One of my favorite classical works is Beethoven’s fifth
symphony—not for its overplayed first movement, but for its incredibly dramatic
final movement. It is an ending to a monumental piece that just doesn’t quit—perhaps
because its doesn’t want to. It is as though Beethoven threw everything he
could to punctuate this famous work with an exclamation point. The moment you
think it is over, it keeps going, and going. Then you think its finally done,
but then it keeps finishing.
Revelation behaves the same way. In fact, Revelation will
say something to the effect of “it is finished” several times before really
finishing. So much culminates at the end of the book that brings the world as
we know it to a close in a most dramatic way. However, rather than waste too
much time setting things up, let’s read how the final chapter of the
tribulation will end in Revelation 15 as we observe three preparatory steps
taken before the bowls of wrath are poured out upon the wicked world. In many ways, Revelation 15 might be summarized as follows: "cue the music, final judgment is on the way."
STEP #1: The Sign of
Coming Judgment Emerges-15:1
In Revelation 15:1,
John picks up where he left off in Revelation 11. Now that he has introduced us
to some of the major characters (in chapters 12-13) and has foreshadowed the
events that we are about to observe (in chapter 14), we move back to the major
action in Revelation 15. The prophecy can ultimately be organized by means of
the series of plagues that span from Revelation 6-19. We’ve seen seven seals
broken, seven trumpets blown, and now we are going to be introduced to the
final and most severe judgments yet—the seven bowls. Three preparatory steps
set up the bowl judgments in Revelation 15 and the first of these steps
involves a sign of the coming judgments. As with so many other presentations,
the sign is introduced alongside angelic beings—“then I saw another sign in
heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues” (15:1a). While
Jesus broke the seven seals, instigating the plagues that set everything in
motion, angels blew the trumpets and will be used to pour out the bowls of
judgments here at the end. While we won’t learn more about these angels until
verse 8, John introduces them here in an effort to set up what is about to
transpire.
These angels possess
the final plagues—“which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is
finished” (15:1b). Eventually, the reader will learn that these plagues are not
merely the “last” of the series of judgments lodged against the world, they are
the final judgments in history (Osborne, Revelation, 561). The theme of
finality is highlighted by the use of “is finished” (ἐτελέσθη)—coming from the same word uttered by Jesus upon the cross. It conveys
the completion of a process or the end of some enduring work. Though we are
still a long way from the end of the book, Revelation can’t help itself but
punctuate its final passages with this theme of “the end” (much like the end of
the fourth movement to Beethoven’s 5th symphony).
STEP #2: The Redeemed
Celebrate the Coming Judgments-15:2-4
After setting things up with the description of this sign,
John sees the redeemed celebrating the coming judgments in 15:2-4. The location
of this joyful chorus is described first—“and I saw something like a sea of
glass mixed with fire” (15:2a). Jewish texts often spoke of rivers of fire
proceeding from God’s throne (based on Daniel 7:9-10). Here, this image is
mixed with the imagery of the heavenly temple on the glass sea (see also Gen.
1:7; 1 Kings 7:23-26; Ezekiel 1:22).
Revelation 4:6-“and
before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal…”
Ezekiel 1:22-“Now
over the heads of the living being there was something like an expanse, like
the awesome gleam of crystal, spread out over their heads,…”
The crystal sea is a major metaphor for the awesome majesty
of God. However, the addition of “fire” also highlights the holiness of God as
well—holiness that will be witnessed in the judgment of the world soon to come.
Those worshiping through song here on this glassy sea are
doing so in the glorious presence of God as victorious conquerors “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” (15:2b). These saints
have conquered on three levels. First, they have ultimate victory over the beast
himself (the antichrist) as will be witnessed on an existential level in Revelation
19. Second, they have victory over his image—i.e. the temptation to capitulate
and worship the beast. “Image” conveys the worldly tendency toward idolatry (do
not make for yourself a graven image…-Exod. 20:4ff). This was true in John’s
description of the Antichrist’s henchman (the false prophet) in Revelation
13:15.
Revelation 13:15-“And it was given to him to give
breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak
and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”
Third, they have victory over the “number of his name”—i.e.
the worldly pressures that come with the beasts’ wicked order. If one remembers
that the “number of the beast” will be required to purchase goods and services
(Revelation 13:16ff), she can see that to be victorious over the number is to
not give into worldly assimilation under extreme pressure.
These that have overcome so much are shown “standing on the
sea of glass, holding harps of God” (15:2). Notice here that the posture
assumed by these saints is the same taken by their Savior—“the Lamb, standing
as if slain” (Rev. 5:6). Just as Christ was victorious after death and
humiliation, these saints are standing in victory after their perseverance in
the face of death and persecution. In fact, there is an awesome paradox at work
here. Though the beast appeared to conquer the saints by killing them (11:7;
13:7), in reality he will be conquered by the saints (12:11) and the Lamb.
Their death—both of the saints and of the Lamb earlier—does not spell defeat,
but victory (Osborne, Revelation, 562). The theme of victory in death is
not new.
Galatians 2:20-21 –“I have been crucified with
Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the
body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me…”
1 Peter 2:24 –“and He Himself bore our sins in
His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness;
for by His wounds you were healed.”
Romans 6:8- “Now if we died with Christ, we believe
that we will also live with him.”
These passages teach that giving one’s life for Christ is
the most victorious and life-giving thing that can even happen, both on a
spiritual level and, if necessary, on a physical level. This is true for
believers today and will be true for the tribulation saints who endure the most
extreme persecution even experienced in the end.
With harps in hand,
the saints in this passage sing an old spiritual first published by Moses—“And
they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb”
(15:3a). Though Moses penned several songs, the song that Revelation 15 has in
mind is probably the song of triumph and praise that Moses wrote after his
people came safely across the sea, where their enemies drowned (see Exod. 15:1-18).
In fact, these saints (many of whom are probably saved Jews who placed belief
in Jesus during the tribulation period and died for their faith) will probably
delight in the parallels between their position on the crystal sea before the
throne of God and the Hebrews who walked through the trials of Egyptian slavery,
witnessed the plagues of judgment against a wicked pharaoh, and were safe and
sound after miraculously crossing the Red Sea that swallowed their enemies
whole (see Keener, IVPBBC, 760). Here, the saints conflate the ancient
song of Moses with a new song “of the Lamb,” recognizing that any and all
ultimate victory comes in and through him who also endure persecution and gave
up his life in persevering obedience to God.
The song exclaims
the following: “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways, King of nations! 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,…” (15:3b-4).
The first part of the song celebrates the works and ways of the Lord. These
works create impressions of greatness and amazement (as was shared earlier in
verse 1). “Much as his works were great and wonderful in judging the Egyptians at
the Red Sea, they also are and will be great and will cause astonishment in
punishing the world through the seven last plagues” (Thomas, Revelation
8-22, 236). The song indicates that these great and mighty works are being
performed by the “Lord God, the Almighty” (15:3b)—a title that refers back to
the label employed in the song of the four living beings in 4:8 and by the twenty
four elders in 11:17. The “ways” of this Almighty God are called “righteous and
true” in the stanzas of this tune (15:3c). In other words, the saints profess
that God’s ways are absolutely just and sound. God is also called “the King of
nations”—i.e. in total control over the goings on in the world.
As the song
progresses, the celebrants notice the inevitability of fearing God and giving
him glory (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 237)—“who will not fear, O Lord, and
glorify Your name?” (15:4a). After all, as Philippians 2:10-11 states, “that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory
of God the Father.” (see also Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:11). Whether in confession
leading to salvation or in awful realization at the hands of judgment—all will acknowledge
the great glory of God. Such is appropriate as, the singers share, “for You
alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your
righteous acts have been revealed” (15:4b).
STEP #3: The Bowls of
Judgment are Distributed-15:5-8
The final step in the preparations for the last round of
judgments concerns the distribution of the bowls in verses 5-8. As has been
seen repeatedly in the book, the mandate for these and other judgements comes
from the temple—that is the heavenly temple/abode of the presence of God—“After
these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven
was opened” (15:5). God is both directly and indirectly involved in all the
details that will result in the end of this world and the ushering in of the
world to come. It is he who instigates every stage of the process to that end.
After the opening of
the door to the heavenly tabernacle—“seven angels who had the seven plagues came
out of the temple” (15:6a). These are the same angels already mentioned in
verse 1. However, here John describes these in greater detail—“clothed in
linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes” (15:6b).
The unique garb of these angelic mediums is reminiscent of the garments worn by
priests in the Old Testament (Lev. 16:4, 23). Perhaps these angels are serving a
priestly function in the temple of God much as the priests of old managed
activities in the earthly temple of the Old Testament. Their “clean and bright”
robes match those given to the bride of the Lamb later in 19:8 and those adorned
by the army of 19:14. Not only are they pure and glorious as indicated by the linens,
they are prepared as they are “girded with a golden sash.” Prepared for what?
Pouring out the wrath of God upon a deserving planet.
This task is handed
to them by “one of the four living creatures,” who “gave to the seven angels
seven golden bowls full of wrath of God, who lives forever and ever” (15:7). Up
to now, these four living creatures have been fairly active. They have guided
heavenly worship in 5:6-7, sent the four horsemen of the apocalypse in 6:1-8,
and they participates in worship in 7:11 and 14:3. Here, they distribute the bowls
that contain the final plagues that will be poured out over the earth. Though
the meaning of the golden bowls is debated (are they the golden bowls of
incense and the prayers of the saints as in 5:8 or the golden saucers that were
found on the table of showbread and used for sacred libations to God (see Exod.
25:29; 27:3; 38:3)). Two things can be sure: 1) The outpouring of the judgment
to come will be a sacred offering to God that will vindicate his name and bring
him glory and 2) these judgments come in response to the prayers of the saints
(see 5:8; 8:3-5) (Osborne, Revelation, 570).
These bowls are
filled with God’s wrath—the wrath of the eternally existing God. Such wrath
against a wicked world has been building up for some time and will, quite
literally, spill over.
After these bowls of
wrath are given to their respective agents, “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” (15:8). Similar
spectacles were seen in the Old Testament in and around the tabernacle. For
instance, when the tabernacle was first set up in Exod. 10:34-35, “the cloud
covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”
Also, when the ark of the covenant was brought into the temple in 1 Kings 8:10-12,
a “dark cloud” symbolizing the presence of God filled the temple. In Isaiah 6’s
vision, the seraphim proclaimed that the holiness of God caused the whole world
to be filled with his glory and at that time “the temple is filled with smoke”
(Isa. 6:3-4). Osborne writes, “these three images—smoke, glory, and power—combine
to make the outpouring of judgment in Rev. 16 an act of worship. The name of God
is vindicated, and his glory is demonstrated in these bowls of wrath” (Osborne,
Revelation, 572).
The smoky temple
will be off limits until the “seven plagues of the seven angels were finished”
(15:8b). Here, the same verb is used that was introduced in verse 1 to suggest
finality (“is finished”). This inclusio (bookends for the passage),
is used to highlight that what is about to happen will bring about the end of
the world as we currently know it.
So What?
Three important preparatory
steps are taken in this passage that set up the final round of culminating judgments
upon the earth. These steps demonstrate the sovereignty of God and the ultimate
victory his people can expect over their many foes. However, as far as things
can be applied today, this passage also demonstrates a couple of timeless lessons.
First, God responds to the cries of his people. Just as God heard his people’s
cry in Egypt and answered in a most deliberate and miraculous way, so too will
he hear the cries of his people in the end and respond by bringing them victory
and vindication. The same God who listened then and will listen in his future
is listening to you when you cry out to him. What a comfort to know that the omnipotent
sovereign Lord of the universe listens and responds when we cry out to Him!
Second, this passage teaches that the
best way to experience true victory in this life and the next is by giving everything
over to Christ and his purposes, even/especially if this requires your life!
Jesus said as much in Matthew 16:25-“For whoever wants to save their life will
lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” This passage has
indicated, in no uncertain terms, that those who stand for Christ against all
the pressures of the world, though they may fall at the hands of persecution,
will ultimately be standing on the crystal sea worshiping in the glory of
heaven. Can this be said of you today? Cry out to God! He will respond!
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