REVELATION
Chapter 15
"Prelude to the Plagues"
INTRODUCTION: (v.1)
1. Chapter 15 is a prelude to chapter 16.
2. It introduces the "seven last plagues" of God's judgment upon a Christ-rejecting world.
a. The plagues are described as "vials," but are more properly "bowls" to be poured out.
b. The bowl judgments follow chronologically the order of judgments:
1) The seven seals
2) The seven trumpets
3) The seven bowls-"seven plagues, the last ones" (Gr)
3. The bowl judgments describe the last series of judgments leading up to the return of Christ in glory and victory.
a. These judgments are the most intense and devastating of any of the seals or trumpets.
b. "Filled up" means complete, to bring to the conclusion, to fulfill God's purposes.
c. The plagues will be the outpouring of God's wrath.
1) "Anger, wrath, rage" (Gr.)
2) "Plague" is literally "wound," signifying to smite; metaphorically of a calamity. (cf. Lk. 12:48; Acts 16:23,33)
d. Translation: "for in them the wrath of God is complete (or finished)" -NKJV & NASB (cf. Zeph. 3:8)
I. THE SEA OF GLASS (v.2)
A. The Place of It
1. Before the throne of God (cf. 4:6)
2. It is a heavenly scene.
B. The Persons of It (v.2)
1. Saved Jewish martyrs - they lost their lives only to take them up again. (cf. Rev. 20:4-6)
2. Those who have overcome the beast by their faith in Christ (cf. 12:11)
3. Because of their victory through Christ and their present status in heaven they play on "harps of God."
a. "Part of the instruments of heaven, used solely for the praise of God." (Alford)
b. What? No guitars, drums, tambourines, synthesizers, taped music or choruses sung from a screen on the wall?!
C. The Purity of It
1. The saints are seen standing on the sea of glass. (v.2)
2. The sea of glass symbolizes a fixed state of purity.
a. As in the temple, the molten or brazen sea was a place for daily cleansing. (I Kgs. 7:23; II Kgs. 25:13; II Chron. 4:1-6)
b. As in the tabernacle, the laver of brass was for daily cleansing. (Ex. 38:8; 30:17-21)
3. Having passed into an eternal, heavenly, glorified state, they are now free from all further defilement.
4. They will never have need of cleansing again! Contrast our present state: I Jn. 1:9; 2:1,2.
II. THE SONGS OF PRAISE (vs. 3-8)
A. The Song of the Lawgiver (3a) --Actually, there are two Songs of Moses: Ex. 15:1-18 and Deut. 32. In accord with the context of Rev. 15, it seems that his first song is more appropriate.
1. A song of victory (Ex. 15:1-13)
2. A song of vindication (Ex. 15:14-18)
B. The Song of the Lamb (3b,4) cf. 5:9-14 A song of praise of the Lord Jesus for:
1. His works - Everything He has ever done is perfect. (cf. Deut. 32:3,4; II Sam. 22:31)
2. His ways - They are always good. (Psa. 145:5-12)
3. His will - that all should be saved and none should be lost (II Pet. 3:9; I Tim. 2:4; Jn. 6:39)
4. His worship
a. All the nations of the earth shall fall before Him. (Psa. 86:8,9; Isa. 2:2-4; Isa. 66:23; Zech. 14:16,17)
b. All that is in heaven shall worship Him. (Rev.5:13; Phil. 2:9-11)
5. His wisdom - There is not a word of fault from them as to His wisdom, even though they had been persecuted and slain.
6. His Worth (Rev. 5:9,12) --"We are invited to listen to the song. And what a song it is! It is a twofold song, the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. The song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea, the song of the Lamb is sung at the crystal sea; the song of Moses was a song of triumph over Egypt, the song of the Lamb is a song of triumph over Babylon; the song of Moses told how God brought His people out, the song of the Lamb tells how God brings His people in; the song of Moses was the first song in Scripture, the song of the Lamb is the last; the song of Moses commemorated the execution of the foe, the expectation of the saints and the exaltation of the Lord, the song of the Lamb deals with the same three themes; the song of Moses was sung by a redeemed people, the song of the Lamb is sung by a raptured people." (John Phillips)
III. THE SCENE IN HEAVEN (vs. 5-8)
A. The Sanctuary Scene (v.5) --Not the earthly temple of the millennium, but the heavenly temple. (There will be no temple in the New Jerusalem. Rev. 21:22)
B. The Sanctuary Seven (cf. v.1 with v.6) --The seven angels appear in readiness to hurl the last of the seven judgments (bowls or vials) to the earth.
C. The Sanctuary Smoke (v.8)
1. The smoke speaks of the presence of God. (Ex. 19:18; Isa. 6:1-5)
2. Access into the Holy of Holies in heaven is barred until the seven last plagues have run their course. (v.8)
3. There will be no access to heaven. (cf. Ex. 40:34,35; II Chron. 7:1-4)
4. "Until the bowls of wrath are emptied, no man can approach God. Until the seven plagues are past, no approach to God, by prayer or otherwise, can halt the coming judgment. Presently, God is extending His grace to all men. But in the day of His judicial action, none need try to seek Him for He will not be found." (Strauss) (cf. Isa. 55:6,7; Prov. 8:17; Jer. 29:13)
5. "God will so turn to anger, at last, that all else ceases, even in heaven." (Wm. R. Newell)
6. "As God set a boundary to the restless sea that thus far can those tides arise and no further, thus can those waves beat and no more, so God has set a boundary to the evil days of the nations of the earth. When that time comes, known to God, all mediation ceases. The great and final unpardonable sin has been committed, and no man can enter the temple of prayer and supplication. The door is shut and the temple has become a house of indignation, of wrath and of judg- ment until these seven last plagues have been poured out into the earth." (W. A. Criswell)
7. Compare the days of Noah. The door of the grace of God was once before closed when God brought the flood. No more could man be saved until the judgment of the flood was over! (cf. Gen. 7:16)
CONCLUSION: The seven bowls of the wrath of God are now ready to be poured out on the earth.