Revelation 15: The Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

 Revelation 15: The Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

v2-3: Sea Of Glass

John saw a sea of glass mingled with fire. Standing beside the sea of glass are those who had resist the beast (anti-Christ) and did not worship it's image, nor accept the number of it's name. They had harps and sang the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

The connection of Moses and the Lamb transcends two covenant - the old and the new.  Law and Grace was finally integrated and live in harmony in the end days. The Israelites recognized that Jesus was their Messiah. 

A portion of the song said: “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 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.”

The song praised God for his just and true ways. He brought justice to both the believers and those who rebel in righteous ways. Everyone will reverent Him and glorify Him, for He alone is worthy. 

As for the "sea of glass mingled with fire", John Walvoord said “The sea is designed to reflect the glory of God. In chapter 4 its description ‘like unto crystal’ speaks of the holiness of God. Here the sea mingled with fire speaks of divine judgment proceeding from God’s holiness.”


v1, 5-8: Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

Verse 5 overlaps with verse 1. They said that John saw the "sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven" was opened and seven angels with seven plagues came out. They were clothes with bright linen and with golden slash around their chest. John said that these are the last plague, as they will end the wrath of God. (v1, 5-6)

The "tent of witness" (ESV) are translated as "temple of the tabernacle" in NKJ and "tabernacle of the covenant law" in NIV.  In Exodus 25:8-9, Moses was told to build a tabernacle according to the pattern that God gave him. This heavenly tabernacle is probably the pattern given to Moses. 

revelationscriptures.com
The seven angels came out of the tabernacle and each have a plague. Some scholars said this vision depicts God's final judgement from the opening of the heaven's temple. 

Then one of the four cherubim (which was said to be in front of God's throne in Rev 4:6), gave each of the angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God (who lives forever). The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and His power. No one could not enter the temple until the seven plagues of the angels are completed.

Note that the plaque was from the angels, but they were give bowls of wrath. These bowls symbolize the culmination of God’s righteous anger and judgment upon the earth. The wrath contained in these bowls is about to be poured out upon the world as a series of catastrophic events.

The smoke that fills the heavenly sanctuary during this time prevents anyone from approaching God until the judgment is complete.  


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