Revelation 15:1-8

1. Intro.
1. this chapter has a close connection with the previous chapter
1. assurances are given that all the enemies of God will be cut off
2. the saint will be ultimately triumphant
3. the anti-Christian power represented by the "beast" would be destroyed
2. this chapter is an introduction to what follows, and its interpretation is not particular difficult
3. this chapter also provides another glimpse of the joy and glory at the throne of God
2. the seven last plagues – 1
1. John sees another sign, this is the third one
1. the first sign was of the great woman in chapter 12
2. the second sign was of the great dragon in chapter 12
3. this third sign is a preview of the great events about to be played out on earth
4. the great sign is a picture of the overflowing wrath of a long-suffering judge, who finally breaks forth in fury
2. the sign was great and marvelous because the works of God which they depict will be great and marvelous
1. the seven last plagues are the greatest plagues
2. the fact that they are the last plagues reveals that these are not a reiteration of previous plagues
3. the word "plagues" means a wound or a stripe caused by a blow
1. it carries the idea of being a judicially inflicted pain, rather than a sickness
2. it is frequently rendered stripe or wound
3. these were the plagues which would come upon the beast, and would terminate the existence of this great enemy
4. all the expressions of the Divine wrath, toward the wicked, will be completed in these plagues
3. the sea of glass – 2
1. a similar vision was recorded in Revelation 4:6
1. there it was entirely clear, here it is mingled with fire (judgment)
2. the sea was unoccupied when John saw it in chapter 4, but now we see those who were victorious over the beast standing on the sea
3. they have something in their hands: "harps of God"
1. which are for to the worship of God; and used for his praise
2. denoting hearts fitted for, and tuned by the Spirit of God to praise him with cheerfulness
3. praise for preserving them from being overcome by temptations
4. these are standing, and their position denotes victory
2. those standing on the sea of glass [them that got the victory over the beast]
1. their life here on earth was terminated by martyrdom
1. physical death with eternal salvation or physical life with eternal damnation was the choice they had to make
2. multitudes had opted for the continuation of their wretched life here on earth, and all the judgments of God
2. these had gained the victory over the beast because they "loved not their lives unto death" (Rev.12:11)
3. when the true followers of Christ were exposed to persecution; and every effort was made to make them followers of the "beast," they remained unmoved, and adhered firmly to the truth
4. the songs that these tribulation saints sing – 3-4
1. they sang the song of Moses
1. a song of thanksgiving and praise
2. the song of Moses celebrates God's mighty deliverance of His people Israel from Egyptian bondage
3. it was a song about victory over their enemies
2. they sang the song of the Lamb
1. this hymn is sung in honor of the Lamb, as their great deliverer
2. it is the song of victory over sin and death
3. it is a song of justification and eternal life through the blood of Jesus
1. if Jesus did not lay down His life, and shed His precious blood, the blood offered by the high priest in the OT era would have been useless
2. all the shed blood of the OT pointed to the blood of the Lamb
3. OT saints looked forward to the shedding of the blood, while we look back to Calvary
4. without the shed blood of Jesus there is no salvation
3. the words of the song (this is knowledge about the true God that we should not forget)
1. "Great and marvellous are thy works"
2. "Lord God Almighty"
1. it is the Lord--the Ruler of all worlds
2. it is God-- the Maker of the race
3. the work of redemption is a work which could be accomplished only by one who is Almighty
3. "just and true are thy ways"
1. the judgments of the vials are terrible
2. words cannot describe the pain, the woe, the anguish, the misery they will bring; but they are true and just
3. God deals in justice and truth whether it be with His own, His enemies, or whosoever
4. God cannot be untrue, He cannot be unrighteous, His judgment is righteous
4. "thou King of saints"
5. "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord"
6. "and glorify thy name"
1. men will be brought to honor God, and to acknowledge him as the Ruler of the earth
2. friends and enemies alike will glorify Him
7. "for thou only art holy"
1. a reason to fear God
2. in these judgments he will show himself to be a holy God; a God who hates sin, and loves righteousness and truth
3. "only holy" means: in comparison to Him, no one else is holy
8. "for all nations shall come and worship before thee"
1. this has never happened before
2. it will not happen until this time
9. "for thy judgments are made manifest"
1. notice the plural of the word "judgments"
2. here God is declaring Himself to be righteous, and that is reason enough for all people to fear God
3. our prayer should be "O, God, deal with me in mercy"
4. we need the mercy of God, and the grace God, not a just reward
5. preparation for the vial judgments to begin – Revelation 15:5-8
1. these vials contain the wrath of God against the organized systems of evil, which are in power here on earth at that time
1. the pouring out of these vials of God's wrath will mean the end of all evil power here on earth
2. God's judgments are being completed so that the Millennium can begin
3. then there will be peace on earth and good will toward men for the space of one thousand glorious years
2. John sees the temple open up – 5 (the dwelling place of God)
3. seven angels come out of the temple – 6
1. each one was entrusted with a single "plague" to be executed upon the earth
2. the angels were commissioned and equipped in the temple
4. one of the beast distributes the seven vials of the wrath of God- 7
1. these are the four beast that we met in chapter 4
2. they are glorified people, and they take part in the actual administration of judgment
3. "do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" (1 Cor 6:2-3)
5. no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled – 8
1. the meaning seems to be, that no one would be permitted to enter to make intercession, or to turn away his wrath
2. the purpose of punishment had been formed, and would certainly be executed
3. the agents in this fearful work have been sent forth, and they would by no means be recalled
4. the mercy-seat was inaccessible; the time of judgment on the great foe had come
5. no intercession will avail to turn away the infliction of the Divine wrath