Is there any relationship between the plagues of Egypt and Revelation? To answer this question, lets list them and see where we go from there.
Today many people try to apply literal meanings to visions found within Revelation. Suddenly they are at a loss to explain such wild ideas as stars falling, oceans turning to blood and mountains moving.
Today many people try to apply literal meanings to visions found within Revelation. Suddenly they are at a loss to explain such wild ideas as stars falling, oceans turning to blood and mountains moving.
For our study of the book of Revelation we need to keep in mind the rules of apocalyptic literature. We find a parallel scripture elsewhere in the Bible and ask ourselves “What does this picture or idea mean here?” We then take this meaning and apply it to the similar verse in Revelation and ask ourselves, “Does this meaning fit this verse and its context?”
So how can we apply these rules to the series of seals, trumpets and bowls of wrath? We find on the closer study of these lists of the plagues of Egypt and Revelation that many of the Revelation plagues are based upon similar plagues that Moses sent upon Egypt. What was happening in Egypt
The Ten Plagues of Egypt
(when Moses confronted the Pharaoh of Egypt
1) Water turned to blood. Exodus 7:20-25.
2) The Frogs. Exodus 8:5-14.
3) The lice. Exodus 8:16-18.
4) The flies. Exodus 8:20-24.
5) The plague on the cattle. Exodus 9:3-6.
6) The boils and sores. Exodus 9:8-11.
7) The thunder and hail. Exodus 9:22-26.
8) The locusts. Exodus 10:12-19.
9) The darkness. Exodus 10:21-23.
10) The slaying of the first-born. Exodus 10:29-30.
The Plagues of Reverlation.
The Plagues of Reverlation.
The book of Revelation contains three series of judgement visions. These are the seven seals, which we find in chapter 6. The seven trumpets, which begin in chapter 8 - 9. The seven bowls of wrath found later in chapters 15 - 16. You could consider these to be layers of judgement laid over each other with each layer worse than the one before. I will explain in greater detail later in the study but for now keep in mind this simple summary below.
The Seven Seals – The Forewarnings of the coming Judgement. Rev 6:1-17.
The Seven Trumpets – The Caution “Judgement has arrived.” Rev 8:7 – 9:21.
The Seven Bowls of Wrath – God’s Judgement. Rev 16:2-21.
The Seven Seals.
1) The First Seal - The White Horse.
The Conquer. Rev 6:1-2.
2) The Second Seal - The Red Horse.
The Persecutor. Rev 6:3-4.
3) The Third Seal - The Black Horse.
Famine, Forerunner of Death. Rev 6:5-6.
4) The Fourth Seal - The Livid Horse.
Death and Hades. Rev 6:7-8.
5) The Fifth Seal - The Souls of the Martyrs. Rev 6:9-11.
6) The Sixth Seal. - The Announcement of Judgement. Rev 6:12-17.
This first series of plagues were like a warning “God’s judgement is on the way.” Although it seems as if this is God’s Judgement, when we consider that no one is hurt we realize that this is not the judgement of God. Taken against the overall context of Revelation we find that this is only a warning of the coming Judgement.
The Seven Trumpets.
1) The First Trumpet – Land Disaster. Rev 8:7.
2) The Second Trumpet – Maritime Disaster. Rev 8:8-9.
3) The Third Trumpet – Freshwater Disaster. Rev 8:10-11.
4) The Fourth Trumpet – Disaster in the Sky. .
5) The Fifth Trumpet – The First Woe.
The Plague of Locusts – Internal Decay. Rev 9:1-11.
6) The Sixth Trumpet – The Second Woe.
The Army of Horsemen – External Enemies. Rev 9:13-21.
We can see that the seven trumpets are also only partial judgements because once again only some of the people on the earth were affected. You can think of this as an announcement that God’s judgement has finally arrived. There will be no more delay, those who have refused to repent will be punished.
The theme of the book changes after the seven trumpets from the warnings and promisees of judgement to God acting out His judgement.
The Seven Bowls of Wrath.
1) The First Bowl of Wrath
Loathsome and malignant sores. Rev 16:2.
2) The Second Bowl of Wrath
Sea turned to blood of a dead man. Rev 16:3.
3) The Third Bowl of Wrath
Rivers and springs of waters turned to blood. Rev 16:4-7.
4) The Fourth Bowl of Wrath
God gave the sun power to scorch men with fire. Rev 16:8-9
5) The Fifth Bowl of Wrath
Darkness. Rev 16:10-11.
6) The Sixth Bowl of Wrath
The Euphrates dried up. Rev 16:12-16.
7) The Seventh Bowl of Wrath
A Great Earthquake – God’s Final Judgement. Rev 16:17-21.
Finally God’s judgement comes when the seven bowls of wrath are found among the other acts of God’s judgement against The Sea-Beast, The Earth-Beast, The Great Harlot and the Dragon (Satan).
So what do these two series of plagues of Egypt and Revelation have in common? They are both God's judgement on wicked men or wicked nations.
So what do these two series of plagues of Egypt and Revelation have in common? They are both God's judgement on wicked men or wicked nations.
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