The day of judgment is coming
August 15, 2022
Commentary
Chapter 15 is preparatory to the seven “Bowl” judgments. John gave us the seven “Seal” judgements in chapter 6, the seven “Trumpet” judgments in chapters 8 and 9, and now he leads us to the seven “Bowl” judgments in chapter 16.Why does there need to be these three series of seven judgments? Only God knows the real answer to this, but we can see a pattern of (1) the initial encounter, (2) the intensive assaults, and finally (3) the consuming blow. These bowl judgments take place at the end of the Tribulation.
The Scene opens back in Heaven. John is shown a sign in heaven that is described as great and marvelous (v.1). Seven Angels, each having a plague and ready to perform their duties, proceed from the Temple fully equipped for their tasks (vv. 1,5,6). They appear to be priests as well as angels because they are dressed in pure and white linen with golden girdles which marks them as priests. Before judgment falls, John sees a group of victorious saints, with harps, and they are singing the song that Moses sang (vv. 2-4) when he crossed the Red Sea (Ex. 15:1-19). This song of Moses commemorated the greatest deliverance in the history of Israel and now is being sung by the victorious martyrs who are brought through the sea of persecution to the promised land of heaven. John also sees one of the four living creatures give the seven Angels the seven golden bowls of wrath (v. 7). When this is done smoke fills the Temple, making it impossible for anyone to enter until these bowls or wrath are poured out on the earth (v. 8).
Application
God’s day of judgment is coming on this wicked world. I need to ask myself - am I doing all I can to warn people and give them the message of God’s way of escape through His Son?
Revelation 15:1– 8 (NET)
1 Then I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).
2 Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. 3 They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and astounding are your deeds, Lord God, the All-Powerful! Just and true are your ways, King over the nations!
4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy? All nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
5 After these things I looked, and the temple (the tent of the testimony) was opened in heaven, 6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, dressed in clean bright linen, wearing wide golden belts around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from his power. Thus no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues from the seven angels were completed.
Illustration: DL Moody reduced the population of Hell
It has been said that D.L. Moody, one of the great preachers and evangelists of recent years looked into the faces of more people than any man who ever lived and that he reduced the population of hell by 2 million. Many would say that Billy Graham has reached millions with the Gospel message. We here a lot of talk about the population of our world and the need to reduce it. But hell has had a population explosion for years. We need to take heed to the warning and the teachings of this precious book and help reduce the population of hell. (Lou Nicholes – Author and Missionary)