1And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
Chapter 14 began with John’s vision of the Lamb and the 144,000 servants of God on Mount Zion. That vision took us beyond the persecutions of chapters 12 and 13 to the end of the Tribulation period and Christ’s return. Then, in logical progression, we heard the proclamations of three angels, the first angel coming in the place of the 144,000 to present a final plea to humanity. Then we read of two judicial reapings of the harvest of the earth, climaxing in the final battle at Christ’s return.
Chapter 15 takes us back to the context of chapter 12 to give more background information about the Tribulation period. We know this because of the words used in verse 15:1. John said, “And I saw another sign in heaven….” The expression “sign in heaven” occurs only three times in the book of Revelation:
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun….” (12:1)
“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon….” (12:3)
“And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues….” (15:1)
The word translated “sign” in 15:1 is exactly the same word as that translated “wonder” in the other two verses. It is clear that we are meant to link these three signs. The first sign was that of Israel bearing the Messiah. The second sign was that of Satan seeking to destroy the Messiah. The third sign is one of the completion of God’s anger against those who followed Satan’s false Messiah.
2And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
In chapter 4 we read about a sea that is like glass which is before the throne of God. It is a place of security (see notes under 4:6). In the verse above John saw a glassy sea mingled with fire. The fire anticipates God’s judgment which is about to be poured out from the seven bowls. John saw people standing on this sea. They were those who had not submitted to the beast and to his image and who had not taken his mark. They were standing in the place of security, and the fire of God’s judgment was about to avenge them of the persecution that they had suffered. These people had harps from God. They are victors and they have a song to sing.
3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,
The people that John saw in heaven standing on the glassy sea were singing a song, the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb. We might consider the following verses from the book of Revelation:
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” (5:13)
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” (7:9-10)
“These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.” (14:4)
The song that the people on the sea of glass sang was probably a song that Moses sang to God. The singers recognize that it is also a song for the Lamb.
saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
If we compare the words of this song with Scriptures from the Old Testament:
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11) [the LXX Greek rendering is “marvelous in glories, doing wonders”]
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty…. (Exodus 6:2-3)
He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? (Jeremiah 10:7)
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. (Psalm 86:9)
There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. (I Samuel 2:2)
Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. (Isaiah 56:1)
The song paraphrases words of Moses from Exodus 6, Exodus 15, and Deuteronomy 32. It continues with quotes from Jeremiah, David, Hannah, and Isaiah. The believers John saw standing on the sea of glass mingled with fire sang this song in worship to God the Father and to His Son the Lamb.
John’s vision of these believers is sandwiched between an introduction in verse 1 to the seven angels with the seven last plagues and the further presentation of these seven angels in verses 5-8. Why? The position of verses 2-4 makes clear to us that these believers who came out of the latter part of the Tribulation period will not be hurt by the seven last plagues. Rather, the fire in the glassy sea likely indicates that the judgments of the seven last plagues will avenge these believers of the persecution that they suffered.
We have now seen four groups of believers safe after their time in the Tribulation. In chapter 6 we saw the first group of martyrs (6:9-11). In chapter 7 we saw a great multitude which no one could count who had come out of the Great Tribulation (7:9-17). Probably they were killed at the beginning of the second half of the Tribulation, when Antichrist began to show his real self. In chapter 14 we saw the 144,000 Jewish servants of God with the Lord Jesus on the earthly mount Zion after His return (14:1-5). In chapter 15 we see the fourth group, probably those who came out of the Tribulation near the end of the last 3½ years. They “had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” (verse 2).
5And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
This verse resumes the narrative of events following the sounding of the seventh trumpet. That is, 15:5 picks up where 11:19 left off:
“And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail” (11:19).
The ark of the covenant mentioned in 11:19 contained the tables of the law given to Moses. Those tables are what is called “the testimony” in 15:5 (see Exodus 31:18; Numbers 9:15). The covenant of Law was replaced by the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:13), but the righteous standards of the Law continue to express the demands of God’s holiness. The seven last plagues will be an outpouring of God’s anger against those who have rejected His righteous standards.
6And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
The seven angels with the seven last plagues come out of the temple in heaven. They are God’s angels. They have a golden sash around their chests, as did Jesus in 1:13. He wears the breastplate of judgment of the High Priest (see notes under 1:13); they carry out His decisions. One of the four living creatures, each of whom pictures an aspect of the work of Christ (4:7), will give each of the seven angels a full bowl containing God’s fury.
We read in verse 1 of this chapter that in the seven last plagues “is filled up the wrath of God.” Verse 8 says that “no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” Thus, there will come a point when it will be too late to come to God.
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.