The SIXTH ANGEL poured  his BOWL on the great EUPHRATES River.

The Euphrates River is the eastern boundary of land given to Israel (Deuteronomy 1:7 and Deuteronomy 11:24). This boundary is important because Israel's judgments seem to be promulgated from this area. In the past, Jeremiah 13 and this verse are a judgment for the future.

Two thoughts exist as to what effect the fourth bowl (verses 8 and 9) will have on the Euphrates River.

1. The Euphrates River is swollen by the sudden melting of the snowcap on Mt. Ararat. Recall the fourth bowl was 'fierce heat'.
2. The Euphrates River is naturally dried up because the fierce heat caused a short term flood but by the time of this bowl judgment, there is no more snowcap to melt. Hence the Euphrates River is dry.

The water in the river dried up to make a ROAD for the KINGS from the EAST.

In the past, the Euphrates River literally has been a barrier to armies advancing from the east. To today's militaries, the river is little more than a nuisance.

The symbolic interpretation is that eastern religions will penetrate Judo Christian beliefs. That is quite plausible given the inroads that Islam has made around the world in the last several decades. It is hard, however, to imagine our Jewish friends accepting the Islamic faith (or any other eastern belief) but given how readily they turned to Baal in Old Testament times even though they were commanded not to worship those idols (Exodus 34:11-16), this, too, is possible.

References to the Revelation of Jesus Christ are in bold italics. All other references are in bold only. Return from cross-references by using the BACK button.