THE BOOK OF REVELATION, Chapter 15
[[This is an excerpt from my book, Mankind’s Final 7 Years Before Christ Returns: A verse-by-verse explanation of the book of Revelation]
15 And 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.
The phrase “and I saw another sign” shows that the scene and the timing has shifted. “Last plagues” means that some plagues had to come earlier. That would be referring to the first six trumpet judgments. The seventh trumpet initiates the seven bowls of wrath.
2 And 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.
These are the saints of God, who were martyred by the beast. It does not include other Christians, but only those who were victorious in resisting the beast. At this point, chronologically, Jesus has not yet returned to earth, and other Christians have not yet been raptured or resurrected. It bears repeating that, contrary to the pre-tribulation rapture view, the tribulation saints are not second-class left-over Christians.
3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who 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.
There are three other songs, in the Bible, attributed to Moses (Exodus 15; Deuteronomy 32; and Psalm 90). This is the song of Moses, and of the Lamb.
5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
“After that” indicates a change in scene, but not a change in timing. We also saw, in Revelation 11:19, the temple opened. This is at the same chronological point of just before the seven bowls of wrath are poured out. This also shows that the martyrs will be in heaven before the bowls of wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
6 And 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.
7 And 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.
8 And 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.
This is similar to the earthly events when a filling with smoke occurred as the tabernacle was set up (Exodus 40), and at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8). It also occurred in Isaiah’s vision of the Lord (Isaiah 6:1-4).
At this point, no one can come before God with intercessory prayer. Some translations say “no man”, but the Greek text literally says “no one”, so I believe that not even the angels may approach God at this time.
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