Season 6 Podcast 5 Book of Revelation “Opening of the Seven Seals, R, Chapter 16:1-2 A “The Mark of the Beast.”

Season 6 Podcast 5 Book of Revelation “Opening of the Seven Seals, R, Chapter 16:1-2 A “The Mark of the Beast.”

The Lord unleashes the seven angels who carry the seven last plagues.

Revelation 16:1

“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.”

In a previous podcast we discussed ‘the wrath of God.’ In a nutshell the wrath of God refers to the inevitable consequences of broken laws. History has shown that the earth has been filled with violence, misery, captivity, torture, famine, and war all because of the consequences of evil people. Obedience to law brings peace. Disobedience to law brings chaos. Good people suffer with the bad because of the evil acts of mankind. Imagine a world where everyone obeyed the Ten Commandments. There would be no lying, stealing, cheating, coveting, or adultery. Imagine no prisons, no evil, and no fear. It would be paradise on earth. That describes the millennium. Revelation 16 refers to the time just prior to the Second Coming of Christ where the earth will be cleansed primarily through war, and only the righteous will remain. This podcast refers to the mission of the first angel.

Revelation 16:2

“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 which worshipped his image.”

The dictionary defines ‘noisome’ as ‘having an extremely offensive smell.’ Broadly it refers to anything that is disagreeable or unpleasant. What causes the offensive smell? John tells us: “and grievous sore upon the men.” The offensive smell is rotting flesh caused by disease and infection. It appears that the plague will be very widespread. It also suggests that there will not be enough doctors, nurses, hospitals, treatment centers, medicines, or bandages or salves to treat the multitudes. That, of course, means death. The vast numbers suggest that even the dead may not be properly buried, thus increasing the offensive smell. It is one of the devastating effects of war where all services are stopped or impeded. War also causes famine, disease, pestilence, plagues, and disruption of all services. The offensive smell may also be caused by the death of animals, the widespread unsanitary conditions, the garbage, etc. All the things that an organized society takes care of in a timely manner. That is referred to as ‘the wrath of God’ but in reality it is the consequence of war cause by evil people.

And who is behind the war? The answer is, “the men which had the mark of the beast.” Let’s review the mark of the beast.

Revelation 13:11

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.”

The second beast clearly refers to earthly powers, probably powerful dictators. He is in disguise for he has ‘two horns like a lamb.’ That suggests that he presents himself as a cuddly little lamb, yet he “speaks like a dragon.” Dragon is traditionally a reference to Satan, to murderers, to dictators, to tyrants, to power hungry kings. Christian literature depicts the dragon as the epitome of evil: Saint George and the Fiery Dragon, Beowulf, Spencer’s Fairey Queen. They are allusions to Satan. The Holy Bible equates dragons with various enemies.

In Ezekiel the Pharaoh is referred to as a ‘great red dragon.’

Ezekiel 29:3

“Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.”

King David refers to the dragon as those who have power in the sea, suggesting war ships or merchant ships.

Psalm 74:13

“Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters.”