BibleProject | One Story That Leads to JesusSample

It’s been a wild ride through the seals and trumpets of divine judgment. Today we come to the divine bowls. You might be wondering: Haven’t we seen this before? We have. The final seven judgments repeat earlier imagery and hyperlinks to reenvision destructive plagues, singing choruses, and the pouring out of God’s wrath.

A note about God’s “wrath” in the Bible. When a parent ferociously screams, “Stop!” at a distracted toddler, our instincts may cause us to recoil, preferring a softer approach. But if the curious child is heading straight for a raging river, the urgent outburst makes sense. In this case, the parent’s explosive, thundering anger aims not to hurt or punish but to rescue the child. This is divine wrath—ferociously exposing evil in order to rescue humanity. God’s pouring out of wrath is not to “get even” but to save, like when he poured out wrath on Egypt’s murderous Pharaoh to rescue Israel from enslavement. John repeats that exodus story to present Jesus as the new Moses who rescues not only Israel but all of humanity.

As the book continues, John’s exodus hyperlink becomes a true re-mix. The old battle in Egypt now takes place in Armageddon, suggesting that this new story is like the old and will result in a similar but greater victory. Armageddon refers to the valley of Megiddo. This is an ancient Israelite battle site (see Judg. 5:19, 2 Kgs. 23:29) that hosts the final showdown between God and the evil that drives rebellious nations. At this cosmic battleground, a dragon, a beast, and a false prophet rally their forces. They prepare to wage war against God and his people … or so they think.

What they don’t know is that they are actually gathering to face divine justice. With the seventh bowl, God’s wrath pours out to rescue humanity by ending the evil of corruption and violence forever. With the shout, “It is done!” (Rev. 16:17) and the seventh bowl emptied, everyone can relax, exhale, and rejoice.

Reflection Questions

• Take a moment to review Judges 5:19, 2 Kings 23:29, and Ezekiel 38-39. How do those battles help shed light on today’s reading?
• Notice how John casts Jesus as a new Moses leading his people into a new exodus. What parallels do you notice between that story (Exod. 7-14) and today’s reading? How might these hyperlinks help you see the Bible as one unified story that leads to Jesus?