What does "It is done!" signify in the context of God's plan? Setting the Scene: The Seventh Bowl • Revelation 16 details seven final bowl judgments poured out during the Great Tribulation. • Verse 17 records the climax: “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ ”. • The bowl is poured “into the air,” the realm of Satan’s temporary authority (Ephesians 2:2), signifying judgment reaching every layer of the fallen world. • The voice comes “from the temple, from the throne,” underscoring that the declaration originates with God Himself—not an angel—sovereignly closing this phase of His plan. The Gravity of the Words “It is done!” • The Greek verb (γέγονεν, gegonen) means “has come to pass” or “has been accomplished.” • God is announcing the irrevocable completion of His wrath against a rebellious earth (Revelation 15:1). • Nothing remains to be added; the cup of judgment is fully poured. • In prophetic sequence, this statement sits just before Christ’s visible return (Revelation 19:11-16), so it functions as heaven’s announcement that history has reached its pre-appointed tipping point. Completion of God’s Wrath • Revelation 16:18-21 follows immediately with lightning, thunder, a record-breaking earthquake, and massive hailstones—physical confirmation that the judgment is complete. • This mirrors earlier patterns—trumpet 7 (Revelation 11:15-19) and seal 7 (Revelation 8:1-5)—where a final heavenly statement triggers earthly upheaval. • Every prior warning, plague, and call to repentance has been rejected; now the sentence is executed without delay. Echoes of Christ’s Cry from the Cross • John 19:30: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished.’” • At Calvary, “It is finished” signaled the completion of redemption; at the seventh bowl, “It is done!” signals the completion of retribution. • Both declarations flow from the same divine purpose: sin must be judged, and salvation must be secured. • The cross provided atonement; the bowls cleanse creation of unrepentant evil so the atonement’s benefits can fill the earth. From Judgment to New Creation • Revelation 21:6: “And He said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.’ ” • The phrase reappears after the Great White Throne judgment, introducing the new heaven and new earth. • Together, these two “It is done!” proclamations (16:17; 21:6) bookend the transition from the old order, marred by sin, to the eternal order, filled with righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). Living in the Light of Finality • The certainty of God’s timetable should produce holy urgency (2 Peter 3:11-12). • Judgment may be delayed in our experience, but its completion is guaranteed (Acts 17:31). • The same voice that will say “It is done!” now invites all to “worship Him who made heaven and earth” (Revelation 14:7). • Believers can rest assured: evil will not linger indefinitely; God’s justice will be perfectly, literally executed. Key Takeaways • “It is done!” marks the literal, final outpouring of divine wrath upon a rebellious world. • The declaration confirms God’s sovereignty—His plan moves exactly on schedule, no matter human opposition. • It balances Christ’s earlier “It is finished,” showing redemption and judgment are two sides of one coherent plan. • The phrase guarantees that history is moving toward a consummation: judgment leads to renewal, and God Himself will dwell with His redeemed people forever. |
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