Revelation 15 - 7 Angels With 7 Plagues -

Revelation 15 – 7 Angels With 7 Plagues

The interval or break in John’s vision of the judgements and punishment of God in the 7 year tribulation is over. And it is time to continue with what happens after the 7th trumpet is blown by an angel in Revelation 11.

Revelation 12, 13, and 14 are an interval or break in the events of God’s judgements. John introduces some of the main characters or players in the end times, the tribulation. The woman (Israel), the baby (Jesus), and the dragon (Satan) in Revelation 12.

The beast of the sea (the antichrist) and the beast from the earth (the false prophet) in Revelation 13. And finally the 144,000 Jewish witnesses, the 3 angels with messages from high in the sky, and other angels in Revelation 14.

Now in Revelation 15 and 16 we will see the final bowl judgements or plagues that will take place at the end of the day of the Lord. Or the Great Tribulation.

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished.”  – Revelation 15:1

Verse 1 tells us that the 7 plagues are the final judgements of God’s wrath against sinners that refuse to repent and that reject Jesus.

The Greek word for plagues is plégé. Translated to English it means beatings, blows, plagues, or wounds.

In the Bible there are various references to the end times and God’s wrath and judgments in the tribulation. Various times it is called “the day of the Lord “. The day of the Lord is not just 1 day, but it spans the 7 year tribulation period.

“Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. 10 For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. 11 I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,

and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.”  – Isaiah 13:9-11

“Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming; it is near, 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!”  – Joel 2:1-2

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire…” – Revelation 15:2

In the first part of verse 2 John sees something that appears to be like a sea of glass. John’s vision in all of Revelation 15 is taking place in heaven. John previously had a vision of God’s throne in heaven and the things surrounding His throne. He describes something before God’s throne as a sea of glass, like crystal.

“At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.” – Revelation 4:2-6

Moses And Ezekiel Saw The Sea Of Glass

Back in Moses’ time, in Exodus 24, Moses and Aaron and 70 elders went up on a mountain and they saw God. Here is what they saw.

“Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness.” – Exodus 24:9-10

Moses describes what they saw under God’s feet by His throne. A pavement of clear sapphire stone. This is similar to what John sees before God’s throne in Revelation 4 and here in Revelation 15.

Ezekiel also had a vision of God in heaven in Ezekiel 1. Here is part of what he saw.

“In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God… there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads.” – Ezekiel 1:22

Ezekiel describes the same shining crystal like surface by God’s throne as Moses and John described.

Sea Of Glass Mingled With Fire

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire…” – Revelation 15:2

John sees the sea of glass before God’s throne “mingled with fire”. Fire is often associated with God’s judgement. For example, God poured out fire and brimstone or noxious sulfur when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their evil.

Here in John’s vision we see the fire of judgment. The final judgments are about to be poured out on the world.

Paul describes God as a “consuming fire” in Hebrews.

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.” – Hebrews 12:28-29

Those Who Conquer The Beast

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.” – Revelation 15:2

John also sees “those who had conquered the beast and it’s image “. They are standing by the “sea of glass ” that is before God’s throne. Who are they?

These are the people that will come to faith in Christ during the tribulation. They are standing in heaven by God’s throne and the shining sea of glass like crystal because they have been martyred.

This is the same multitude of martyred believers we saw in John’s vision in Revelation 6 and 7.

“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 witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” – Revelation 6:9-11

John sees in Revelation 6 the believers that have been martyred for their witness for Jesus. And they are crying out for God to judge and avenge His enemies for their deaths. They were told to wait a little while longer.

Later in Revelation 7 we see that many more will have been martyred in the tribulation. In fact the multitude of martyrs is described as John as a multitude from every nation, all tribes and peoples and languages. And that no one could number or count them there were so many.

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” – Revelation 7:9-10

“Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” – Revelation 7:13-14

The Multitude Of Martyrs Is Now Praising & Worshiping God

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:2-4

John now sees the great multitude of those martyred by the antichrist in the tribulation doing something different than they did in Revelation 6. Now instead of crying out for God to avenge their deaths they are praising and worshipping God. They have harps in their hands. In previous scenes in heaven in Revelation there were harps whenever there was worship of God.

Moses and the Israelites sung a song of worship after God parted the Red Sea and delivered them from Egypt. You can read the song of Moses in Exodus 15.

John mentions in his vision that the multitude of martyrs is singing the song of Moses, and the song of Jesus.

We see the song of the Lamb in Revelation 5. The scene in John’s vision is at God’s throne in heaven. And it appears that no one is able to open the scroll with 7 seals, which is God’s will or plan for the end times, and the deed or title for the universe.

Then John is told the Lamb, or Jesus, is worthy to open the scroll. He is the worthy Heir to the universe. And worship breaks out among the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures and the angels. And they sing the song of the Lamb.

“And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” – Revelation 5:7-12

The Song Of Moses And The Song Of The Lamb

The worship song they are singing in Revelation 15 is mainly about God’s perfect character of holiness and righteousness.

“And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:3-4

God’s holiness and righteousness is the main reason why God will bring about His wrath and judgments. And why God will destroy Satan and His enemies. God is holy. And just. And righteous. Just as Nahum said in Nahum 1.

“The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty… Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and the rocks are broken into pieces by him.” – Nahum 1:2-3,6

The song of Moses is about God’s judgement and punishment of Egypt. The song of the Lamb is about God’s final judgement and punishment of Satan and those that follow him.

The song of Moses was about God’s victory over Egypt. The song of the Lamb is about God’s victory over Satan and His enemies.

And the song of Moses is about God’s deliverance from Egypt. The song of the Lamb is about deliverance from sin and God’s judgement.

And the song of Moses is the first song recorded in the Scriptures. The song of the Lamb is the last song.

The song that John hears in Revelation 15 ends like this:

“All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” – Revelation 15:4

This is a fulfillment of Psalm 66:4 and Philippians 2.

“All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” – Psalm 66:4

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11

At the very end of the world as we know it, every person from every nation will indeed bow down to King Jesus. Either out of fear, or in worship.

The Tabernacle of Testimony

“After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened” – Revelation 15:5 (NASB)

After John saw the martyred believers singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, he sees the scene shift to the temple in heaven. Which is where God dwells.

The temple on earth, as per God’s instructions, and the Holy of Holies, which is where God’s glory dwelt among the Israelites, were a replica of God’s heavenly temple. Inside the innermost part, the Holy of Holies, the ark of the covenant was placed.

The ark of the covenant was the container where the stone tablets of the 10 commandments that God wrote and gave to Moses were stored. Along with some manna and other items.

John sees the “tabernacle of testimony” as it is called in the New American Standard Bible version. The tabernacle of testimony is another name for the ark of the covenant. It is called the tabernacle of testimony in Numbers 10, and here in Revelation 15.

“In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, 12 and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran.” – Numbers 10:11-12

The 7 Angels & The 7 Plagues

“Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.” – Revelation 15:6-7

John then sees the 7 angels leave the temple and God’s presence. They are dressed in shining white robes with gold sashes.

Then one of the 4 living creatures we saw in John’s vision of heaven and God’s throne in Revelation 4 and 5 appears. And it gives each of the angels a golden bowl.

“Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.” – Revelation 15:7

Bowls made of gold were used in worship in the temple on earth. Now John sees one of the 4 living creatures give each of the 7 angels a golden bowl. These golden bowls are a part of God’s judgement.

The 7 golden bowls contain the final part of God’s wrath, and punishment, the final 7 plagues. Reserved for those that will still be alive that refuse to repent and turn to Jesus. They are God’s enemies that have decided to bow down and worship and follow Satan’s servant the antichrist.

So now it is finally time for the final part of God’s wrath and judgment. We will see each of the 7 bowls and plagues poured out in Revelation 16.

Smoke Fills The Sanctuary

“and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.” – Revelation 15:8

After one of the living creatures gives the 7 golden bowls with the 7 plagues to the 7 angels, John then sees God’s glory fill the temple or sanctuary in heaven. John describes God’s glory as smoke filling the sanctuary.

This is similar to Isaiah’s description when he had a vision of God’s throne in His heavenly temple or sanctuary in Isaiah 6.

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” 4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.” – Isaiah 6:1-4