Bowl 7 of 7 · Revelation 16:17–21
The Seventh Bowl
The seventh angel pours his bowl into the air. A loud voice comes from the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
Lightning flashes. Voices and thunder sound. A great earthquake shakes the earth— greater than any since people have lived upon it.
The great city splits into three parts, and the cities of the nations fall. Babylon the great is remembered before God and receives the cup of the wine of his fierce wrath.
Islands, mountains, and hail
Every island flees away, and the mountains are not found.
Huge hailstones fall from heaven onto people. John describes each as weighing about a talent.
People curse God because the plague of hail is so severe.
A talent was an ancient unit of weight. Its exact size varied, but it represented many pounds. John describes exceptionally heavy, destructive hail.
Understand the imagery
The cup of God's wrath is judgment imagery. Wrath means anger; here it expresses God's anger against evil.
The announcement “It is done!” comes with the final bowl. John's account continues: the next chapter explores Babylon's judgment.
Christians differ on the identity of the great city and Babylon, and on how literally to understand these events. This exhibit does not assign them a modern date or identify a present-day city.
Pause and notice
Where is the seventh bowl poured? What does the voice announce? How do people respond to the hail?
Look back at the passage
The bowl is poured into the air. The voice announces, “It is done!” People curse God because of the severe hail.
Explore the Scripture and artwork
Lightning, the earthquake, falling cities, and hail draw on John's description. The buildings, landscape, lighting, and arrangement are artistic choices.
The painting combines moments into one scene. Mountains visible in the artwork do not depict the completed disappearance described in verse 20.
This artwork illustrates severe judgment without showing graphic injuries. It does not reproduce the full scale of every event John describes.
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