August 9, 2020 – Revelation 15 – 16

Lesson Date: August 9, 2020

Focal Scripture Passage: Revelation 15:1 – 16:21

AIM: To lead students to recognize through the example of lost people during the Tribulation that unregenerate man by his very nature will not repent and turn to God, and to give them an opportunity to repent of their sins.

Before class: Read the notes on Revelation 15 – 16 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book. Get enough copies of the “Seven Bowls of Wrath” worksheet for your anticipated attendance. Have some pens or pencils on hand for any who might need one. Write the words “Repent” and “Blaspheme” on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the class’ attention to the word “Repent” written on the board. Ask them to suggest definitions for the word. Tell them a dictionary definition is: “To turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life, to feel regret or contrition, to change one’s mind.”[i] Tell the students the Greek word translated “repent” literally means: “To think differently or afterwards, reconsider, feel compunction.”[ii] Tell the class when we repent we change our direction, turning away from sin and turning to Jesus. Illustrate this by facing one direction and then turning around to face the opposite direction. Ask if they can think of a time in their life when they repented of sin.

Direct the class’ attention to the word “Blaspheme” written on the board. Ask them to suggest definitions for the word. Tell them a dictionary definition is: “To speak in a way that shows irreverence for God or something sacred.”[iii] Tell the students the Greek word translated “blaspheme” literally means: “To vilify, to speak impiously, defame, rail on, revile, speak evil.”[iv] Tell the class to blaspheme is to speak evil of or to curse God. Ask if they have ever heard anyone blaspheme the Lord.

Tell the students in today’s lesson we will learn about the terrible bowl judgments, through which God will pour out His fierce wrath on mankind near the end of the Tribulation. Tell them to listen especially for man’s response to God’s wrath.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the book of Revelation.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (the Antichrist and the False Prophet, the mark of the beast, the 144,000 Jewish evangelists, three angels with three important announcements, and the winepress of the wrath of God).
   • Tell the students at this point in the book of Revelation we are nearing the end of the terrible Tribulation. Previously we saw pauses between some of the judgments, but now things are happening very swiftly.
2. Seven Angels with Seven Bowls.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 15:1.
   • Ask: “What did John see in heaven?” (seven angels with the seven last plagues).
   • Remind the students that God sent plagues upon the Egyptians in the book of Exodus. Ask if they can name any of those plagues.
   • Ask: “Did those plagues cause Pharaoh to genuinely repent and turn to Almighty God?” (no, his heart only grew harder and harder).
   • Tell the class the plagues they will learn about today are the last and very worst plagues God will pour out on mankind.
   • Read Revelation 15:2-4.
   • Ask: “Who did John see in verse 2?” (saints in heaven who have overcome the Antichrist, probably through martyrdom; see Rev. 12:11).
   • Ask: “What are they doing in verses 3-4?” (singing a song of praise to God).
   • Ask: “Why do you think they are praising God when He is about to pour out terrible plagues?” (because He does great and marvelous works).
   • Stress the fact that everything Christ has ever done – both His sacrificial and atoning death and His furious judgment – is right!).
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 15:5-8.
   • Ask: “According to verse 5, what did John see opened in heaven?” (the Temple).
   • Ask: “According to verse 6, who came out of the Temple?” (the seven angels with the seven plagues).
   • Ask: “What was given to them in verse 7?” (seven vials full of the wrath of God).
   • Explain that the word translated vial literally means a broad shallow bowl.
   • Ask: “What filled the heavenly Temple?” (smoke from the glory of God).
   • Tell the students that smoke is associated with the presence and the holiness of God (Ex. 19:18; 40:35-38; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Isa. 6:4). God’s holiness will be manifested through His wrath.
   • Summarize: John saw the heavenly Temple opened and seven angels prepared to pour out the seven last plagues of God’s wrath on mankind.
3. The First Bowl.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 16:1.
   • Ask: “What did the voice from out of the Temple – presumably God Himself – tell the angels?” (to go pour their bowls of wrath upon the earth).
   • Give everyone a copy of the “Seven Bowls of Wrath” worksheet, and a pen or pencil if needed. Tell them to fill in the worksheet as we learn about the seven bowls of wrath.
   • Read Revelation 16:2.
   • Ask: “What happened when the first angel poured out his bowl?” (foul, smelly, and painful sores appeared on those who had the mark of the beast).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Ask: “Does the Bible tell us how people will respond to this plague?” (no).
   • Summarize: The first bowl plague will cause awful sores to appear on the followers of the Antichrist.
4. The Second Bowl.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 16:3.
   • Ask: “What happened when the second angel poured out his bowl?” (the oceans became like the blood of a dead man, killing all the sea creatures).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Tell them this worldwide plague will destroy the ecosystem of the oceans and disrupt the shipping trade. Earth will not be able to survive much longer!
   • Ask: “Does the Bible tell us how people will respond to this plague?” (no).
   • Summarize: The second bowl plague will destroy the oceans and kill the sea creatures.
5. The Third Bowl.
   • Read Revelation 16:4-7.
   • Ask: “What happened when the third angel poured out his bowl?” (the rivers and springs became blood).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Tell them this bowl judgment appears to spell the doom of all life on earth. This must come very shortly before the return of Christ.
   • Ask: “According to verse 6, why will this be a just and right thing for God to do?” (the lost people on earth near the end of the Tribulation are responsible for shedding the blood of saints and prophets, so God gives them only blood to drink).
   • Note that God is praised for sending this terrible plague.
   • Ask: “Does the Bible tell us how people will respond to this plague?” (no).
   • Summarize: The third bowl plague will turn all the fresh water on earth into blood.
6. The Fourth Bowl.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 16:8-9.
   • Ask: “What happened when the fourth angel poured out his bowl?” (the sun scorched men with fire and great heat).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Tell them the sun may actually become hotter and brighter, or the destruction of the water cycle caused by the second and third bowl judgments may stop the atmosphere from protecting people from the sun’s harmful rays.
   • Ask: “How will people respond to this plague?” (they will blaspheme the name of God and refuse to repent).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Summarize: The fourth bowl plague will cause men to be burned by the heat of the sun. In spite of this terrible plague, people will blaspheme God and refuse to repent.
7. The Fifth Bowl.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Revelation 16:10-11.
   • Ask: “What happened when the fifth angel poured out his bowl?” (Antichrist’s kingdom was full of darkness and pain so bad that men will gnaw their tongues).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Ask: “How will people respond to this plague?” (they will blaspheme the God of heaven and refuse to repent of their sins).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Summarize: The fifth bowl plague will bring darkness and pain to Antichrist’s kingdom. In spite of this terrible plague, people will blaspheme God and refuse to repent.
8. The Sixth Bowl.
   • Read Revelation 16:12-16.
   • Ask: “What happened when the sixth angel poured out his bowl?” (the Euphrates River dried up to make a way for the kings of the east to attack Israel).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Point out the Euphrates River on the map.
   • Explain the following:
     • Demon spirits will stir up the nations of the earth to come to Israel to fight against the Lord at the battle of Armageddon.
     • The Lord announced that He would come suddenly and unexpectedly like a thief.
     • The Lord also pronounced a blessing on those who watch for His return and keep themselves undefiled by sin.
   • Ask: “Does the Bible tell us how people will respond to this plague?” (no).
   • Summarize: The sixth bowl plague will prepare the way and the kings of the earth to gather for the great battle of Armageddon.
9. The Seventh Bowl.
   • Read Revelation 16:17-21.
   • Ask: “What happened when the seventh angel poured out his bowl?” (God announced that “It is done,” the worst earthquake in history occurred, Jerusalem was divided into three parts, other cities fell, God remembered wicked Babylon, islands and mountains vanished, and giant hailstones fell upon men).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Explain the following:
     • Voices, thunder, lightning, and an earthquake all indicate God’s judgment (see Rev 4:5; 8:5; 11:19).
     • Babylon has been the seat of rebellion and false religion since shortly after the Great Flood. It will evidently be the seat of Antichrist’s worldwide government.
     • Verse 20 describes seemingly unbelievable geologic disasters.
     • The hailstones described in verse 21 will weigh about 100 pounds each.
   • Ask: “How will people respond to this plague?” (they will blaspheme the God).
   • Ask the students to write this on their worksheets.
   • Summarize: The seventh bowl plague will bring terrible destruction to the earth and those still living. In the face of this terrible and deadly plague, people will blaspheme God.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Tell the class that near the end of the Tribulation God will pour out His seven last plagues on earth. It is hard to believe that anyone could survive these terrible plagues, but some will. It is also hard for us to understand why the people living through those terrible plagues would not recognize God’s hand and turn to Him in confession and repentance.

Ask: “How with the people of earth respond to God’s wrath and judgment?” (they will stubbornly refuse to repent, but instead will curse and blaspheme God).

Tell the students this lesson drives home the undeniable fact that unregenerate man by his very nature will not repent and turn to God. In other words, punishment does not always result in repentance and real change; true repentance is the result of God’s grace. Explain that unregenerate man is dead to the things of God and feels no need or desire to repent. This is the reason many people to whom we witness refuse to repent and trust Jesus for salvation. This is also the reason some church members have no interest in the things of God and Sunday School members don’t want to attend Sunday School – they have never truly been saved.

Ask: “Have you ever felt the need to repent of your sin? If you have ever felt conviction of sin and repented, that is an evidence of God’s grace upon you.” Tell the class that Romans 2:4 says, “the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” The people described in today’s lesson never experienced God’s grace, so they never repented of their sins (that was the case with the Egyptian pharaoh mentioned earlier).

Ask: “Do you have any unconfessed sin in your life? Has God brought some sin to your mind this morning that you have not confessed or repented of?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes. Urge the students to privately confess their sin to God and turn away from (repent of) that sin. After a few moments of silent prayer time, voice a closing prayer, thanking God for His gracious work of convicting us of sin and leading us to true repentance.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Revelation 15:4. Tell them that every time they confess their sins this week, they should also thank God for leading them to repentance. Tell the students that next week’s lesson is about the fall of the Antichrist’s false religion and wicked kingdom.

[i] Merriam-Webster online dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repent

[ii] Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Electronic Edition STEP Files Copyright © 1998, Parsons Technology, Inc.

[iii] Merriam-Webster online dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blaspheme

[iv] Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries