The picture generated in our minds by the word “into” is of the angel standing on earth and throwing the contents of his bowl upward “into” the air. This, however, is misleading. The Greek uses here the same preposition used to describe the actions of the fourth, fifth, and sixth angels, a word meaning “upon.” As with the previous angels, the seventh also originates in heaven (Revelation 16:1) and so we may picture him standing above the object upon which he pours the content of his bowl—in this case the “air.”
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”