The masses fall for it too. What is the result? Many continue to chant slogans: "Stay strong!" They vow to fight, completely unaware that they are confronting God Almighty Himself, foolishly believing they can survive.

Every fighting soldier is covered in sores. How can anyone function, let alone fight, under such conditions? Up to this day, human behavior remains unchanged. Our brothers and sisters must be careful. Some people become increasingly hardened when they fall ill, ending up blaspheming the God of heaven.

Observe closely: sick people may not speak it aloud, but in their hearts they harbor bitterness toward God. Their logic is: "Why did God allow this to happen to me?" Brothers and sisters, if your ultimate hope is merely clinging onto earthly life, you will resent anyone or anything that threatens your survival. You will question: "What kind of God is this? Why does He bring these afflictions upon me?"

Many Christians must be on guard. Understand this: our only recourse is repentance, and continuous repentance. Do not harden your hearts. Going against God is an utterly painful and futile endeavor. Consider a simple example: if God puts a stone in your kidney, a cancer cell in your liver, stops your bowel movements, blocks your urination, cuts off your breath, deprives you of appetite, or renders your hips and knees useless... if God decides to deal with a person, the troubles are endless.

Therefore, does man have any better choice than to fear God? None whatsoever. Do not live merely for the sake of surviving. My brothers and sisters, be mindful: that day is fast approaching. Even if it were far off, our choice must remain to fear God and seek His pleasure, not His wrath. Otherwise, demonic spirits will render a person stubbornly resistant. I have seen many Christians who are exceedingly stubborn—refusing to admit their own faults and demanding of God: "God, why me?"

There was a young minister in his thirties serving God who contracted cancer. The doctor prescribed medication, stating: "This drug is 60% effective and 40% ineffective." He took it, but fell into the 40% failure rate. He asked God: "Oh God, why did you let me land in that 40%?" The doctor then offered another specialized drug: "This one is 90% effective, only 10% ineffective." He took it and landed in the 10% failure rate again, asking God once more: "God, why?" Why did he not reflect upon himself instead?

Take my advice, brothers and sisters: do not cling foolishly to life, and do not fear death so much that you live a compromised existence. We all die eventually. Do you understand? You must choose how you live and face your end. Whether you fear it or not, whether you seek treatment or not, death comes to all.

I met a Singaporean who told me: "Teacher, whether I get treated or not, I will die." I asked: "What do you mean?" He said: "If I am cured, all my savings will be wiped out. At my age, how am I to survive? If I forgo treatment, I die as well." That is a realistic assessment. Perhaps foregoing treatment saves one from suffering after spending everything. In the end, death is inevitable.

Do not be duped by demons. Those who are not deceived—those who remain watchful and guard their garments so they do not walk naked and ashamed—such vigilant people are truly blessed.

Such deceptions are everywhere. A doctor says: "This injection costs $70,000 and extends your life by one month. Do you want it?" What happens after a month? Another injection, and another month later, yet another... yet some people jump at it. Or a doctor says: "This pill extends your life by a year." But he fails to mention that once you take it, you will be hooked up to tubes for the rest of your days.

Humans are easily tricked. It is not merely a waste of money; think of the immense suffering involved! So many are desperate to cling to life. I tell you, precisely because I am not afraid of death, I have escaped one trap after another. Man's life is in God's hands—why should I fret over these things?

The devil deceives man precisely through this instinct for bare survival. This is extremely common. Do not be foolish. Do not let demonic spirits hoodwink you. Demons can even perform miraculous signs! The devil is adept at tricking people: he sets up a ladder for you, invites you to climb, and once you reach the top, he pulls the ladder away, leaving you to fall.

The Seventh Bowl: It Is Done

The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!” Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.

Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found. From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they blasphemed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. (Revelation 16:17-21)

At that point, people will still be busy holding meetings, debating how to rescue the economy, establishing research institutes, pouring in $50 billion to find a cure for the sores, $500 billion to restore the oceans, and $5 trillion to treat the water springs... Before they even finish, the skylines of all major cities will suddenly look like ruined war zones.

A catastrophic earthquake strikes. Who knows its magnitude? A magnitude 7 or 8 is already deadly; a magnitude 10 or more is unheard of. Your newly renovated apartments and freshly built skyscrapers will instantly turn into rubble.

That is no minor event; it is an earthquake equivalent to countless nuclear detonations! As far as the eye can see, everything is destroyed. Then comes the frantic rescue effort—armies, police, emergency services utilizing every resource to save survivors. Yet following the massive earthquake comes a massive tsunami. Coastal cities suffer terribly. How can anyone survive this? The body count is immense.

While everyone is clearing bricks and debris to rescue survivors—themselves covered in sores, sick, lacking water, and struggling with disaster relief—giant hailstones begin to rain down. Are these ice or something else? We do not know for sure, but each hailstone weighs ninety pounds! Consider this: an airline suitcase weighs about twenty kilograms; if that falls on someone from the sky, it is fatal.

Imagine a barrage of ninety-pound hailstones pounding down. What structure can withstand ninety pounds? Forget human beings—even livestock cannot survive it! Someone might say: "I will hide in my car." Even if it is a sturdy Tesla, a ninety-pound weight dropping from the sky will crush it completely. The earthquake has barely passed, and now ninety-pound hailstones arrive. The world becomes a horrific spectacle, though a few survivors still desperately cling to life.

What has the world become? God suddenly remembers Babylon the Great. Such history has repeated itself more than once. Have you seen the ruins of ancient amphitheatres and temples? Ancient temples were magnificent structures, yet today they lie in ruins. Why? Because God's wrath descended upon them.

It is hard for us to imagine, but ancient Pompeii was a prosperous city. Excavations show that Pompeii’s bathhouses were far more lavish than those modern people enjoy; they knew how to indulge. Why did it become a ruin? Because God’s wrath came down upon it.

All investments evaporate instantly. Whether you spent tens of millions or hundreds of millions buying property, when the great earthquake and hailstones fall, major cities will be entirely wiped out. If a person sets his mind purely on earthly affairs, he had better read some history. Even if the city itself managed to stand forever, you certainly will not. What is the point of endlessly striving for earthly matters, accumulating sickness, and finally departing this world in toil and sorrow? How tragic!

Why does the passage highlight major cities? Because big cities offer abundant investment opportunities where everyone scrambles to make money. Look at Guangdong: people move there not to start fights, but to make money! Where do you make money? In the big cities.

Money is a deeply deceptive thing. A big city is, in truth, a grand illusion. While we work and earn money in big cities, we do not live for money. I tell you, a person who trusts in God will never lack money. God orchestrates events precisely to teach man to rely on Him, yet worldly people respond by blaspheming God.

Disasters Beyond Human Endurance

A loud voice comes from the throne in the temple, saying: "It is done!" What does "It is done" mean? It signifies the fulfillment of the Almighty's judgments. The judgments of the Almighty are true and just!

Our brothers and sisters must cultivate a sense of awe and reverence. Man does not live by money alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. We must get this fundamental reality clear: if you fail to understand this, you will incur God’s wrath. Someone might say: "That person provoked God’s wrath yet still lives comfortably." You are not looking far enough. If you live long enough, you will invariably observe that those who live merely for bare survival end up in calamity.

These seven bowls are no laughing matter. If anyone thinks he can withstand these seven bowls, he is foolishly overestimating himself. We should not wait until the seven bowls are poured out to learn reverence; we must fear God right now.

This scripture was not written for us to endure these plagues, but to reveal how terrible God’s wrath is, how righteous the Almighty's judgment is, and how faithful His word is. Righteous and true! Amen!

That concludes our study for today. May God bless you all!

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