And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is completed the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire. Revelation 15:1-2
Chapter 15 is the prelude to God's final judgment of the earth. We see here the seven angels getting ready to pour out the judgments on the earth. In them, the bible says, the wrath of God is complete. We are coming to the end of the tribulation period. At the conclusion of the last of the bowl judgments, Jesus will return to establish His kingdom on the earth. As an aside...the word plague here is not translated disease or epidemic but is translated blow or wound. These are deadly blows that will strike the world with killing impact.
The sea of glass that is before the throne of God is now mingled with fire...fiery judgment is about to take place. (Revelation 4:6)
and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over the image, and over the mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 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 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for only thou art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.Rev 15:2-4
There they are surrounding God's throne...these are the believers redeemed during the tribulation period. Those that had been victorious over the beast...who did not worship his image and who did not take his mark. (6:9–11; 7:9–17; 12:11, 17; 14:1–5, 12–13). The harps are indicate that these saints are singing praises to God. They sing the song of Moses...a song of deliverance and the Song of the Lamb. These believers rejoice because their prayers for God to take vengeance on their persecutors (6:9–10) are about to be answered. It is hard for us to imagine that there will be songs sung in heaven just before these terrible judgments. Throughout chapter 16 we will see God's judgments asserted as righteous. We will also see the consistency of man's rebellion and his refusal to repent. Again...right now we see in the mirror dimly but then face to face. I really don't even think we can even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the effect that sin has had on this world. Or even the opportunities that each of us in this world has been given to accept the free gift of Jesus.
Let's go through the song...
Great and marvelous are God's works! Looking at His work of redemption....He sent His only Son to die for us even when we were yet His enemies! Look at creation...it's magnitude but also its precision. Look at His work in your own life...in the life of your loved ones. Behold His mercy!!
God's mercy even in this greatest time of judgment is clearly evidenced in the 144,000 Jewish evangelist, the two witnesses, the saved that are still on the earth as well as the flying angel from Chapter 14 that preaches the everlasting gospel from the midst of heaven. In fact as God's wrath increases so do His efforts to bring His creatures to repentance. This time of tribulation will yield the greatest harvest ever!
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues … clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;--Revelation 7:9
True and just are His ways. No one can accuse God of not being fair. Right now we do not know the whole story. Again, we are looking through the mirror dimly so to speak. When all is revealed, however, all will declare it. God's holy and righteous character demands that He judge sinners that have rejected His Son. If He ignored their sin, He would not be holy, righteous, and true to His nature. The song closes with joyful anticipation of the millennial reign of Christ, when all the nations will come and worship before God. Read their reward in Revelation 20:4-6:
Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. Revelation 15:5-8
"This Greek word for “bowls” refers to shallow saucers. The imagery is not that of a stream being poured gradually out of a pitcher, but of the whole contents of the shallow saucers being hurled down in an instant flood of judgment. Bowls were part of the temple furnishings (1 Kings 7:50; Zechariah 14:20) and were associated with the sacrifices (Exodus 27:3; 38:3). Those who refuse to drink the cup of salvation (Psalm 116:13) will be drowned in the judgments poured from the bowls of wrath. Because God lives forever and ever. He has the power to put an end to sin, so that it cannot exist again forever in His holy presence. Out of the heavenly temple came not only the angels, but also smoke symbolizing the glory of God and His power. Smoke, an emblem of majesty (Exodus 19:16–18), also symbolized God’s glorious presence in the Old Testament tabernacle or temple (Exodus 40:34–35; 1 Kings 8:10–11; Isaiah 6:1–4). This smoke also symbolizes God’s wrath. No one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues were finished. The glory cloud will remain in the heavenly temple until the earth is completely purged and prepared for the King and His kingdom."
Chapter 16 brings the final judgment...the end is coming and the Son of Man will be returning to the earth to establish His Kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment