Chapter Introduction
Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. (Romans 11:22)
The scroll the Lamb was seen taking from the Father had seven seals. As each seal was broken, God's wrath began to be poured out on the Earth. Each event was so that those on Earth would know that Yahweh is God and Jesus is Christ. The seventh seal contained the seven trumpet judgments. Each trumpet releases another round of judgment upon the earth. After the fourth trumpet, an angel warned, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth. The seventh trumpet declared the kingdoms of the earth had become the kingdom of our Lord and Christ.
“Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.”
The prayer was answered, and the temple was opened.
In this chapter, John saw another sign that led to the seven last plagues. These plagues don’t seem to have come from the seventh trumpet (like the trumpets came from the seventh seal). There is a lot of debate about whether these plagues are sequential with the seals and trumpets or, if they are further detail about the plagues seen in the trumpets and seals. However, these are called the “last plagues.”
We always want to remember that our job is to get a clear picture of Jesus (making the right choice) and leave the rest of the picture to Him.
In these plagues, the wrath of God is complete.
Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord,
“Until the day I rise up for plunder;
My determination is to gather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth shall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8 NKJV)
Revelation 15:1
From his place on the island of Patmos, John sees another sign, this is the third (12:1,3). The word translated to sign means:
- A marvelous event manifesting a supernatural act of a divine agent associated with a message. It is portent, describing a foreshadowing of an upcoming event.
The three signs:
- The first sign (12:1) was the woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a garland of 12 stars.
- Then, in 12:3, we see the second sign: a great, fiery red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven diadems on the heads.
- Now John sees the third vision: seven angels with the last 7 plagues.
John reinforces the magnitude of these bowls by calling this sign great and marvelous. The Greek word translated to ‘marvelous’ is used six times in the scriptures. It speaks of man's attempt to describe an obvious work of God. It is through these plagues that God’s wrath will be made complete.
- The earlier judgments of the seven seals will have previously destroyed ¼ of the earth
- The trumpets will have destroyed 1/3 of the earth.
This is not enough to bring the nations to repentance. These are the ‘last’ plagues. The word is ‘eschatas’ emphasizing the end. These are the seven plagues of the very end.
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The Lord used plagues against Egypt, seen in the book of Exodus, as judgment. By them, He defined Himself, His power, righteousness, and authority over His creation. Later, God spoke of plagues in Leviticus chapter 26. In speaking to his people, He set a choice before them. If they walked in the ways of the Lord, then they would be blessed in their fields, dwell in safety, and enjoy peace.
For I will look on you favorably and make you fruitful, multiply you and confirm My covenant with you. You shall eat the old harvest, and clear out the old because of the new. I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. (Lev 26:9-12)
Then, as He continues, God speaks of what disobedience and rebellion would bring on them. If they disregarded His commandments and despised His ways, the Lord would deal with them.
God said He would appoint terror, wasting disease, fever, and sorrow of heart. He said their fields wouldn’t produce, and if they did, their enemies would eat the produce. They would be defeated by their enemies. Those who hate them would reign over them.
‘And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. 19 I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. 20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall the trees of the land yield their fruit.
‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins. (Lev 26:18-21)
Then again in verse 24, when they fail to reform their ways and walk with the Lord:
24Then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins. (Lev 26:24)
The Lord would bring vengeance by the sword. For our days, we might see this as wars and rumors of wars. He would bring pestilence upon them. This is an epidemic disease with a high mortality rate. He would bring famine to their land. If they again fail to be reformed in their ways, the Lord would bring His fury against them, destroying their cities, bringing the land to desolation, and scattering them.
Some might see God as mean in this passage, but isn’t it the other way around? Shouldn’t we see a Father who provides a way of peace, prosperity, and provision from His hand? He is a Father who patiently but sternly corrects his people. He offers them blessings upon blessings. But when their choice is clear, He will bring justice.
There are 2 different words for wrath in the New Testament.
- Orge. This is an anger that rises from a settled disposition. It's a righteous anger that flashes hot in correction.
- The other word we see is thymos. This is a volatile and passionate anger. Thymos is like a step above Orge.
We see the word thymos used here in our study today. This word is only used 18 times in the New Testament. Eight times, it's used to speak of man's wrath. When man exercises this violent and passionate anger, it is seen as an unrighteous work. One of the places this is found is in Galatians 5, listing the works of the flesh: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath (that's the word Thymos). When this same word is used speaking of God it is a right response by a just God. God is righteous and right in his wrath. When God's wrath flashes violent and passionate, He will be right in doing so.
In his sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathon Edwards put it this way:
The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose. It is true, that judgment against your evil works has not been executed hitherto; the floods of God's vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the mean time is constantly increasing, and you are every day treasuring up more wrath; the waters are constantly rising, and waxing more and more mighty; and there is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, that holds the waters back, that are unwilling to be stopped, and press hard to go forward. If God should only withdraw his hand from the flood-gate, it would immediately fly open, and the fiery floods of the fierceness and wrath of God, would rush forth with inconceivable fury, and would come upon you with omnipotent power; and if your strength were ten thousand times greater than it is, yea, ten thousand times greater than the strength of the stoutest, sturdiest devil in hell, it would be nothing to withstand or endure it.
Every day that God withholds His wrath is a day in which God offers mercy to the world. We live in the days of grace where God gives mankind an opportunity to respond to His kindness; a time when choices come easy. What have we done with it? More importantly today, what have you done with it?
Revelation 15:2-4
John saw a sea of glass. We’ve seen this sea of glass previously in 4:6 before the throne of God. However, now this sea is mingled with fire. The fire seems to indicate that the throne that had previously dispensed grace and mercy through the ages, showing patience and long-suffering toward mankind, is now the throne of vengeance and justice.
In this sea of water and fire, we might well see the word of God, by which we are washed. But there are also flames in that sea. The same word that washes some will judge others. God chose all men but few choose Him. In their rejection, they choose judgment.
On this sea, before the throne, were those who had victory. Included are the survivors and martyrs, those suffering persecution, oppression, or martyrdom. The victory is their steadfastness to resist the beast. They did not succumb to the temptation and had victory over:
- His image.
- His mark (charagmatos, 8 times in Rev, once in Acts).
- The number of his name (666 – the number of man fallen short)
Note: Repetition enhanced or reinforced the idea. If 6 is the number of imperfect men, 666 is the complete representation of the imperfect or fallen. The perfect icon of imperfection.
We saw in the previous chapters that those who held fast to the Lord were killed. These victorious ones are those who loved the Lord more than their own life. Their reward for faithfulness is divine blessing and eternal life. They had entered their rest. They have harps of gold, and they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. This is a song of deliverance from bondage and to salvation. It's a song of praise.
Every person will see the result of their choice. These folks were saved out of this time when the choice was hard. Yet they chose to be faithful and stand fast, and it cost them their life. That's why they are singing.
What a contrast this is to the praise offered to the Antichrist, to those who were conquered by the beast. They were defeated by his image, his mark, and the number of his name. Those worshiping the beast said, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war with him? they cried. In essence, these saints sing a song asking:
Who is crazy enough not to fear the Lord?
Who is so deceived not to glorify the name of the Living God?
Who is not paying attention?
Yet, many are deceived. We see it all around, do we not?
Look back for a moment to Revelation 6:9-11.
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
In chapter 15, it appears that the number is completed. The wait appears to be over. These appear to be the final believers, and God will now complete His hot judgment on an unbelieving and rebellious world.
(See Ezekiel 9:1-7)
The song is either the song of Exodus 15 or, some believe, the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. The song of the lamb is not another song but putting the salvation and deliverance for God’s people and judgment for their enemies.
Revelation 15:5-8
After the praise of this last group of Christians, John saw the temple of the Tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. We first saw the open temple at the end of chapter 11, following the blowing of the seventh trumpet. This forms a connection that causes us to wonder if these plagues overlay the trumpet judgments that bring us to the seventh trumpet.
Chapters 12-14 are parenthetical in nature, and while it's difficult to construct a timeline, this chapter seems to connect with 11. We previously saw the seven trumpets follow the 7th seal, and now these 7 bowls are in close proximity. It is the acceleration toward the end as God moves. The landscape in the heavens is changing. There is no turning back. We know how this will end.
The reference to the temple should be understood as “the temple, which is the tent of testimony.” The Old Testament tabernacle and temple were copies of what is in heaven. John saw the real tabernacle in heaven. The ‘tent of testimony’ is the center of all that exists. It is the first manifestation of God, the core of being. It is righteousness, justice, love, and grace. The judgments and wrath would flow from the rejection of God and His testimony.
The temple was open. The fallen and wicked of the Earth will be exposed to the perfect and holy nature of God. This opening of the temple is like the breaking of that dam that holds back God's wrath. Out of it came those seven angels with the seven plagues. They were clothed as supernatural emissaries of God. It's been on hold for a long time as God's wrath has built up against rebellious man. God is longsuffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God doesn't want to deliver judgment. He loved men enough to give them a way, but men didn't love Him enough to receive it. Now it’s time.
Since the rebellion in the Garden, Satan has called God's word into question. He's even been successful in our time, calling God's very existence into question. At this point, at the opening of the temple, if there is anyone left who is still in denial regarding God's existence and His word, they will be convinced. Even those who try to ignore the light of God's perfect holiness will know they are in trouble. But still, there is every indication that men will rebel and rage against God.
One of the four living creatures that tend to God's throne gave the seven angels the seven bowls of the wrath of God. These bowls are filled with the thymos of God, righteous yet volatile and passionate. It's overdue, yet it’s not late. The delay was the patience endurance of a loving God, that none should perish but come to know His love and provision. The time had come for it to be completed. The open temple opened, was filled with the smoke from the glory of God.
This isn't God throwing a tantrum. This is God releasing what has been held back for ages due to all the sin, rebellion, blasphemy, unbelief, perversion, and hatred. That same wrath was poured out on the Lamb of God. And those who trust in Jesus will be spared from God's wrath for Jesus took what we deserve. But those who reject Jesus despise the work he did as though it weren’t real, sufficient, or necessary. They sought another way, another God, or just ignored their sin as though God would wink at them on judgment day. They skated through life, hoping the heavens would never open to reveal a real, living, and just God. To those, they will receive the full strength wrath of God by themselves. Their sins will be exposed as they stand without protection before their creator.
What will that person say? Will they tell God they are a good person? Will they explain to him how unfair He is? Will they make attempts to justify themselves? Or will they just tell God how close-minded He is in claiming He is the ONLY WAY? Will they demand another chance?
Let us hear the conclcusion of the whole matter
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14)
All sin will be paid for. All debts will be settled. The settling is about to be played out. Where will you stand that day? Today is the day!!
©2005 Doug Ford, revised and updated in 2007, 2012,2020, 2024
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