Revelation 15
OGCRevelation 15:1
Strauss-’ Comments SECTION 46
Text Revelation 15:1
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.
Initial Questions Revelation 15:1
What is unique about the seven plagues in Revelation 15:1?
Does this imply that God’s wrath is objective or subjective?
Preparation for the Last Seven Plagues
Chapter Revelation 15:1-8
Chapter 15 and 16 form a unit structured around the seven plagues. This chapter begins the last of the sevenfold pictures of judgment under the symbol of seven bowls of anger. John has gone through two other cycles of judgment Chapter s 5-8:1 (7 inserted between 6th seal and 7th seal which is opened at Revelation 8:1); the next series is presented through the imagery of seven trumpets and this is contained in chps. Revelation 8:2 thru Revelation 11. In this particular chapter John begins the outpouring of the seven plagues.
Another vision was now vouched-safe to John. He says, I saw. seven angels having seven last plagues; because in them was finished (etelesthç - 1st aor. passive voice - the act of completion was singular, complete and final. The finality was a function of the purpose of God) the anger (the word is thumos not orge or wrath) of God.
Discussion Questions
See Revelation 15:5-8.
Revelation 15:1-8
**Tomlinson’s Comments
CHAPTER XV**
Text (Revelation 15:1-8)
**1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingle with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. 4 Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest.
5 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.**
This chapter takes up a detailed account of the final judgments poured out upon the beast, the image of the beast and those who have his mark. The preceding chapter simply gives a preview or a summary of events that lie in the future; the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth Chapter s cover the same territory but give a more detailed account. Throughout these above mentioned Chapter s the theme is the destruction of spiritual Babylon. Looking back, the seven seals recount the history and overthrow of Roman paganism. The seven trumpets carry us through the overthrow of the Roman Empire of the west by the Goths, Vandals, Huns and Heruli and the ruin of the Eastern portion of the empire by the Saracens and Turks. The seventh trumpet terminates with the trump of the archangel. The seven vials, or bowls, give the history of an epoch and like each series of sevens before it, carry us to the end of that epoch. Particularly do the events of the seventh seal refer to the ecclesiastical or spiritual Rome, called the papacy. The seven seals have as their object, the overthrow of Roman paganism. The seven trumpets have as their design the overthrow of the Roman Empire. The seven vials have as their goal the overthrow of the blasphemous power, the papacy which is spiritually called Babylon. This is not the ancient capital on the Euphrates, nor the Roman imperial city situated on the Tiber, but Rome as a spiritual symbol. The last chapter closed with the two harvests, one of the wheat and the other of the grapes; now we would naturally expect the presentation of the new heaven and the new earth. But again there is a new series of judgments. John reviews, recapitulates and enlarges upon the scenes sketched in the fourteenth chapter. He does this under the symbolism of the emptying of seven vials; or seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God. Here in the fifteenth chapter we encounter the third and last of the three great signs in heaven given by John. In Revelation, the 12th chapter, the word wonder in the first and third verses, we have found to be signs.
The first sign in heaven was the woman clothed with the sun, or the Church of Christ. The second sign in heaven was the great red dragon, or the devil, or Satan. It is the sign of the mystery of iniquity spoken of by the apostle Paul. The third sign in heaven which is now before us, is the vision of the seven last plagues. This sign is described by John as great and marvelous. Hear him:
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
The seven angels and their vials do not begin their work until we reach the sixteenth chapter. But the emphasis in the fifteenth chapter is that these are the seven last plagues and that by them the purpose of God will be fully and finally accomplished, because God’s wrath will be filled up.
The word plagues, not used in reference to the trumpet judgments, is evidently intended to refer us back in the Scriptures to a parallel case of God’s deliverance of His persecuted people in Egypt. The plagues of Egypt were ten in number to symbolize fullness of Divine visitations; here they are seven in number to symbolize completeness and finality.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
John here sees the victory gained by the saints over the beast. There is a sea as of glass mingled with fire. It was the sea that overwhelmed the Egyptians in the ten plagues visited upon them. But the people of God passed safely through it. Here is a greater victory. They stand upon the sea. The fire with which this symbolic sea is intermingled represented the judgments of God fully and finally accomplished. The saints are standing on this sea. They are represented as above, or beyond the reach of the sea of judgment.
They have the harps of God to sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. It is very worthy of note that in these visions of the triumphant saints, they are ever pictured as singing to the tune of instrumental music.
Revelation 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, thou king of saints.
They sing in a higher key and in a more glorious diapason the old song of Moses which the ancient Israel of God sang on the shore of the Red Sea on the morning of their deliverance. (Exodus 15:1-27 th Chapter) Now into the old redemption song mingles a new and loftier strain the song of completed redemption. Shall we listen to this song of the Lamb as it reaches its grand crescendo:
Revelation 15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest.
Whereas the worshipers of the beast glorified the number of the name of the beast, these true worshipers glorify the name of the Lord. They sing in ecstacy of spirit because the judgments of God are made manifest. The truth and righteousness of God’s judgments are revealed in that Christ manifests himself as the King of the true saints of all nations. As the strains of praise sink into sacred silence the apostle’s attention is turned again to the agents of divine judgments. He sees the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven.
The fifth verse of the fifteenth chapter resumes the thread of thought dropped in Revelation 11:19 which reads, and the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament. So after the great interruption in which were given the three celestial signs in heaventhe woman, the dragon and the sign of the seven angels with the seven last plagues, John now returns to his starting point of the opened temple.
Revelation 15:5-6 And after these things (the celestial signs and other visions Revelation 12:1 to Revelation 15:1-4) I saw and the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and there came out from the temple the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
The garb is royal and priestly. Their ministry is priestly although involving duties marked by severity of punishment. Now they are empowered to perform and execute their tasks.
Revelation 15:7 And one of the four beasts (or four living creature) gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever.
This living creature,one of the four,we found in the study of the fourth chapter to be one of the cherubim. In Ezekiel 10:20 Ezekiel said, I knew they were cherubim.
So, one of the cherubim who appears again and again in Revelation, gave the seven bowls full of God’s wrath, to the seven angels.
Revelation 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and his power; and no man was able to enter the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
So it was of old. Smoke covered Mount Sinai when God spoke the ten words. (Exodus 19:18) The cloud filled the house, when the erection of the tabernacle was finished. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place that cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord. (1 Kings 8:10-11)
We also find that the house was filled with smoke when Isaiah was granted his vision as described in (Isaiah 6:4).
And the posts of the door moved as the voice of him cried, and the house was filled with smoke. All this imagery symbolized divine majesty. Here, in Revelation, the smoke proceeds from the glory of God, and from His power. And no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. This does not mean that no one can enter the church until after the seventh plague has been poured out. The door of the church was opened at Pentecost and no man can shut that door until the final judgment. But here the meaning seems to be that the true saint of God cannot enter the final place of eternal reward until after these plagues. Christ, in his life, said, I go to prepare a place for you (John 14:2) To do this, Paul said, He ascended far above all heavens that he might fill all things. (Ephesians 4:10) And in Revelation 21:2 we read:
I John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Until the place Christ went to prepare is finished, which certainly will be after the time of the seven plagues, no one could enter therein.
Revelation 15:2-4
Strauss-’ Comments SECTION 47
Text Revelation 15:2-4
2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. 4 Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy righteous acts have been made manifest.
Initial Questions Revelation 15:2-4
Discuss the content of the song of the Lamb, Revelation 15:3-4.
Who are those who are victorious over the beast - Revelation 15:2?
Now the scene turns to the theme of triumph, vindication of the righteous, and the new song of victory. John saw the ones overcoming (ek - of) the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name (see chp. Revelation 13:11-18). Immediately after mentioning the seven plagues, there is a song of triumph in heaven. The chorus is composed of victorious Christians, who have encountered and ultimately defeated their persecutors. They sing the song of Moses as well as the song of the Lamb. The song of Moses was a victory song as the results of crossing the Red Sea (see Exodus 14:31; Exodus 15:1-19; also Deuteronomy 32-33). The source of the imagery of the sea of glass now becomes apparent. Moses led Israel victoriously through the Red Sea, the redeemed has crossed the Red Sea of persecution into the city of God. God’s victory enables Christians to sing even in impossible situations.
What is the content of this song? (See chp. Revelation 14:3 - A New Song.) God is praised for His great and wonderful works, Lord God almighty; righteous and true are (are - not in text) your ways, the king of the nations. The word Lord (kurie - see Special Study on Titles of Christ in The Revelation) reveals their attitude toward the sovereign of the universe by submitting to His will even when things seemed hopeless in the great persecutions. The term God (theos) strikes the cord of biblical monotheism. This is most amazing in view of Caesar’s claim to this title. Singing God’s names revealed their absolute repudiation of anyone else’s claim to this name, but the Christian God. The title, - the Almighty (ho pantokratoi) means absolutely powerful. They sang this name even when it looked as though God was not powerful without limit, because His saints were being persecuted and the dragon had overcome the Church. If He is actually king (ho basileus) of the nations (ethnôn- generally applies to the Gentile peoples. If one was not an Israelite, he was a citizen of the nations), then Rome and her emperor is no king of the nations, as Caesar claimed.
The universal reign of the Christian God is again asserted by one of the great biblical questions - who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? The Bible does not mean by fear of the Lord what primitive religions mean by it. God’s people were not afraid of Him! They did not placate Him with sacrifices seeking to turn His favor toward them. Fear means reverence or awe (the original sense of awful was reverence, now it has a negative connotation) in the scriptures when it applies to God. The book of Pro 1:7 contains a commentary on this word. The inspired author says that - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The Hebrew word which is translated beginning has the root meaning of head, chief, or first thing. I personally would translate this verse as follows - The fear of the Lord is the chief source of wisdom. This brings out that knowledge of God should be the first (or head from root of Hebrew word) in the hierarchy of man’s knowledge, rather than secondary, or last.
The song continues by declaring that God is Holy (see Isaiah 6:1 ff), and that all the nations will come and will worship before you; because your ordinances (or righteous acts - judicial decision for or against - see Romans 5:16) were made manifest. God’s judgments will be public, and they will be just decisions, but whether they are for or against an individual, will depend on his relationship to the Lamb of God.
Discussion Questions
See Revelation 15:5-8.
Revelation 15:5-8
Strauss-’ Comments SECTION 48
Text Revelation 15:5-8
5 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 and there came out from the temple the seven angles that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished.
Initial Questions Revelation 15:5-8
The imagery of Rev 15:5 comes from the Temple. When was the Temple destroyed, and by whom?
Get a Bible Dictionary and look up the terms - glory, power, and discuss in Revelation 15:8.
John utilizes once more imagery from Exodus. The heavenly temple is described here as the tent of witness, as in Exodus 40:34, the tabernacle in the desert is so described. This tent of witness was opened.
The seven angels came forth (out of the tent of witness) out of the tabernacle (vaou - shrine) having the seven plagues. The angels were clothed as priests. They wore garments symbolizing their purity. (Note that the imagery of the girded breast is found also in Revelation 1:13. It is priestly dress.)
One of the living creatures gave to the seven angels seven bowls full of the anger (see Revelation 15:1) of the living God.. This took place around the throne of God. God was looking on!
John’s imagery comes from Isaiah 6:1 f. (There are other places where this imagery is used too.) The Temple was filled with smoke from the glory and power of God, and no man could (edunato- was able) enter into the temple, until should be finished (or completed) the seven plagues of the seven angels.
Discussion Questions
Chapter 15
Discuss the two other cycles of judgment (chps. 5 thru Revelation 8:1; Revelation 8:2 thru 11).
What was unique about the seven bowls of anger as a series of God’s judgments?
Read and discuss Exodus 14:31; Exodus 15:1-19 - the song of Moses mentioned in Revelation 15:3.
Discuss the names used for God in Revelation 15:3-4 in view of the situation of the Christians - due to persecution.
What does the Bible mean by the term fear when it is applied to God - Revelation 15:4?
In what sense was the Old Testament Tabernacle a tent of witness (Exodus 40:34) - Revelation 15:5?
According to Revelation 15:7 when could men enter again into the temple of God?