Revelation 15 -17 Series

Revelation 15: 1) there is the sign of God’s judgment in heaven.

The scene in heaven strikes reverence in the human heart.

The scene in heaven is said to be a sign:

ð A sign that is great and awesome

ð A sign of seven mighty angels or messengers prepared to go forth for God

ð A sign of seven plagues that are said to be the last plagues

ð A sign of God’s wrath

This awesome sign in heaven is intended to stir people to bow before God who is just.

God is love, but God is also just. And His justice is ready to be executed upon earth. His wrath against all the ungodly and evil upon this earth is ready to fall.

God is ready to clean up the earth and to bring the reign of godliness and righteousness, love and joy, peace and glory. Therefore, man must prepare: repent and get ready before it is too late.

Matt 3:2

Luke 13:3

Acts 8:22

Is.55: 7

Rev 15:2-4 there is the reason for the judgment.

The beast or antichrist will slaughter believers.

This explains why the wrath of God is going to fall upon the earth in the last days. The beast, the antichrist, will launch the worst holocaust the world has ever seen. Literally millions of believers will be slaughtered during his rule upon earth. These verses show these dear believers in heaven.

Look at four things about them.

1. The martyred believers will be on the sea of glass that stretches out before the throne of God itself

ð See that the glass is mingled with fire. This symbolizes...

The fire of persecution these dear believers went through. The fire of judgment that is about to fall upon the ungodly and evil of the earth.

2. The martyred believers will be victorious over the antichrist. They...

ð will not worship his image (Rev .13: 15).

ð will not receive his mark (Rev. 13: 16-17).

ð will not receive the number of his name, the number of 666 (Rev. 13: 18).

ð

True believers in the end time will not follow the antichrist. They will refuse to worship the state and its leader. Therefore, the leader and his government will prosecute and kill the believers as revolutionaries against the government.

3. The martyred believers will possess harps. The harps are symbols of being soothed and given rest and of praising and worshipping God. God will soothe the hurt and pain of the martyred believers and give them rest, and they will praise and worship Him.

4. The martyred believers will sing two great songs of victory: the song of the Lamb and the song of Moses that was sung by the children of Israel when they crossed the Red Sea (Ex. 15: 1-19). Note what they sing.

a. They sing to the Almighty God, praising His works.

b. They sing to the King of saints or nations, to the justice and truth of His ways. (The more accurate Greek texts read nations or ages here.)

c. They sing to the Lord, to the fear and glory of His name.

. The persons who stand up for Jesus Christ against the temptations and trials of this life are the persons who will be in heaven. But to be in heaven we must stand up for Christ. We must never accept the marks of this world or be identified among the number of unbelievers. We must be diligent and bear only the marks of Christ.

15:5-8 Wrath, of God: there will be the judgment of God sent forth.

1. The door to the "temple of the tabernacle" is opened up (v.5). The "temple of the tabernacle" refers to the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle in the Old Testament, that is, to the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place.

The picture is this: the judgment of God will come from the Most Holy Place, from the very presence and heart of God Himself. His presence and heart will have been violated and polluted enough by sin and evil. Therefore, His presence and heart will be vindicated. God Himself will send forth His final judgment upon the antichrist and his ungodly followers.

2. The seven angels come out from the Most Holy Place, out from God’s own presence, and they are awesome creatures (v.6). The scene is terrifying, for

.

ð They hold the seven plagues in their hands.

ð They are dressed in pure and white linen, the symbol of the holiness of heaven. God’s holiness, His righteousness, and His justice are now to be exercised and brought to this world, to rule and reign throughout the whole earth. .

ð They have gold belts, the symbol of royalty and authority and power. God has the right and power as the Sovereign King of the universe to execute justice.