Today we’ll get a preview of the 7 last plagues; it is a fore view to the last round of judgments that God is going to send upon the earth dwellers. During the tribulation period, the three sets of judgments (the seals, trumpets, and bowls) are progressive, each worse than the last.
But these last seven judgments, the bowl judgments, are somewhat different; They represent God’s final response to the world’s unrepentant wickedness.
Chapter 15: is the shortest chapter in the book of Revelation, only eight verses long. It is an introduction to the beginning of the end you could say.
Chapter 15: is where the last half of the 7 year Tribulation begins, this is the beginning of the Great Tribulation and many horrible and major plagues will fall upon the people of the earth, remember the true church was raptured back in chapter 4:
Chapter 15 is introductory to chapter 16; where these plagues actually start. The two chapters together present one connected vision.
There are Seven Seals—chapters 4 and 5 --The Seven Trumpets—chapter 8:1-6 The Seven Vials—chapter 15:1-8, and in 16: we’ll see them poured out.
These “vial” judgments are better understood if we’ll think of them as “bowl” judgments.
We can understand how fast it would be to empty a ‘bowl or vial” opposed to a bottle if it were turned up side down, these ‘BOWL-VIAL” judgments will be poured out on the earth dwellers very swiftly once it begins.
Chapter 15 is introductory and prepares us for the execution of the judgments described in chapter 16.
They are first described as the seven last plagues and then as seven vials-bowls full of the wrath of God.
These seven plagues will chronologically bring to an end the ordered events of the Tribulation judgments.
The plagues described here are most severe and occur in rapid succession, which makes them that much worse.
As the plagues near the end, its time for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the final phase of Armageddon.
The purpose of chapter 15 is a vindication of God’s holiness. It shows these judgments stem from the holiness of God and the perfection of His plan.
Chapter 14 has anticipated what is now about to take place under the symbolism of the seven bowls.
Lets remember, the seven plagues and seven bowls used in this chapter refer to the same judgments.
Each of these plagues are poured out suddenly, all at once as the contents of a bowl when it is turned over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ø Listen as I read verse 1
1And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
The word “sign” refers to a symbol that is used to signify and teach an important truth. Here the sign is the seven angels who control seven last plagues.
The former “signs” were the woman and the Dragon in chapter 12:1-3.
Here in 15: the plagues refer to the final series of judgments that will come on the Beast, his system, and his worshippers. The sign is called “great” because of the awesome power of the judgments. It is called “marvelous” because it represents the final vindication of God’s people and His divine judgment against everything evil and wicked. These “seven plagues” complete or finish God’s wrath.
There are two Greek words used for God’s “anger.” There is orge (“anger”), which emphasizes His divine attitude toward sin as it is brought about from the holiness of God.
And then there is thumos (“wrath”), which is to express God’s anger or God’s holiness in action or His wrath overflowing in righteous indignation.
The concept of greatness is here, because in scope and intensity there has been nothing previous to it to compare with these 7 last plagues.
The idea of marvel is mentioned because the inflictions will cause amazement and wonder. These plagues are marked as last, because in them the wrath of God is fully spent upon ungodly mankind.
Ø Remember chapter 15: is telling of the 7 last plagues, but they don’t began until chapter 16:
--------------------------------
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.
as it were- John didn’t see a real sea, but a broad expanse like a sea of transparent glass and it reflects an image.
It is seen mingled with fire, which, as a symbol of judgment, it stands for the perfect justice of God and his actions with men.
It is also seen upholding the saints who stand firmly upon it. This reflects the immutable faithfulness of God in His grace and love to His people through His perfect plan of salvation in Christ.
Ø We believe these are tribulations Martyred saints that are seen here standing.
Lets notice that their standing on the sea of glass-
Because it’s like a sea of glass, tells us that it’s smooth and peaceful, not rough and boisterous. These tribulation saints troubles are now over.
But not so with the wicked.
Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 21There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
They have harps to accompany their praise to God.
-------------------------
3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
To do with the song of Moses, it was God’s physical release of Israel from Egyptian servitude through the Passover Lamb.
Here in chapter 15: it is liberation spiritually from the bondage of Satan and his demons through “Christ our Passover” as we read in I Cor. 5:7
In their singing they extol God’s great and marvelous works, His righteousness and truth, His sovereignty over the nations, His holiness, and ultimate reception of universal worship through the disclosure of His righteous dealings.
The Tribulation saints whom John saw and heard were standing on as it were a “sea of glass” in heaven, just as the Israelites stood by the Red Sea.
They were singing “the song of Moses” and also “the song of the Lamb.” “The song of Moses” is recorded in Exodus 15, and its message is in vs 2 “The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation”---
When Israel returned from the Babylonian captivity and reestablished their government and restored temple worship, they used this same refrain at the dedication services (Ps. 118:14).
In the future, when God calls His people back to their land, Isaiah prophesied that they would sing this song again! (Isa. 11:15—12:6) “
Ø The song of Moses” is an important song to the Jewish nation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In their song, the Tribulation saints praise God’s works as well as His ways. The earth-dwellers certainly would not praise God for His works, and they would never understand His ways. His ways are just and true.
--they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb—
The songs of Moses and of the Lamb are songs of deliverance.
--------------------------------------
5And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
“And after that” or after these things, I looked.” “After these things” refers to the sign, the seas of glass, etc.
“And after that” implies an interval of time between these two sections.
John distinguished these two sections, for though their theme is much the same in (vindicating God’s holiness as the cause of the Tribulation judgments), their emphasis is different.
We see, “I looked” for the third time (vss. 1, 2, 5). John not only saw this with his eyes, but he spiritually understood the meaning of this vision.
God is a holy God, and one of the great purposes of the Tribulation will be to demonstrate His holiness and to prove Satan’s age-old lies are just exactly that, lies.
God is a God of love and of holiness and He must condemn the sinner who rejects His plan of salvation in Christ.
He is just and righteous in rejecting the sinner who rejects His love and grace.
In the first section, {1st 4 verses} we saw the saints in glory praising God and fully understanding the cause of His wrath, but here the emphasis is on the divine side which stresses the source and cause of what is about to happen.
------------------------------------------
6And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
“And the seven angels … came out of the temple.”
As the ministers and agents of God’s holy justice, these angels come from the presence of God acting on behalf of God’s holiness, righteousness, and justice.
That they are “clothed in pure white linen” refers to the nature of their commission as representatives of God’s holiness. Pure white portrays righteousness,
“God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
“Linen,” -They have been clothed with this linen as a symbol of their commission and work in the outpouring of the righteous acts of judgment.
“ having their breasts girded with golden girdles” is also symbolical.
“Gold” stands for the glory of God and girding was an act of preparation.
What they are seen doing here is in preparation for bringing maximum glory to God and will cause all to fall on their knees and acknowledge the sovereignty and perfect holiness of God.
------------------------------------------------------
Ø The Seven Golden Bowls Given to the Angels (7-8)
7And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
“Full of the wrath of God.” Means “is full to the brim.”
In Verse 1 we were told that the seven last plagues complete the judgments of the Tribulation.
“Wrath” refers to God’s divine justice and anger in action.
---------------------------------------
Ø The “four living creatures”
We read about the four living creatures, {or beast} back in 4: & 5:}
One of them is distributing the bowls to the seven angels. These seven angels were given the responsibility for these last plagues.
The giving of the seven bowls to these angels shows their authorization to use the plagues and describes the overall nature of what the plagues would be like, remember, it would be like a bowl which is overturned causing the contents to be poured out all at once or suddenly.
---------------------------------------------------------
8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
For centuries God has withheld his judgment in grace (2 Pet. 3:8-9)**. But at this point, not only will God’s period of grace be over, but once God pours out His justice in divine wrath it will have eternal consequence.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ, man has the opportunity and the means to come to God and be with Him eternally, but if he rejects God’s grace in Jesus Christ, he must eternally face God’s wrath (14:11).
“And the temple was filled with smoke.” The “temple” remember is the heavenly temple, the very abode of God, the Holy of Holies of God’s presence.
“Was filled” here it is acting in divine justice against sin. This smoke comes from two sources: (a) “From the glory of God.” “Glory” stands for God’s divine righteousness and justice.
(b) “And from his power.” This refers to God’s sovereign Power. To execute and carry out the demands of His holy character.
“And no man was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues … were finished …” The smoke, which points to the awesome holiness of God, will make access into the presence of God impossible.
Lets notice that this smoke continues until the plagues are finished, until God’s holy character is satisfied and God deals with sin.
This tells us that God will so completely turn to anger and justice in these final hours that every thing else seems to cease.
Absolute and undiluted wrath will be the business of these final days.
In 16: the bowls are poured out.
