Revelation Ch 16 (Monday of the Third Week of Advent)

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple say to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s anger on the earth.” So the first angel poured his bowl on the earth, and a nasty and terrible sore appeared on the people who had the beast’s mark and worshipped its image. The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and the sea turned into blood, like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died. The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned into blood. Then I heard the angel of the waters say,

“You are just, holy one, who is and was,
        because you have given these judgments.
They poured out the blood of saints and prophets,
        and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve it!”
And I heard the altar say,
        “Yes, Lord God Almighty, your judgments are true and just.”

The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with fire. The people were burned by intense heat, and they cursed the name of the God who had power over these plagues. But they didn’t change their hearts and lives and give him glory. The fifth angel poured his bowl over the beast’s throne, and darkness covered its kingdom. People bit their tongues because of their pain, and they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores; but they didn’t turn away from what they had done.

Then the sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates. Its water was dried up so that the way was ready for the kings from the east. Then I saw three unclean spirits, like frogs, come from the dragon’s mouth, the beast’s mouth, and the mouth of the false prophet. These are demonic spirits that do signs. They go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (Look! I’m coming like a thief! Favored are those who stay awake and clothed so that they don’t go around naked and exposed to shame.) The spirits gathered them at the place that is called in Hebrew, Harmagedon.

Then the seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out from the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” There were lightning strikes, voices, and thunder, and a great earthquake occurred. The earthquake was greater than any that have occurred since there have been people on earth. The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered Babylon the great so that he gave her the wine cup of his furious anger. Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared. Huge hailstones weighing about one hundred pounds came down from heaven on the people. They cursed God for the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

Commentary

The objective of all of Revelation is to show the ways of the world in its history as the struggle of Christ with the prince of this world, for the sake of that world. As with the trumpets, the symbolism of the vials is decidedly mythological in the nature of its images, and moreover it displays the clear influence of apocalyptic language in general, as well as that of the book of Exodus…. The fundamental idea is that the spiritual struggle of light and dark forces in the world that accompanies Christ's enthronement and the establishment of the Kingdom of God goes on with active participation of the holy angels and at the direction of God, the latter being described in symbolic images of its immediate effect…. On this basis one should refrain altogether from attempts to interpret these images literally, and instead to hear the language of religious poetry in them (like the narration of the trumpets), taking in only their general meaning.  [I]n these days of horrors and mystical melancholy, brought on by demonic possession, the faithful are called to spiritual vigilance, and consequently to freedom from the panic gripping all. …This must be the spiritual response to testing that is worthy of a Christian: the worse, the better. It answers the general question of how we should relate practically to the horrors which the images of Revelation are full of, and what their instructive content is. They should not strike terror, but train the soul in Christian valor and a hope based on trust in God's Providence. These horrors are sent from heaven for people's good, for the salvation of all, however strange and unexpected such words may seem. The historical judgment of God here is not yet the Dread Judgment on all humanity, but the salutary action of Divine Providence in the world. (Apocalypse)

Musical Selection

All nations will draw near and fall down before you because your just and holy works have been revealed.

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *

O King of all the ages
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name
for you only are the Holy One.

All nations will draw near and fall down before you
because your just and holy works have been revealed. 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. (Joe Cox)

All nations will draw near and fall down before you because your just and holy works have been revealed.

Collect

God of mercy,

open your ears to our cries

and light up the dark places of our hearts

with the grace of your Son,

who will visit us and set us free.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever. Amen.