“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared”.
Revelation 16:12
Table of Contents
Meaning of Symbols
The Left Behind’s Armageddon teaches that the waters of the river of Euphrates will dry up allowing for the Asian armies to shoot at the Jews in the battle of Armageddon. But to understand the meaning of Revelation 16:12 and the context, let’s allow the Bible to interpret its own symbols:
1-The “vial” is one of the seven “vials of the wrath of God” (Revelation 16:1). The Word of God says, “the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates.” Thus, it is the wrath of God that dries up the Euphrates!
2-The “waters” in the book of Revelation represent people. “The waters which you saw, where the whore sits, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Revelation 17:15). And if the vial of wrath falls on the water, then this means God’s wrath will finally be poured upon people who steadfastly continue to support “Mystery Babylon.”
3-“Mystery Babylon” is “a woman” (Revelation 17:3). A woman in prophecy represents a church. God likens His people to a “wife” that “has made herself ready” for “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7,9). The Babylonian woman has “fallen” (Revelation 14:8). This must mean that “Mystery Babylon” in Revelation represents a globally supported church that has “fallen” away from her husband, Jesus Christ, and from Bible truth.
The people who support “Mystery Babylon” are “drunk with the wine of her fornication” (Revelation 17:2). Yet, God still has people inside of Babylon, whom He calls, “My people.” Before the last act of history’s drama, He calls them to “come out” (Revelation 18:4). Why? Because the river Euphrates is destined to dry up.
4-“The “wine” stands for Babylon’s false doctrines and Satan’s deceiving plan to unite all the world under his power, together with the falsehoods and “miracles” by which he promotes his agenda (Revelation 13:13, 14; 18:23; 19:20).
5-“Her fornication” applies to the apostate church’s unlawful union with “the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:2). The unity between apostate Christianity and the political powers of the world is the way by which the devil plans to gather the world under his dominion.
The River Euphrates Will Dry Up
When God’s judgments fall on the swirling waters of Babylon-supporting people, they will realize they’ve been deceived. Then, they will “hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire” (Revelation 17:16). Thus, the people’s misplaced support for a false system will stop and come to an end. This is how Babylon’s water will dry up, preparing the way for “the kings of the east,” who are the Father and the Son coming in glory at the second coming (Revelation 16:12).
The second coming will halt the battle of Armageddon and save God’s people. “Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:14-17 also 16:18-21;19:11-20).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
