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The Book of Revelation
Unit 19
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THE SEVEN PLAGUES - THE SEVEN ANGELS RECEIVE THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH - Chapter 15
To understand the book of revelation one has to constantly visualize the vision that John was having and appreciate it as a graphic representation of spiritual concepts and spiritual issues.
v.1 "Another sign in the heaven"
Compare ch.12 vv.1 & 2 where we have " a great sign in the heaven" ("wonder" A.V) of the woman in labour who brings forth the man child. Then in Ch.12 v.3 we have "another sign in the heaven ("wonder" A.V) of the dragon, Satan who intended to devour the man child."seven angels" In chapter 8 verse 2 seven angels are given seven trumpets.
"marvellous" here we are to marvel not at the beast which comes out of the sea (ch.13 vv.1 to 3) but at what God has accomplishes.
The seven last plagues reminds us of Egypt where the plagues were directed against idolatry.
v.2 "a sea of glass mingled with fire"
The saints had resisted the mark and number of the beast (ch.13 vv.16 & 17) and were victorious over the beast. They were standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire (ch.4:6). In ch.5 v.6 the little Lamb was standing as though it had been slain. This paradox is because Jesus, in being slain, is victorious and so he stands rather than falls. Standing is the sign of victory. The saints are victorious because they resisted either thinking or acting like the beast. So they are standing on the sea of glass."God's harps" In ch.5 v.8 ff. the 24 elders praise the little Lamb with a new song, as worthy because he was slain and has redeemed the saints. In ch.14 v.2 ff. the sight of the saints praising God with harps comes from heaven. Here in ch.15 the harps are provided by God. Everything in this vision emanates from above, heaven (2.Cor.4:7,10 Gal. 2:20)
v.3 "the song of Moses"
This again reminds of Egypt. Here it is after they were delivered from Pharaoh's pursuit (Exodus 15:1-10)"the song of the little Lamb" in ch.5 vv12-14 the 24 elders praise the little Lamb as worthy because he was slain and has redeemed the saints by his blood.
In ch.12 vv.11-12 the saints overcame Satan by the blood of the little Lamb and their testimony and because "they loved not their lives unto death, because of this the heaven's rejoice."
"King of the saints" ("saints" NOT "nations") Almighty God rules the hearts of the saints because of his works.
v.4 "all nations shall come and worship before thee"
"for" the whole world will be compelled to acknowledge God's righteousness on the Day of Judgement.
v.5 "after that"
In response to this the apostle John looks up into heaven and sees "the naos of the tent of meeting of the testimony in the heaven" Everything in this vision is from above. Remember the sign is in the heaven (v.1) In Acts 7:44, Steven refers to the tabernacle as the "tabernacle of witness" It was a perpetual witness of the true tabernacle (Heb 9:1 ff. & 9 ff. & 23 ff.)"Opened" remember that John was looking from the vantage point of the sea shore (ch.13 v.1 ff. & v.11 ff.) from where he saw the beast rising from the sea the other beast rising from the land.
Child of God! Don’t let the beasts fill you with despair. Look up into heaven!
v.6 "the seven angels came out of the naos"
"temple" is from the Greek word naoV which refers to the inner sanctuary. This is the part of the temple which was measured in ch.11 v.1 it is from here that the angel with sickle came in ch.14 v.15 it is the place from which these seven angels now come "having the seven plagues""clothed" like Christ (ch.1 v.13)
v.7 "one of the four living creatures" (ch.4 v.6 ff.)
"gave" the seven angels received the golden bowls.
"bowls full of Gods wrath (A.V "vials" = "bowls") compare ch.5 v.8 "the prayers of the saints" & ch.8 v.3 ff. " the prayers of the saints" causing drastic commotion on the earth."Full" final and total
"liveth forever and ever" He is not going to go away or cease to exist. He will apply his wrath.
v.8 "filled with smoke"
A cloud filled the tabernacle and the temple at their inauguration (Exodus 40:34 ff, 1 Kings 8:10-11, 2 Chronicles 5:13,14)In Isaiah 6:4 the prophet has a vision of Almighty God and smoke fills the temple (naos). This was when God commissioned Isaiah to pronounce the judgement of Judea
The plagues hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Isaiah's warnings did not stop Judea's heart from hardening (Isaiah 6:9 & 10)
SUMMARY
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RESEARCH TOPICS
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