What does Revelation 16:21 mean?

And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. Revelation 16:21

Explanation

Revelation 16:21 describes a scene from the vision of John the Apostle, where a catastrophic hailstorm occurs as part of the series of judgments against a rebellious earth during the end times. Each hailstone is said to weigh about a talent, which is a significant weight—often assumed to be between 75 and 100 pounds. This apocalyptic event is symbolic of the severity of God’s judgment. The people’s response to the hailstorm is one of blasphemy against God, despite the obvious demonstration of His power, showing the hardness of human hearts even in the face of divine wrath.

Historical Context

The Book of Revelation, also referred to as the Apocalypse, is the last book of the New Testament. It was written by John the Apostle while he was in exile on the island of Patmos, likely around the late first century AD. The historical context includes the persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, particularly under Emperor Domitian. The apocalyptic imagery found in Revelation reflects the struggle between the forces of good and evil, and a hope that God would ultimately triumph and vindicate his people.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Revelation 16:21 can be seen through various lenses:

• Premillennialism: This view sees the plagues, including the hailstorm, as literal future events that will occur before the millennial reign of Christ.
• Amillennialism: This interpretation suggests the events in Revelation are symbolic and represent the ongoing struggle between good and evil throughout the church age until Christ’s return.
• Postmillennialism: This viewpoint may interpret the hailstorm as a metaphor for the downfall of evil societal systems leading up to a golden age initiated by Christian influence before Christ’s return.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Revelation 16:21 might include:

• Recognizing the power of God and the seriousness with which He regards sin.
• Examining one’s own response to God’s displays of power and judgments, encouraging repentance instead of hardness of heart.
• Remaining steadfast in faith despite the chaos and tribulations of the world.
• Encouraging others to turn away from blasphemy and towards worship and reverence of God.

Cross-References

• Job 38:22-23: “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?”
• Exodus 9:18-26: Description of the plague of hail as a judgment from God against Egypt.
• Joshua 10:11: God sends hailstones to help Joshua and the Israelites defeat their enemies.
• Isaiah 28:2: “Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm…”

Language Study

• “Hail” (Greek: χάλαζα – chalaza): Refers to a pellet of ice that falls during a storm.
• “Talent” (Greek: τάλαντον – talanton): An ancient unit of weight, typically considered to weigh about 75 to 100 pounds.
• “Blasphemed” (Greek: βλασφημέω – blasphemeo): To speak evil of, revile, or speak irreverently about God.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient cultures, natural catastrophes like hailstorms were often seen as divine retribution. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all had gods associated with weather, and they might interpret such events as expressions of divine displeasure. The Bible, in its cultural setting, likewise sees extraordinary weather events as acts of God, particularly as judgments.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern meteorology explains hail formation as a natural atmospheric process involving strong currents lifting water droplets to heights where they freeze. The occurrence of hail of the size mentioned in Revelation 16:21, around a talent in weight, would be meteorologically extraordinary and unprecedented.

Commentaries

• Matthew Henry’s Commentary emphasizes the justness of God’s judgments, pointing to the gravity of sin that calls for such severe punishment.
• The MacArthur Study Bible notes the hardness of the human heart in continuing to blaspheme God, even experiencing His judgments.
• The ESV Study Bible suggests that the imagery of the hailstorm demonstrates the devastating and inescapable nature of God’s final judgment.