As we move into chapter 15 we'll find that we see more detail of a time just before the final judgment. In the outline of chapter 14, we got a sketch of the end. Through previous studies we saw a few details. As we move on, we begin to get the shading and highlights where we can make out more of the picture. And we always remember, our job is to get a clear picture of Jesus (making the right choice) and leave the rest of the picture to Him.
Revelation 15:1
From his place on the island of Patmos, John sees another sign. Sign is translated from the word 'simeion' and it means:
A marvelous event manifesting a supernatural act of a divine agent, associated with a message. It is portent, describing a foreshadowing of an upcoming event.
- The first sign (12:1) was the woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of 12 stars.
- Then in 12:3 we see the second sign, a great, fiery red dragon having 7 heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on the heads.
- Now John sees the third vision; seven angels with the last 7 plagues.
John reinforces the magnitude of these bowls by calling this sign great and marvelous. The Greek word translated to 'marvelous' is used 6 times in the scriptures. It speaks of man attempt to describe an obvious work of God. It is through these plagues that God's wrath will be made complete. The earlier judgments of the 7 seals will have previously destroyed ¼ of the earth and the trumpets will have destroyed 1/3 of the earth. This is not enough to bring the nations to repentance. These are the 'last' plagues. The word is 'eschatas' emphasizing the end.
The Lord used plagues against Egypt, seen in the book of Exodus, as judgement against them. By them, He defined Himself, His power and righteousness and authority over His creation. Later, God spoke of plagues in Leviticus chapter 26. In speaking to his people, He set a choice before them. If they walked in the ways of the Lord, then they would be blessed in their fields, dwell in safety and enjoy peace.
9'For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. 10 You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. 11I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. 12 I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. (Lev 26:9-12)
Then, as He continues, God speaks of what disobedience and rebellion would bring on them. If they disregarded His commandments and despised His ways, the Lord would deal with them.
God said He would appoint terror, wasting disease, fever and sorrow of heart. He said their fields wouldn't produce and if they did, their enemies would eat the produce. They would be defeated by their enemies. Those who hate them would reign over them.
18 'And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.
21 'Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. (Lev 26:18-21)
Then again in verse 24, when they fail to reform their ways and walk with the Lord:
24Then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. (Lev 26:24)
The Lord would bring vengeance by the sword. For our days, we might see this as wars and rumors of wars. He would bring pestilence upon them. This is an epidemic disease with high mortality rate. He would bring famine to their land. If they again fail to be reformed in their ways, the Lord would bring His fury against them, destroying their cities and bring the land to desolation and scatter them.
Some might see God as mean in this passage, but isn't it the other the way around. Shouldn't we see a Father who provides a way of peace, prosperity and provision from His hand. He is a Father who patiently, but sternly corrects his people. He offers them blessings upon blessings. But when their choice is clear He will bring justice.
There are 2 different words for wrath in the New Testament.
- orge. This is an anger that rises from a settled disposition. It's a righteous anger that flashes hot in correction.
- The other word we see is thymos. This is a volatile and passionate anger. Thymos is like a step above orge.
That's the word used here in our study today. It is the 'thymos' or wrath of God. This word only used 18 times in the New Testament. Eight times it's used speaking of man's wrath. When man exercises this violent and passionate anger it is seen as an unrighteous work. One of the places this is found is in Galatians 5 listing the works of the flesh: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath,(that's the word Thymos). When this same word is used speaking of God it is a right response by a just God. God is righteous and right in his wrath. When God's wrath flashes violent and passionate, He will be right in doing so.
In his sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathon Edwards put it this way:
The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.
Every day that God withholds His wrath is a day in which God offers mercy to the world. We live in the days of grace where God gives mankind an opportunity to respond to His kindness; a time when choices come easy. What have we done with it? More importantly today, what have you done with it?
Revelation 15:2-4
John saw this sign in heaven and along with it he saw a sea of glass. We've seen this sea of glass previously in 4:6 before the throne of God. However, now this sea is mingled with fire. The fire seems to indicate that the throne that has for ages dispensed grace and mercy, showing patience and long suffering toward mankind, is now the throne of vengeance and justice.
In this sea of water and fire we might well see the word of God, by which we are washed. But there are also flames in that sea. The same word that washes some will judge others. God chose all men but few choose Him. In their rejection they choose judgment.
On this sea, apparently before the throne, were those who have victory. The victory is their steadfastness to resist the beast. They did not succumb to the temptation and had victory over:
- His image.
- His mark (charagmatos, 8 times in Rev, once in Acts).
- His number of his name (666 – the number of man, fallen short)
Note: Repetition enhanced or reinforced the idea. If 6 is the number of imperfect man, 666 is the complete representation of the imperfect or fallen. The perfect icon of imperfection.
We saw in the previous chapters that those who held fast to the Lord were killed. These victorious ones are those who loved the Lord more than their own life. Their reward for faithfulness is divine blessing and eternal life. They had entered their rest. They have harps of gold and they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. This is a song of deliverance from bondage, and to salvation. It's a song of praise.
Every person will see the result of their choice. These folks were saved out of this time when the choice was hard. Yet they chose to be faithful, stand fast and it cost them their life. That's why they are singing.
"Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested."
What a contrast this is to the praise offered the Anti-Christ, to those who were conquered by the beast. They were defeated by his image, his mark and the number of his name. Those worshiping the beast said, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war with him? they cried. In essence these saints sing a song asking:
Who is crazy enough not to fear the Lord?
Who is so deceived not to glorify the name of the Living God?
Who is not paying attention?
Yet, many are deceived. We see it all around, do we not?
Look back for a moment to Revelation 6:9-11.
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
It appears here in chapter 15 that number is completed. The wait appears to be over. These appear to be the final believers and God will now complete His hot judgment on an unbelieving and rebellious world.
See Ezekiel 9:1-7
The song is either the song of the Exodus 15 or some believe the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. The song of the lamb is not another song but putting the salvation and deliverance for God's people and judgment for their enemies.
Revelation 15:5-8
After the praise of this last group of Christians John saw the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. We first saw the open temple at the end of chapter 11 following the blowing of the 7th trumpet. This vision of the open temple gives us a connection back to chapter 11.
Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical in nature and while it's difficult to construct a timeline, this chapter seems to connect with 11. We previously saw the seven trumpets follow the 7th seal. And these 7 bowls appear to follow the 7th trumpet. God is moving. The landscape in the heavenlies is changing. There is no turning back. We know how this will end.
The reference to the temple should be understood as "the temple, which is the tent of testimony".
The Old Testament tabernacle and temple were copies of what is in heaven. John saw the real tabernacle in heaven. The 'tent of testimony' is the place of the ten commandments; it's the location of the concept of these laws. The judgments and wrath would flow from the rejection of God and His testimony.
The temple was open. The fallen and wicked of earth are now exposed to the perfect and holy nature of God. This opening of the temple is like the breaking of that dam that holds back God's wrath. Out of it came those 7 angels with the seven plagues. They were clothed as supernatural emissaries of God. It's been on hold for a long time as God's wrath has built up against rebellious man. God is longsuffering not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God doesn't want to deliver judgment. He loved men enough to give them a way, but men didn't love Him enough to receive it. Now it's time.
Since the rebellion in the Garden Satan has called God's word into question. He's even been successful in our time calling God's very existence into question. At this point, at the opening of the temple, if there is anyone left who is still in denial regarding God's existence and His word, they will be convinced. Even those who try to ignore the light of God's perfect holiness will know they are in trouble. But still, there is every indication that men will rebel and rage against God.
One of the 4 living creatures that tend God's throne gave the 7 angels each a bowl of the wrath of God. These bowls are filled with the thymos of God. It's God's wrath, volatile and passionate. It's God's wrath that is right and would have been right if he poured it out on Adam and Eve in the garden. But all this time He has held it back. Now it is time for it to be completed. The open temple is filled with the smoke from the glory of God. The open temple if filled with God's power.
This isn't God throwing a tantrum. This is God releasing what has been held back for all time; all the sin, all the rebellion, all the blasphemy, all the unbelief, all the perversion, all the hatred. Across all of time this wrath that man has deserved has been built up. That same wrath was poured out on the Lamb of God. And those who trust in Jesus will be spared from God's wrath for Jesus took what we deserve. But to those who reject Jesus, to those who sought another way, another God, those who thought 'no choice' was an acceptable middle ground, or those that just skated through life hoping the heavens would never open to reveal a real, Living and Just God. To those, they will receive the full strength wrath of God by themselves. Their sins will be exposed as they stand without protection before their creator.
What will that person say? Will they tell God they are a good person? Will they explain to him how unfair He is? Will they make attempts to justify themselves? Or will they tell just tell God how close minded He is in claiming He is the ONLY WAY! Will they demand another chance?
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man's all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
All sin will be paid for. All debts will be settled. The settling is about to be played out. Where will you stand that day? Today is the day!!
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