Revelation 16:21 Commentary and Bible Study

Hail has been mentioned twice before in the book (8:7; 11:19). The plagues of Egypt have been drawn on repeatedly throughout, as pictures of the judgment of God. Although the hail may represent other physical phenomenon, literal hail is surely included. Even in a book of symbols, we are not free to allegorise at will. Revelation 11:19 also deals with the final scene of this world and there too are found lightnings, thunders, earthquakes and hail among the punishments which God inflicts.Just as the earthquake here is said to be greater than any earthquake before, so this hail is of greater size than any hail ever recorded before in Scripture. It is God’s final punishment on the human race and because it follows such abundant longsuffering, it is particularly severe when at last it comes. God’s justice always operates in this way; it increases its intensity as men prolong their intransigence. As they ignore more and more warnings their guilt increases and so they become liable to a greater penalty. Clearly they recognise the origin of these phenomena. They no longer pretend that they believe there is no God. Instead their outrage breaks out against God. They are angry with God just because they recognise his hand against them. So hard are human hearts that even when men are aware that they are totally overpowered by the Lord, they still continue to resist him. Again we are told that instead of repenting, those who suffer these things, blaspheme God and curse his name for what he is doing to them.