In the 5th bowl, the bowl is poured out on the kingdom of the beast. It is unclear which beast this refers to. Since the Sea Beast has lost its power (a fatal wound that was healed), it is more likely to be the Earth Beast (UN and nations of the world) or the Image Beast (mainstream media).
10 The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues because of their pain 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they did not repent of their works.
Revelation 16
A reminder again, that Jesus declares in verse 15 that he’s coming like a thief, without a great sign.
It is unclear which Beast this text refers to, the Image Beast, Earth Beast, or Sea Beast. Since the Image Beast is very strongly doing the will of the Earth Beast, it is most likely the Beast in focus.
There are multiple dominions. There is the Sea/Scarlet Beast, the Kings of the East, and the Whore of Babylon. These are multiple competing powers. Since the other kingdoms are not mentioned as being cast into darkness, it is most likely confined to one kingdom. If this is the case, the darkness is almost certainly figurative.
Throughout the New Testament, references to darkness1, almost exclusively refer to godlessness, or a “giving over” to work sin or evil. It can also refer to blindness[enf_note]Romans 2:19 – if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness[/efn_note].
Revelation 16:10-11 describes a time when God removes his light, and people love darkness2, because their deeds are evil (John 3:19).
Romans 1 speaks of God giving people over to a darkened, depraved mind.
21 For though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became worthless, and their senseless hearts were darkened….24 Therefore God delivered them over in the desires of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves.
Romans 1
The darkness here is almost certainly sexual degeneracy pushed by the Whore of Babylon. In the context of today and transgenderism, this blindness extends to not recognising your biological gender. Sexual identity is inseparable from the human experience. From the earliest age, we know whether we are physically a boy or a girl. Today, proponents of transgenderism, deny physical and biological reality. Can anyone be more blind and in darkness than this?
These people:
- gnaw their tongues in pain
- blaspheme the God of heaven because of their pains and sores
- they do not repent of their works.
Gnawing their tongues in pain
We all have heard the phrase “something was gnawing at me” as a way to describe something that we need to let out to find relief from.
To gnaw is a reference to “chew or devour3“. Their words chew/devour their tongue because of their pain. They cannot help but speak up about their distress, words will come constantly until their pain is relieved. This is not a reference to biting one’s tongue – keeping silent through prudence – just the opposite; this is very vocal about the “pain” they are in.
These people, complain about the pain they are in. They complain that they are in the “wrong body” (a blasphemy address later). They undergo many surgeries and remain in mental and physical anguish.
Here are two Twitter threads that very briefly describe the surgery process:
Blasphemy
One of the most prevalent notions in today’s sexual perversion is the idea that people have been born into the wrong body, and their suffering is God’s fault. This is blasphemy to suggest that God has made a mistake like that. Also, the mutilation of the body made in God’s image, to recreate themselves in how they imagine themselves.
Unrepentant
These people also celebrate themselves as heroes, as guides to the blind4. And unfortunately, many churches and Christians are supporting people in this blasphemy and in their sins and deride people who try to lovingly call these people to repentance.
Fortunately, there are some who come to their senses, but the majority do not. Binary.org.au has stories of the pain these people go through.
Conclusion
The darkness poured out, is a reference to sexual perversion in general, but likely trans ideology specifically. They accuse God of putting them into the wrong body and then mutilate the body God has given them. They are vocal and unrepentant.