Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. (Revelation 15:1)
How can the prospect of seven impending plagues be “great and marvelous?” Because they are the last! “In them the wrath of God is finished.”
There are ordeals in life in which we wonder if they’ll ever end. Sickness. Trouble at work. Hurricane season. In this first verse there is a comforting word, the number “seven.” Seven angels. Seven plagues. The Greek word “hepta” indicates completion, or fullness. Here the number “seven” has nothing to do with luck, but the fulfillment of a perfect plan.
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)
Then John sees the victorious standing with harps on a sea of glass “mixed with fire,” indicating at least to me, there is still judgment to mete out. These are those who did not take the number of the beast, but stayed loyal to God despite the dire consequences. Being separated from one’s head is pretty much an instantaneous transfer into the presence of the Lord. Most of us don’t face this fear each and every day, but some do across the globe (the Nigerian church). By the way, the only proper “veneration of saints” comes from God, toward those who die with the name of Jesus on their lips.
3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
For all the nations will come and worship before You,
For Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3–4)
I’ve been in services in which the preacher gets so worked up he orders the choir and congregation to sing a hymn. What is depicted in Verses 3 and 4 is such an occasion. It pleases God greatly for us to stand firm, even unto death. This prospect was worthy of not one song but two, the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb,” both attesting to the righteousness of God’s actions. It might be a good idea as things “go south” in this world to memorize and often repeat these verses! We should live with the expectation that God’s righteousness will win out!
5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 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. (Revelation 15:5–6)
These seven angels were dressed not for a celebration, but as proper representatives of a righteous and indignant God. In fact, they were in the exact same uniform as the King of kings. (i.e., white garment, golden sash, see Revelation 1:13)
7 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.8 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 15:7–8)
What took place next was ominous and foreboding. The four living creatures who occupied the throne of God handed the seven angels each a bowl of God’s wrath. Then, as to indicate the finality and certainty of the coming judgments, the door to heaven was shut behind them as they all deployed. There’d be no mercy going forward. No going back.
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