Revelation 15
15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous,
sign- GK= semeion, sign, miracle, wonder. The word occurs 7x in Rev.--
Four times, in reference to false signs & wonders (13:13,14; 16:14; 19:20).
Three "signs in heaven" are given:
  • The woman (ie., Israel), 12:1,
  • the Dragon (ie., Satan), 12:3,
  • the angels with the last plagues (here).
This underscores the centrality of Israel to the conflict between God & Satan during the Tribulation. No sign applies to the church.
seven angels having the seven last plagues;
for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
seven plagues- cp. God's warning to Israel in Lev 26:14-45 (note Lev 26:18,21,23,24,27,28)
is filled up- GK= teleo, "is finished", or "is completed" (This is stated prophetically, as accomplished fact).
Cp. 16:17 "It is done." (GK= ginomai, "is come to pass", or "is fulfilled")
wrath of God- (GK= thumos, hot anger).
Ch. 12 & 13 focused on the wrath of the Dragon against God, the Lamb, Israel & the saints.
God is about to pour out His wrath (cp. Psa 79:6,7).
15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire:
sea of glass- cp. the sea of glass "clear as crystal", which spoke of
God's holiness applied to His people by the washing of the Word. See note at 4:6.
mingled with fire- Here, God's holiness is about to be applied to His enemies.
cf: Deu 9:3; Heb 12:29
and them that had gotten the victory over the beast,
lit., 'having overcome out from the meshes of 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.
stand on the sea- ('on' - Gk= epi, in, upon, by, before)
These saints still stand, having endured trial by fire in the Tribulation. 1Pet 1:7
15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God,
they sing- These, who have come out of the Tribulation,
are not overcome with bittnerness. cp. Psa 30:4,5; Heb 12:11-15
the song of Moses- There are 2 'songs of Moses' recorded:
1. Praise for deliverance from Pharoah at the Red Sea. Ex 15:1-21
2. Israel's story foretold prophetically in song. Deu 31:21,29,30; 32:1-44
The latter song is no doubt the one for the end of the Tribulation (Deu 31:21).
Outline: (references below are from Deuteronomy 32)
  1. Jehovah, Israel's Rock (32:1-6)
  2. Jehovah's gracious care for Israel (32:7-14)
  3. Israel's ingratitude (32:15-18)
    The name Jeshurun ("righteous one") is descriptive of Israel's privileged position before the Lord. A position which she squandered.
  4. Israel provoked to jealousy with a foolish people (32:19-21) [cp. Rom 10:19; 11:11]
  5. Israel's affliction, Jacob's Trouble (32:22-35)
  6. Israel, in extremity, sees no rock but Jehovah (32:36-40)
  7. Jehovah takes vengeance on the nations & brings healing (32:41-43)
and the song of the Lamb, {cp. Rev 5:9,10}
Consider also Psa 22, Christ's song of suffering the judgment due sin, in behalf of His own. The final words of the Psalm are lit., "It is done."
saying, Great and marvellous [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty;
just and true [are] thy ways, thou King of saints {some MSS, King of nations, cp. v.4}.
15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? {cf. 13:4; cp. 14:7}
Jer 10:7,10,11
for [thou] only [art] holy:
for all nations shall come and worship before thee;
Psa 86:7-10; Jer 23:5; Zeph 2:11; Php 2:9-11
for thy judgments are made manifest.
are made manifest- ie., have been shown openly.
judgments- "judicial acts characterized by righteousness" [Wuest] Psa 7:9; 11:7; 107:1,40,42.
The nations do not submit until God exercises judgment. Isa 26:9
15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold,
the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
temple- GK= naos, holy place
tabernacle of the testimony-
In Exodus, this refered to the dwelling place of the record of God's covenant with Israel. The earthly tabernacle was a "pattern" of the reality in Heaven. Ex 32:15; 38:21; 25:40; Heb 9:23
During the tribulation, though the Dragon & the beasts have attempted to destroy God's people, the reality is that God's covenant with Israel remains secure. (See note at Rev 11:19.)
testimony- GK= marturion.
The same root is trans. "testify, witness, record" in Joh 5:39,40; 3:31-33; 1Joh 5:9-11
God's Word -- to His people, is the sure promise of blessing,
-- to His enemies, is the public record of inescapable condemnation.
15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple,
Judgment proceeds from the holy place, from the mercy seat.
God's holiness requires punishment for the obstinate and impenitent. [JBS]
having the seven plagues,
clothed in pure and white linen,
linen- not to be confused with the clothing of the Lamb's Bride (19:8,14).
Here the GK= linon (some MSS, GK= lithos, stone).
In ch. 19, GK= bussinos, fine linen.
and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
These angels are outfitted to act as Christ's representatives (cp. 1:13).
15:7 And one of the four beasts {ie., living creatures} gave unto the seven angels
seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
The four living creatures (4:6-8) continually guard God's holiness.
This action shows again that the 7 plagues are necessitated by holiness.
who liveth for ever and ever- (contrast with the false trinity)
The God, who first decreed death for sin, still lives to execute the sentence. [JBS]
These judgments are the direct action of God, in contrast with some of the previous plagues which were carried along by the wickedness of men & Satan. [McGee]
15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke
from the glory of God, and from his power;
and no man {ie., no one} was able to enter into the temple,
till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
The Day of Grace has ended. Access to the Throne of Grace is closed, both to the sinner who would repent, and to the saint who would plead for the sinner. Judgment Day has come. It is too late to pray. Cp. Rev 22:11

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