啓示錄 16 章 Revelations 16
- 馬克牧師
- Jul 16
- 10 min read
Updated: Aug 26
各位平安，我們今天要分享的是《啟示錄》第16章的經文。
上一章提到七位天使拿著盛著上帝大怒的七個碗，現在——大災難要開始了。經文裡說，有聲音從聖殿中出來，對那七位天使說：「把盛著神大怒的七個碗倒在地上。」這七碗的災難即將降臨，也是人類歷史上最終的、最大的災禍。
當我們讀這段經文的時候，其實可以聯想到《出埃及記》裡的十災。當時，上帝透過摩西降下十個災難，是為了諷刺埃及的十個假神。那時候的埃及人拜了很多神，像是太陽神 Ra、尼羅河神 Hapy，這兩個是最主要的神明之一。
所以我們看到，上帝讓尼羅河變成血，塵土變成蚊子，青蛙遍佈埃及地，後面還有跳蚤、虱子、蒼蠅、牲畜瘟疫、皮膚的瘡……這些災難其實都在一一擊潰那些假神的權威。上帝在向埃及人、向全地彰顯——這些你們所拜的都不是神，只有一位真神，就是耶和華。
這一切的記錄，不只是給以色列人看，也讓全地都知道——以色列的神，是聖潔的，是獨一的真神。
在《啟示錄》第16章，約翰引用了很多舊約的圖像，對猶太人來說非常熟悉。例如「七碗」代表的是七個完全的災難，也就是徹底的審判與毀滅。
這裡的災禍也跟出埃及的災難很相似：有毒瘡長在人身上、碗倒在海裡使海水變成血、陽光變得像火一樣灼熱地烤人、黑暗籠罩獸的國度、河水乾枯等等……每一樣都指向神最終的審判與公義。
在第五節這裡，我們看到掌管眾水的天使說：
「昔在、今在的聖者啊，你這樣審判是公義的！他們曾流聖徒與先知的血，如今你給他們喝血，這是他們該得的報應。」
接著第七節，也有聲音從祭壇中傳出來說：
「是的，主神—全能者啊，你的判斷確實又真又義！」
這段經文裡，約翰再次在對當時受逼迫的信徒發出鼓勵。他在提醒他們：你們所受的苦，上帝都記得。那些逼迫你們、流你們血的人，上帝不會任憑他們逍遙法外。有一天，神會親自為你們申冤，施行公義的審判。
即便在當下，那些信徒正在經歷來自羅馬帝國殘酷的迫害，那個獸掌控著權力，似乎一切都黑暗無望——但約翰要告訴他們：神沒有忘記。惡不會永遠猖狂，審判終將來臨，而上帝的公義，絕不缺席。
到了第13節，我們看到一個特別的異象：有三個污穢的靈，好像青蛙，從龍的口、獸的口，還有假先知的口中出來。
為什麼是青蛙呢？在當時的觀念裡，青蛙是「不潔淨」的象徵。其實在《利未記》中也提到，青蛙是水中不潔之物的一種。而在當時的民間信仰裡，青蛙常常跟邪靈、巫術等污穢的東西聯繫在一起。
所以，約翰在這裡用「青蛙」來形容，並不是沒有意義的。他要傳達的是：這些從假先知口中出來的訊息，是污穢的，是虛假的。真正可怕的，不只是戰爭的威脅，而是這些錯誤的思想。
這些「污穢的靈」會透過假先知的口，說出錯誤的教導，混亂人心。而這種錯誤的思想，一旦散播出去，影響力甚至比任何武器還要強大。因為人的敗壞，往往不是從外面開始的，而是從內心的錯誤開始的。
所以我們才說，傳福音、教導真理，真正的根基，是人心的改變。教育是建立人的價值觀、信念與思想，而不是只在表面處理行為。如果我們對「心思意念」這件事掉以輕心，如果我們不把教育當一回事，那這些錯誤的思想、這些污穢的靈就會進入人心。一旦進入了，再想清除就非常困難。這也是為什麼真理的宣講這麼重要，因為我們是在打一場思想上的屬靈戰爭。
其實，魔鬼所有的破壞當中，最危險的，不一定是那些明顯的外在逼迫。像當時羅馬帝國迫害基督徒，雖然痛苦，但那是看得見的威脅——你知道誰是敵人，也知道誰是自己人。在那樣的戰場上，敵我分明。
但真正的危險，是來自「假先知」。
因為假先知常常是隱藏在信徒當中的，他們穿著信徒的外衣，說著聖經的話語，但卻在推廣另一套思想。他們把世界的價值觀帶進教會，講一些聽起來合理、實際上卻偏離真理的教導。
他們不是從外面攻擊，而是從裡面慢慢瓦解。他們讓信徒學會妥協、接受模糊不清的界線，把似是而非的話語當作屬靈的真理。
而這，才是魔鬼最危險的武器——因為你看不出來誰是敵人。
魔鬼曾經也引用聖經來試探耶穌，但他引用的，是被曲解過的經文。這就是假教導的可怕之處——他們講的是「聖經」，但內容卻扭曲了聖經的真正意思。
所以，對信徒來說，最大的攻擊其實是思想的錯亂，是對真理認知的偏差。這不是破壞你的身體，而是破壞你的心思。
這也是為什麼我們要非常謹慎地去思想聖經，要「按著正意分解真理的道」。我們不只是要讀聖經，更要明白聖經。不是隨便聽誰講得有道理就信了，因為一旦接受了錯誤的教導，整個信仰根基都會受到動搖。
這對教會、對信徒的生命，都是極大的破壞。
第16節提到，三個污穢的靈把眾王聚集在一處，那地方按希伯來話叫「哈米吉多頓」。這個名字你或許聽過，它就是傳說中「Armageddon」 —— 代表世界末日的意思。
這地方不是虛構的，它有真實的歷史背景。哈米吉多頓其實是「米吉多」這個地點的衍生詞，位於從埃及往北大馬士革的交通要道上，是古代戰略重地。歷史上許多重要戰役都曾在這個平原上爆發。所以對熟悉希伯來歷史的人來說，這裡就是戰爭的代名詞。
約翰在這裡的意思是——最終的大決戰即將在這象徵性的戰場上發生。這不只是一場地上的爭戰，更是光明與黑暗、上帝與魔鬼之間的最終對決。
接著我們看到第七位天使把碗倒在空中，然後有大聲從寶座傳出來說：「成了！」這聲音一出，雷轟、閃電、地震隨之而來——而這場地震，是自有人類以來從未有過的震動。那大城裂成三段，各國的城也都倒塌了。
這場災難的程度，前所未見。
更驚人的是冰雹。經文說冰雹重達「一他連得」，換算起來約45到50公斤——也就是100磅左右！你能想像嗎？這麼大的冰雹從天而降，不只是建築物，整個城市可能都會被毀滅，這是無法想像的天災級毀滅。
但你有注意到嗎？就在這樣的災難之下，經文說：「人仍舊褻瀆神。」
第11節也提到人褻瀆天上的神，不願悔改。這是非常震撼的一點——即使面對如此明顯的審判與災難，仍然有人選擇剛硬不信。
這讓我們想到法老。他直到失去長子，依然選擇心硬，甚至繼續追擊以色列人。所謂「不見棺材不掉淚」——但這些人，是見了棺材還不掉淚。這是人性一個極其難以理解，卻真實存在的現象。
在這裡，我們看到了一個極大的諷刺——人擁有選擇的自由，卻往往不選擇真理。
即使面對這樣明顯的災難、這樣沉重的警告，許多人仍然選擇剛硬，不肯悔改歸向神。不是因為神不慈悲，不是因為神沒有給機會，而是因為人自己不願意。神其實給了相當多的時間與機會，祂盼望萬民得救，盼望人悔改歸向祂，也因此差派了許多先知和使徒，連自己的兒子都沒有留下不給人類。但最終，那些選擇拒絕救恩、選擇剛硬到底的人，只能自己承擔這樣的結果。
我們分享第十六章的經文到這邊，我們持續看在大災之後，世界會怎麼樣發展呢？下一講我們繼續默想第十七章的經文，感謝各位的聆聽，願上帝祝福各位。
Peace to you all. Today we’ll be sharing from Revelation chapter 16.
That’s the end of our brief introduction—now, the great tribulation is about to begin. The passage tells us that a voice came out from the temple, saying to the seven angels: “Pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” These bowls represent disasters that are about to be unleashed, marking the greatest and final calamities in human history.
As we read this, we’re reminded of the ten plagues in Exodus. Back then, God used Moses to bring about ten disasters upon Egypt—not just as punishment, but to mock the ten false gods they worshipped. The Egyptians had many gods, including Ra, the sun god, and Hapy, the god of the Nile—two of their most prominent deities.
That’s why God turned the Nile into blood, transformed dust into gnats, and sent frogs to cover the land. Later came lice, flies, pestilence on livestock, boils, and so on—each plague was a direct strike against Egypt’s gods. God was making a clear declaration to Egypt and to the world: all these so-called gods are nothing; there is only one true God—Yahweh.
These events were not just for Israel to witness but for all the earth to see and remember that the God of Israel is holy and the one true God.
In Revelation 16, John draws heavily from Old Testament imagery, which would be very familiar to Jewish readers. The "seven bowls" represent complete judgment—total devastation.
The disasters in this chapter mirror the plagues of Egypt: painful sores on people, the sea turning to blood, the sun scorching people with intense heat, darkness over the beast’s kingdom, rivers drying up… all these point to God’s final judgment and righteousness.
In verse 5, the angel in charge of the waters says:
“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, who is and who was, because you have so judged. For they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
Then in verse 7, a voice from the altar responds:
“Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”
John is once again encouraging the persecuted believers of his time. He reminds them: God sees your suffering. He remembers what you’ve endured. The ones who shed your blood will not go unpunished. One day, God Himself will bring justice.
Even though those believers were facing brutal persecution from the Roman Empire—under the rule of the beast—John is saying: God has not forgotten. Evil will not go unchecked. Judgment will come, and God's justice will prevail.
Then in verse 13, we see a striking vision: three impure spirits, that looked like frogs, came out of the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet.
Why frogs? In that cultural context, frogs were considered unclean. In Leviticus, they’re listed among unclean water creatures. In folk beliefs of the time, frogs were often associated with demonic forces and witchcraft.
So John’s use of “frogs” here isn’t random. He’s symbolizing false, impure messages coming from the mouths of false prophets. The real danger here isn’t just war—but false teaching.
These “impure spirits” speak lies through the mouths of false prophets. And false teachings, once they spread, can do more damage than weapons—because human corruption usually starts not from the outside, but from within the mind and heart.
That’s why the foundation of evangelism and discipleship is inner transformation. True teaching shapes values, beliefs, and thought patterns—not just behavior. If we treat our thoughts lightly, or neglect proper education in truth, these impure spirits—these toxic ideas—can take root in people’s hearts.
And once they’ve taken root, they are extremely difficult to uproot. This is why the preaching of truth is so important—we’re fighting a spiritual battle on the level of thought and belief.
Among all the devil’s tactics, the most dangerous is not necessarily physical persecution. Sure, the Roman Empire’s oppression was painful, but it was visible. You knew who the enemy was. On a battlefield, it’s clear who’s on which side.
But false prophets are different.
They hide among believers. They look like Christians. They speak biblical language, but promote worldly ideas. They bring compromise into the church. They make twisted teachings sound spiritual.
And that’s the devil’s most dangerous weapon—because you can’t easily tell who the enemy is.
Even Satan quoted Scripture when he tempted Jesus—but he twisted its meaning. That’s the danger of false teaching: it sounds biblical, but its interpretation is corrupt.
For believers, the most serious threat is not a wounded body—but a confused, deceived mind.
That’s why Paul urged us to “rightly divide the word of truth.” We must not only read the Bible, but truly understand it. Not just follow anyone who sounds convincing, because once a distorted teaching is accepted, it can destabilize the entire foundation of our faith.
This is incredibly destructive—not only for the individual believer, but for the entire church.
Verse 16 mentions that these impure spirits gather the kings of the earth for battle at a place called, in Hebrew, Armageddon.
You’ve probably heard that name—it’s often used to represent the end of the world.
But this place isn’t fictional. It’s based on a real historical location: “Megiddo.” Located along the ancient trade route from Egypt to Damascus, it was a major battlefield in antiquity. Many major conflicts were fought there. So for those familiar with Hebrew history, Megiddo represents a place of war.
John is using this imagery to say: the final cosmic showdown is coming. This isn’t just any battle—it’s the ultimate clash between light and darkness, between God and the forces of evil.
Then, the seventh angel pours his bowl into the air, and a loud voice from the throne declares, “It is done!” Thunder, lightning, and an unprecedented earthquake follow. The great city splits into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapse.
The scale of this disaster is beyond anything ever seen.
And the hail? The passage says each hailstone weighs a talent—that’s roughly 45 to 50 kilograms, or about 100 pounds each! Imagine that falling from the sky—not just damaging roofs, but wiping out entire cities. It’s a level of destruction that’s hard to comprehend.
Yet… even after all this, the text says: “People still blasphemed God.”
Verse 11 also describes people cursing the God of heaven and refusing to repent. It’s a shocking reality—despite all the evidence, despite the overwhelming judgment, some still harden their hearts and reject God.
This reminds us of Pharaoh. Even after losing his son, he remained hardened, chasing after the Israelites. We often say, “Some people won’t cry until they see the coffin”—but here, some won’t cry even after seeing the coffin.
It’s a troubling part of human nature, but a very real one.
And here lies one of the greatest ironies of all: humans have the freedom to choose—but we don’t always choose the truth.
Even in the face of overwhelming disaster, in the presence of divine warnings, people still choose rebellion. It’s not because God is unloving. It’s not because He didn’t give them a chance. In fact, He gave plenty of time, many opportunities. His desire is for all people to be saved.
God sent prophets, apostles—even His own Son.
But in the end, if someone chooses to reject salvation, if they choose to remain hardened… then the consequences of that choice are theirs to bear.
That brings us to the end of chapter 16. We’ll continue next time with chapter 17, exploring how the world unfolds after the great tribulation.
Thank you all for listening, and may God bless you.
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