Adventists don’t often hear sermons about the seven last plagues any more. But once in a while, it wouldn’t hurt to be reminded of them, to remember the judgments soon to fall on an impenitent world. And at least one American city has recently been given a small foretaste of what it will be like to experience at least two of those plagues.

Jackson, Mississippi

The ceremonies attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II have largely pushed the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, off the headlines, together with the lifting of the boil-water advisory by the state’s Governor on September the 15th [1]. But for seven weeks the world was given a brief glimpse of what can happen when 150,000 people have no access to clean water—whether for drinking, cooking, bathing, or just about any practical purpose.

On just one day during the crisis, a mile-long line of Jackson residents stood in line for just a single case of bottled water. In barely two hours people were turned away because the 700 cases of water bottles had run out [2].

For days discolored water came out of people’s faucets, unfit for any use except perhaps to flush one’s toilet [3]. Some of the city’s residents searched for bottled water for a whole month, going from one distribution center to another but finding no water available [4]. Jackson’s public schools switched to virtual learning during the crisis, and local hospitals couldn’t run their air conditioning because the water pressure feeding the chillers was too low [5].

A Faint Foretaste

We’re not going to dwell in this article on who or what may or may not be responsible for what happened in Jackson, or in other locations either. What merits our attention, however, is the desperation and suffering that a lack of this indispensable necessity can inflict, and how such crises offer a faint foretaste of what the world will soon witness.

The book of Revelation describes the unprecedented scourges that will befall those who spurn God’s last offer of mercy at the end of time, and who thus receive the mark of the beast in their foreheads or in their hands (Rev. 14:9-10; 16:2). Seven angels will be given golden vials filled with seven plagues (Rev. 15:6). The second and third of these angels will cast a curse on the waters:

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and foundations of waters: and they became blood (Rev. 16:3-4).

Stop and think for a moment of what this will mean. Ellen White tells us that the first four of the seven last plagues “are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals” [##6|Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 628-629.##]. What the inspired forecast is saying here is that entire territories of the earth—she doesn’t say how large—will be ravaged by the noisome sores, water turned to blood, and scorching heat described in the first nine verses of Revelation 16. This means some of the world’s largest cities will in all likelihood be deprived of water, in a manner only faintly foreseen by the recent crises in Mississippi, Michigan, and Kentucky. Untold millions, many likely suffering sores from the first plague, will die of thirst because all that oozes from spigots and faucets will be thick and red. I wouldn’t be surprised if even the bottled water in some places will turn to blood as well.

Ellen White states further, regarding these plagues:

All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy [##7|——The Great Controversy, p. 629.##].

But despite the withdrawal of God’s mercy in these punishments, the angels of heaven acknowledge divine justice in these acts of vengeance:

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shall be; because Thou hast judged thus.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink, for they are worthy.

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments (Rev. 16:5-7).

Conclusion

The seven last plagues will evoke two different responses from the wicked. Some will be enraged at the righteous, being sure these judgments are the result of God’s wrath against Sabbath-keepers:

These plagues enraged the wicked against the righteous; they thought that we had brought the judgments of God upon them, and that if they could rid the earth of us, the plagues would then be stayed. A decree went forth to slay the saints, which caused them to cry day and night for deliverance [##8|——Early Writings, pp. 36-37.##].

Others, like those who sought admittance to Noah’s ark after the rain started, will rush to God’s people and demand to be instructed in the truth:

The plagues were falling upon the inhabitants of the earth. Some were denouncing God and cursing Him. Others rushed to the people of God and begged to be taught how they might escape His judgments. But the saints had nothing for them. . . . The plan of salvation had been accomplished, but few had chosen to accept it. And as mercy’s sweet voice died away, fear and horror seized the wicked. With terrible distinctness they heard the words, “Too late! too late!” [##9|——Early Writings, p. 281.##].

Watching the desperate people of Jackson, Mississippi, during those weeks of suffering, I found myself pondering how much worse it will be when plumbing fixtures and water bottles will dispense blood, when no relief from sores, thirst, or heat will be available. Praise the God of all mercy that probation still lingers! Oh, let us seek Him while He may be found! Let us call on Him while He is near! (Isa. 55:6).

REFERENCES

1. Jeremy Engle, “Lesson Plan: The Mississippi Water Crisis and What It Means for the Rest of the Nation,” New York Times, Sept. 16, 2022 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/16/learning/lesson-plans/lesson-plan-the-mississippi-water-crisis-and-what-it-means-for-the-rest-of-the-nation.html

2. Amir Vera, Jason Hanna, and Nouran Salahieh, “The water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, has gotten so bad, the city temporarily ran out of bottled water to give to residents,” CNN, Aug. 31, 2022 https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/30/us/jackson-water-system-failing-tuesday

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pp. 628-629.

7. Ibid, p. 629.

8. ----Early Writings, pp. 36-37.

9. Ibid, p. 281.

Pastor Kevin Paulson holds a Bachelor’s degree in theology from Pacific Union College, a Master of Arts in systematic theology from Loma Linda University, and a Master of Divinity from the SDA Theological Seminary at Andrews University. He served the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists for ten years as a Bible instructor, evangelist, and local pastor. He writes regularly for Liberty magazine and does script writing for various evangelistic ministries within the denomination. He continues to hold evangelistic and revival meetings throughout the North American Division and beyond, and is a sought-after seminar speaker relative to current issues in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He presently resides in Berrien Springs, Michigan