God's Anger Brought to a Finish - The River Euphrates Dried Up

The Rive Euphrates Dried Up

The sixth trumpet blast heralded the releasing of "the four angels that are bound at the river Euphrates."  (Revelation 9:14) Historically, Babylon was the great city that sat on the river Euphrates. And in 1919 the release of the symbolic four angels accompanied a significant fall of Babylon the Great.  (Revelation 14:8) It is noteworthy, then, that the sixth bowl of God's anger also involves the river Euphrates:  "And the sixth one poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun." (Revelation 16:12)  This too is bad news for Babylon the Great!

In ancient Babylon's heyday, the abundant waters of the Euphrates were a major par of her defense system.  In 539 B.C.E. those waters dried up when they were diverted from their course by the Persian leader Cyrus.  Thus, the way was open for Cyrus the Persian and Darius the Mede, the kings from "the rising of the sun" (that is the east), to enter Babylon and conquer it.  In the hour of crisis, the river Euphrates failed the defense of that great city.  (Isaiah 44:27-45:7; Jeremiah 51:36) Something similar is due to happen to modern Babylon, the worldwide system of false religion.

Babylon the Great "sits on  many waters."  According to Revelation 17:1, 15, these symbolize "peoples and crowds and nations and tongues" -hordes of adherents that she has regarded as a protection.   But the "waters"  are drying up!  In Western Europe, where formerly she had great influence, hundreds of millions have openly ignored religion.  In some Eastern  European lands, there is a declared policy to try to destroy the influence of religion. The masses in those lands have not risen up on her behalf.  Similarly, when the time comes for Babylon the Great to be destroyed, the dwindling number of her adherents will prove  to be no protection at all.  (Revelation 17:16) Though she claims a membership of thousands of millions, Babylon the Great will find herself defenseless against "the kings from the rising of the sun."

Who are these kings?  In 539 B.C.E. they were Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, who were used by Jehovah to conquer the ancient city of Babylon.  In this Lord's day, the false religious system  of Babylon the Great will also be destroyed by human rulers.  But again, this will be a divine judgment.  Jehovah God and Jesus Christ, "the kings from the rising sun," will have put into the hearts of human rulers the "thought" to turn on Babylon the Great and destroy her utterly.  (Revelation 17:116, 17)  The pouring out of the sixth bowl proclaims  publicly that his judgment is about to be executed!

These first six bowls of Jehovah's anger carry a sobering message.  God's earthly servants, supported by the angels, have been busy publicizing their contents on an earth-wide scale.  In this way, due warning has been served on all sectors of Satan's world system, and Jehovah has provided individuals an opportunity to turn to righteousness and keep living.  (Ezekiel 33:14-16) Still, one more bowl of God's anger remains. But before telling us about it, Revelation reveals how Satan and his earthly agents are trying to counteract the publicizing of Jehovah's judgments.

Next time: God's Anger Brought to a Finish - The Gathering to Armageddon

From the Book of Revelation