Revelation 16 8

Revelation 16:8 kjv

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

Revelation 16:8 nkjv

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.

Revelation 16:8 niv

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.

Revelation 16:8 esv

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.

Revelation 16:8 nlt

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire.

Revelation 16 verses

Revelation 16 8 Meaning

Revelation 16:8 describes the fourth of the seven bowl judgments, a severe outpouring of divine wrath. In this specific judgment, an angel pours a bowl of God's wrath upon the sun, which is then permitted by God to intensely scorch humanity with searing heat. This brings about widespread physical torment upon the unrepentant people, underscoring the escalating nature and finality of God's righteous judgments on those who oppose Him.

Revelation 16 8 Context

Revelation 16:8 is part of the seven bowl judgments, which represent the final and most intense outpouring of God's wrath upon the unrepentant world during the Tribulation. These judgments follow the seven seals and seven trumpets, escalating in severity and impact. While the trumpet judgments often affected only "a third" of the earth or its elements, the bowl judgments are total and devastating, signifying the consummation of divine retribution just prior to Christ's return. Historically, the sun was widely worshiped in ancient pagan cultures, including the Roman Empire (e.g., Sol Invictus). This judgment serves as a polemic against such idolatry, demonstrating God's supreme authority over all creation, including those forces worshiped by mankind. The severity of scorching heat was a well-understood ancient torment, especially in desert climates where life depended on precise atmospheric conditions, thus highlighting the destructive power when divine order is disrupted.

Revelation 16 8 Word analysis

• Then the fourth angel (καὶ ὁ τέταρτος ἄγγελος - kai ho tetartos angelos): Highlights a specific angelic agent in the divine scheme of judgment. Angels are active executors of God's will throughout Revelation, demonstrating an ordered progression of God's judgments.
• poured out his bowl (ἐξέχεεν τὴν φιάλην αὐτοῦ - execheen ten phialen autou): This signifies an unrestrained, complete, and final outpouring. The "bowls" (φιάλη - phiale) are shallow ritual libation bowls, implying a rapid and thorough emptying, symbolizing unmixed, undiluted wrath.
• on the sun (ἐπὶ τὸν ἥλιον - epi ton hēlion): The specific target of this judgment. In Scripture, the sun is a source of life, light, and blessing (Ps 19:4-6; Matt 5:45). Its transformation here into an instrument of torment demonstrates God's sovereignty over nature, reversing its beneficent role to inflict judgment. This stands in stark contrast to the fourth trumpet judgment where only a third of the sun's light was diminished (Rev 8:12), here it appears the full destructive capacity is unleashed.
• and it was allowed (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ - kai edothē autō): This is a divine passive, meaning "it was given to it [the sun]" or "it was permitted." It emphasizes that even the destructive power unleashed through the sun is not an uncontrolled force of nature but operates strictly under God's sovereign permission and command. God orchestrates all events, even the suffering of His enemies.
• to scorch people with fire (καυματίσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐν πυρί - kaumatīsai tous anthrōpous en pyri):
  • to scorch (καυματίσαι - kaumatīsai): Means to burn or literally make one experience intense, searing heat. It implies agonizing physical pain. This word appears again in Rev 16:9, directly referencing the outcome.
  • people (τοὺς ἀνθρώπους - tous anthrōpous): Refers specifically to humanity, but contextually, those who are part of the Beast's kingdom and have rejected God's calls to repentance.
  • with fire (ἐν πυρί - en pyri): Signifies the intense heat derived from the sun, but also carries strong biblical connotations of divine judgment, wrath, and purification (e.g., Deut 4:24; Heb 12:29). The sun's beneficial light is now consumed by consuming fire.

Revelation 16 8 Bonus section

This plague's unique intensity signifies the culmination of prior judgments. In Revelation 8:12, only "a third" of the sun was struck, resulting in a proportional dimming. Here, however, the sun itself becomes an instrument of active burning, leading to total "scorching" for those under judgment. This escalating severity illustrates the non-repudiable nature of God's final wrath, where there are no mitigating circumstances. It further demonstrates that even nature's most essential and powerful forces are entirely subject to God's will, serving as either instruments of blessing or of judgment according to His purpose. This judgment directly undermines pagan reverence for the sun, affirming YHWH as the true sovereign.

Revelation 16 8 Commentary

Revelation 16:8 graphically illustrates God's unyielding justice against unrepentant humanity. The judgment is executed through an angelic agent, yet it is profoundly divine in origin and execution. The sun, a source of life and light essential for existence, is paradoxically transformed into an instrument of unbearable torment. This subversion of creation highlights God's absolute dominion over His created order, even turning elements once perceived as benevolent or worshiped as deities into agents of His wrath. The effect is extreme physical suffering – "scorching people with fire" – a palpable demonstration of divine anger. Crucially, this plague, like others in Revelation, does not lead to repentance, but rather hardening of hearts, a common theme observed in Pharaoh's response to the Exodus plagues. It serves as a stark reminder that ultimate power and control rest solely with the Creator, not with created entities or human endeavors, and that His patience, though vast, ultimately culminates in righteous retribution for persistent sin.