Revelation 15:1–8 - BibleStudy.ph

These are the original teaching notes from this passage.

Review…

OUTLINE…
- THREE times – PAST – PRESENT – FUTURE – Revelation 1:19
- THREE events – RAPTURE – WRATH – RETURN of Jesus
- THREE judgements – SEAL – TRUMPET – and BOWL judgments
- Reaping the Harvest…
- The War…
  - We saw the WAR in heaven – as the DRAGON [satan] is cast out – Revelation 12:9
  - The BEAST will then go to WAR with the SAINTS – and be VICTORIOUS – Revelation 13:7
  - False Prophet will make the world WORSHIP the BEAST – take the MARK– Revelation 13:16
- God responds by doing THREE things:
  - He will send 144 thousand to proclaim the Gospel [all SEVEN years of the Tribulation]
  - He will send THREE angels:
    - FIRST – to proclaim the Gospel to the WHOLE world – in EVERY language…
    - SECOND – to declare the fall of BABYLON – Revelation 17-18
    - THIRD – to warn the world NOT to take the MARK – everlasting judgment [lake of fire]
  - He will begin the Harvest:
    - FIRST – Jesus will harvest the SAINTS – those who are weary….
    - SECOND – the ANGEL will harvest the WICKED – in the WINEPRESS of the wrath of God…
    - Armageddon – the blood will flow TWO meters high – for THREE hundred kilometers!

The Bowl Judgements…

1^st – End of Wrath… vs. 1
- 1^st – Sign in Heaven… vs. 1
  - Then I saw another sign in heaven – great and marvelous!
  - John saw ANOTHER [ἄλλος] sign in Heaven [the last of THREE sings in heaven]
  - FIRST – was the SIGN of the WOMAN [Israel] given birth to the SON [Jesus] – Revelation 12:1
  - SECOND – was the SIGN of the DRAGON [satan] – who went to WAR in heaven – Revelation 12:3
  - But this THIRD and FINAL sign is different – it is GREAT [μέγας] and MARVELOUS [θαυμαστός]
  - It is GREAT – because it will mark the END of the TRIBULATION!
- 2^nd – Last plagues… vs. 1
  - Seven angels having the seven last plagues – for in them the wrath of God is complete!
  - John saw SEVEN angels – holding the SEVEN last [final] PLAGUES…
  - These represent the FINAL effort by God to get the attention of a SINFUL world…
  - Once they are DONE – the WRATH [θυμός] of God will be COMPLETE [τελέω]
  - WRATH [θυμός] – 18x in NT – 10x in the book of Revelation!
  - We tend to look at HARDSHIPS in a negative light – why would God allow BAD things to happen..
  - But it is the HARDSHIPS of life – that bring us to the end of ourselves – II Corinthians 12:10
  - God – desiring to get our attention – will allow life to FALL apart…
  - But God will NOT strive with men forever – there is a LIMIT – Genesis 6:3
  - And when God is DONE [τελέω] – the opportunity to call out for salvation will CLOSE…
  - Jesus will ride out of heaven – to JUDGE all who have rejected Him – Revelation 19:15
2^nd – Song of the Saints… vs. 2-4
- 1^st – Sea of Glass… vs. 2
  - I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire!
  - John saw a SEA of glass – presumably around the THRONE of God – Revelation 4:6
  - The first time we saw this SEA – it was CLEAR [crystal] – but now it is mixed with FIRE…
  - FIRST – this could speak of the JUDGMENT of God – His FIERY wrath…
  - SECOND – it could also be a reference to COLOR – it was the RED sea!
  - This seems to better fit the context – as we will see the reference to MOSES – Revelation 15:3
  - The idea being God had done the impossible AGAIN…
  - He parted the SEA – to allow His PEOPLE to escape the wrath of the KING [beast]!
  - God does NOT change – the same God who saved Israel from Egypt…
  - Is the same God who can give us Victory in our lives today…
  - And He is the same LORD – who saves the Tribulation saints from the Beast!
  - Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ the same yesterday – and to day – and forever.”
- 2^nd – The Victory… vs. 2
  - Those who have the victory over the beast – over his image and over his mark…
  - And over the number of his name – standing on the sea of glass – having harps of God!
  - Standing on the SEA – are those who are VICTORIOUS [νικάω]
  - VICTORIOUS – because they did NOT worship the IMAGE of the Beast – or take his MARK [666]
  - Therefore – they were MARTYRED for their FAITH in Jesus – Revelation 20:4
  - DEATH might not seem like much of a VICTORY – but everyone DIES…
  - The question is where do we stand AFTER death!
  - When Esther was urged my Mordecai to go and plead for her people before the KING…
  - She hesitated – because to stand before the king uninvited – meant death – Esther 4:11
  - To try and STAND in the presence of the LORD on our own merit – would mean DEATH…
  - But those who come through Jesus – forgiven by His Grace…
  - Will be able to not just STAND before His THRONE – they will WORSHIP [harps]
  - Because through Jesus we have been given VICTORY over SIN and DEATH!
  - I Corinthians 15:55-57 – “Death – where is your sting? Hell – where is your victory… Thanks be to God – who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
- 3^rd – First and Last songs… vs. 3
  - They sing the song of Moses – the servant of God!
    - FIRST song that the Tribulation Saints sing – is the SONG of MOSES – Exodus 15:1-18
    - It is worth noting – this is the FIRST song in the ENTIRE Bible…
    - Written by MOSES after they crossed the RED sea…
    - It is a SONG about how God delivered His people from a WICKED King!
  - The song of the Lamb!
    - SECOND song that the Tribulation Saints sing – is the SONG of the LAMB – Revelation 5:9-10
    - A song about how God saves us by the BLOOD of the LAMB [Jesus]
    - The combined SONG – Moses and the Lamb – is the LAST song in the ENTIRE Bible!
    - When we put these two SONGS together they are the BOOKENDS of a great truth…
    - God DELIVERS His people – through the BLOOD [sacrifice] of Jesus!
- 4^th – What they Sing… vs. 3-4
  - Works of God… vs. 3
    - Great and marvelous are Your works – Lord God Almighty!
    - FIRST – they sing about the WORKS of God – NOT in GENERAL…
    - This is a SPECIFIC reference to the final SEVEN plagues…
    - We know this because of the description – GREAT [μέγας] and MARVELOUS [θαυμαστός]
    - The same description given of the final PLAGUES – Revelation 15:1
    - PLAGUES given by the LORD [κύριος] – He is the one who is CONTROL…
    - Who is the ONLY God [ὁ θεός] – the ALMIGHTY – all [πᾶς] powerful [κράτος]!
  - Ways of God… vs. 3
    - Just and true are Your ways – O King of the saints!
    - SECOND – they sing about the WAYS of God – TWO things:
    - JUST [δίκαιος] – the WAYS of God are RIGHT – He does nothing WRONG…
    - TRUE [ἀληθινός] – the WAYS of God are TRUE – John 14:6
    - And to those who are willing to follow His WAYS – make Him their KING…
    - They will become SAINTS [ἅγιος] – called out of the world to live for God!
    - We live in a WORLD that is upside down – a WORLD that does not know God…
    - When it is a crime in some countries to pray in public places – or bring a Bible into school…
    - But where homosexuality – and abortion are protected by the Law!
    - The WORLD would love for us to question the TRUTH…
    - What is right for you – may not be what is right for me – everything is RELATIVE…
    - Event Pontius Pilate famously said to Jesus – what is TRUTH – John 18:38
    - But it does not matter what MEN say – they are all LIARS – Romans 3:4
    - The Bible is our GUIDE to show us the WAY in a backwards world – it is the TRUTH!
    - John 17:17 – “Your word is truth.” – also Psalm 119:160
  - Character of God… vs. 4
    - Who shall not fear You – O Lord – and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy.
    - THIRD – they SING about the Character of God…
    - He alone is HOLY [ὅσιος] – meaning He has NO sin…
    - Which is in direct CONTRAST to everyone else – we are ALL sinners – Psalm 14:3
    - Which is why ALL will [οὐ μὴ subjunctive] FEAR the Lord [κύριος] – GLORIFY His name!
    - There are NOT going to be any debates on about RIGHT and WRONG in heaven…
    - God is RIGHT – and we are WRONG – case closed…
    - The WISDOM is to recognize that NOW – and FEAR [passive] the LORD – Psalm 111:10
    - Because today is the day of SALVATION – God does NOT guarantee tomorrow!
  - Who will worship God… vs. 4
    - All nations shall come and worship before You – for Your judgments have been manifested!
    - FOURTH – they will SING about WHO will come to WORSHIP…
    - The answer is ALL nations [ἔθνος] will come before the Lord…
    - That does NOT mean that EVERYONE will be saved – but they will ALL bow!
    - Romans 14:11 – “Every knee shall bow to Me – and every tongue shall confess to God.”
    - There is a common teaching today that says that HELL does not exist…
    - The TERROR of being eternally separated with NO hope of escape – is too much to accept…
    - The common view is either that BAD people just cease to exist – annihilationism…
    - Or that there is some sort of penance – purgatory – that gives them a SECOND chance!
    - But HELL is very real – the New Testament references it FORTY times…
    - It is called Hades [ᾅδης] – ELEVEN times – Gehenna [γέεννα] – TWELVE times
    - Outer darkness – THREE times [Matthew] – the furnace of fire – TWO times [Matthew]
    - Lake of Fire – FIVE times [Revelation] – Weeping gnashing of teeth – SEVEN times [Matthew]
    - We do NOT get to choose whether or not to WORSHIP God…
    - We only Get to choose WHEN – either now in SALVATION – or later in CONDEMNATION…
    - When the LAST thing a person will ever see – is the WHITE throne – Revelation 20:11
    - Before they are cast into outer DARKNESS forever – Revelation 14:11
3^rd – Bowls of Wrath… vs. 5-8
- 1^st – Holy of Holies… vs. 5
  - The Tabernacle…
    - After these things I looked – and behold.
    - The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened!
    - After the SONG [μετὰ ταῦτα] – John saw the TEMPLE open – behold [imperative]
    - Note – the TEMPLE [ναὸς] here is mentioned as part of the TABERNACLE of Testimony…
    - It would seem this is a reference to a room inside the TABERNACLE – the HOLY of holies!
    - God told Moses to build the TABERNACLE – it was patterned after heaven – Hebrews 8:5
    - The Courtyard – was where the Altar of Sacrifice was – Exodus 40:6
    - It was where men were allowed to come and offer sacrifices for their sin…
    - The Holy place– where the Menorah and Altar of Incense was – Exodus 40:4-5
    - Only the priests were allowed to enter – II Chronicles 23:6
    - The Holy of holies – was where the Ark of the Covenant was [First temple] – Exodus 26:34
    - Was SEALED off from men by a CURTAIN – only the High Priest could enter – Leviticus 16
  - From the Holy Place…
    - The HOLY of holies was already open [aorist] – the SEVENTH trumpet – Revelation 11:19
    - When the ARK of the covenant was revealed [solving the mystery of what happened to it]
    - What John sees here is what comes OUT of the HOLY of holies!
- 2^nd – Seven Angles… vs. 6
  - Seven plagues…
    - Out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues…
    - Clothed in pure bright linen – and having their chests girded with golden bands!
    - SEVEN angels came out of the HOLY of holies…
    - Each of them was carrying on of the SEVEN final PLAGUES…
    - The ANGLES were clothed in LINEN [cloth] – that was CLEAN and BRIGHT…
    - With a GOLDEN band around their chests!
  - Wedding attire…
    - There is some speculation as to whom these ANGELS are…
    - Some say they are the same ANGELS who blew the SEVEN trumpets – Revelation 8:2
    - But the description of their clothes matches the BRIDE of Christ [church] – Revelation 19:8
    - And the golden band – is the same as what JESUS wears – Revelation 1:13
    - If you have ever gone to a wedding – the wedding party has special outfits…
    - The color coordinate to match the BRIDE and the GROOM…
    - It almost seems like these ANGELS – are in the WEDDING party…
    - They match their outfits to the CHURCH and JESUS…
    - The GIFTS they bring to the WEDDING – the final JUDGMENTS of God!
- 3^rd – Bowls of Wrath… vs. 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!
  - One of the four CHERUBIM – gave each of the SEVEN angels a golden BOWL…
  - BOWL [φιάλη] – a wide pan that can easily empty all its contents…
  - And the BOWLS were filled with the WRATH [θυμός] of God – who lives FOREVER and EVER!
  - We have already seen the SEVEN seal judgments – Revelation 6-8
  - We also seen the SEVEN trumpet judgments – Revelation 8-11
  - Thought to unfold over the last THREE and a HALF years of Tribulation!
- 4^th – Glory of the Lord… vs. 8
  - The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power…
  - No one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed!
  - The HOLY of holies [ναὸς] filled with SMOKE from the GLORY [δόξα] of God…
  - Making it so no one had the POWER [δύναμαι] to enter…
  - Until the SEVEN final BOWLS of wrath had been COMPLETED [τελέω]!
  - When the GLORY of LORD filled the TABERNACLE in the wilderness…
  - Even MOSES was not able to go inside!
  - Exodus 40:35 – “Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting – because the cloud rested above it – and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”
  - The imagery is intentional – it tells us WHO will bring the final JUDGEMENT…
  - The ANGELS who came out of the TEMPLE – and the BOWLS they will pour out…
  - Are being sent by the LORD – whose GLORY will fill the TEMPLE…
  - And once it begins – NO one can come in and STOP it…
  - The FINAL judgement has begun – and it will conclude with the RETURN of Jesus Christ!