The Church/Christians/Saints/Elect will most likely still be around during the 6th Bowl.
Why? Start with Matthew 24:21. Christ says: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Then He says in Matthew 24: 30-31 that He shall come to GATHER His Elect.
Note the "nor ever shall be". The Bowls of Revelation 16 are during the Great Tribulation, right? We also think that nothing could be worse than the Bowls, that they are the end of it all. Christ says that nothing as horrific as the Great Tribulation will ever happen again, certainly not after His return, because He mentions His coming as being after the Tribulation terror and after the finality of the "nor ever shall be" statement. So the Bowls would all have to be poured out before and just prior to His return. Then only after or at His return shall the Elect be GATHERED.
WATCH
Go to the 6th Bowl, Revelation 16:13-16. At this point the world is seen moving toward Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) Christ has not returned but He gives a message to the Christians, it is the same one that He gave to them when He was on Earth. (Matthew 24:42-44 Luke 12:35-40) Revelation 16:15 says, "I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." It would seem that the Christians are beginning to get discouraged at this point in time. They would be getting overcome from the same scotching heat as the unsaved. (Bowl 4) (Look at Revelation 7:16, it mentions no more suffering from heat) They would be looking desperately for Christ to return and wondering how much longer it will be. So Christ leaves a message for them, 2,000 years ahead of time, He says to them, "watch", I am coming.
In Luke 18:8 Christ asks - will He find faith on the Earth when He returns? In Revelation 16:15, "not keeping their garments" could mean, not overcoming, losing faith or giving up on Christ returning? Christ says those who keep their garments (or faith) and watch for Him are blessed. He is encouraging His Saints/Church to keep their faith in Him strong, to be overcomers and not to give up. There would be much pressure for them to give in to the deception around them. (Matthew 24:24 mentions false prophets, signs and wonders and Revelation 16:13, at the time of the 6th Bowl, mentions a false prophet. Is the false prophet, the anti-christ?)
Christ is mentioned as coming as a thief in the night, along with other admonitions, in these following passages of Scripture. Revelation 3:3-5 mentions those who overcome will not be blotted out of the Book of Life and they will be clothed in white raiment, not walking around as naked as suggested in Revelation 16:15. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-11 says not to sleep, but watch for His Coming. 2 Peter 3:10-14 also says to keep looking for His Return and to live a godly life.
ARMAGEDDON
Revelation 14:14-19 is considered to be descriptive of Armageddon, as are Bowls 6 and 7. This passage looks ahead to Revelation 19:11-21, when Armageddon actually takes place. The Saints, you will notice, are still on Earth. This Revelation 14:14-20 passage shows the harvest that will take place on EARTH near the time of Armageddon. (Not in the sky - sickles are used on Earth). We see the saints and unbelievers being harvested, gathered and reaped. Revelation 14:15-16, the Saints and Revelation 14:18-19, the unsaved.
MARTYRS
Now look back at the 5th Seal. (Revelation 6:9-11) The souls of the martyrs who were slain for the Word of God ask God how much longer before their blood is avenged? They are told to rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren should be killed as they were. When do they ask this? Probably about the time of the Tribulation. How much longer is ‘a little season’? Probably the length of the Tribulation. Then Seal 6 mentions cosmic disturbances and earthly upheaval. Would they result from the Trumpets and Bowls? The Day of the Wrath of the Lamb also comes in the 6th Seal. Wouldn’t that line up with Christ coming at the 7th Trumpet? (Revelation 11:15-19) Also consider that between the souls under the altar and the Day of God’s Wrath, there is no mention of any soul being delivered from Earth. In fact, it mentions that more souls will be slain.)
COME OUT OF HER
The description of the destruction of Babylon is mentioned in Revelation18. It takes place at Bowl 7, (Revelation16:19) so the "come out of her", (Revelation 18:4) must be an admonition to the Saints just prior to the 7th Bowl destruction. Therefore the Saints would still be around at the 6th and 7th Bowl, still on Earth, still watching for Christ to come.
IT IS DONE
At the time of the 7th Bowl, Revelation 16:17 -21, verse 17 says, "It is done." Then it goes on to give detail about how it will be done from verses 18-21. At the time of this horrific war at Armageddon, there will also a "great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth". (Compare Matthew 24:21 - "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.") Then, as if that is not enough, 100 pound balls of hail fall on the Earth.
6th Seal, 7th Trumpet, 7th Bowl all describe earthquakes and hail. (Revelation 6:12 & 11:19 & 16:18,21)
7TH TRUMPET GATHERING
At about this same time, Christ shall come at the 7th Trumpet and GATHER His Saints. GLORY!! HALLELUJAH!! WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE !! Not only do Revelation 11:15-19 and 14:14-19 and 19:11-21 indicate Armageddon, they also indicate the Coming of Jesus Christ to Earth. (Zechariah 14:4 and Revelation 6:17 fit in here, too.)
