Chapter Fifteen

Vision of the Angels with the seven last plagues, standing on the glassy sea (1–2); song of Moses and the Lamb (3–4); opening of the temple of the tabernacle, filled with smoke of God’s glory (5–8).

Revelation 15:1. And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven Angels having the seven last plagues, by which the wrath of God is completed. John begins the description of a great sign, which he also calls “wondrous,” as a new vision and new order. He sees seven completely new Angels, whose higher rank can be inferred from the fact that their appearance is called great and wondrous. The subsequent epithet speaks of the higher rank of the seven Angels: they possess the seven last plagues. The mission of the Angels is important in that they are heralds and executors of the highest manifestation of Divine wrath, servants of the righteous Judge and Rewarder.

Revelation 15:2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mixed with fire; and those who had overcome the beast and his image and the mark of his name stood on the sea of glass, holding the harps of God, The vision of the sea before the heavenly throne was described already in Rev 4:6; but previously it was clear and calm, like crystal, now it gleamed with fire. This sea, as belonging to the Divine throne, may be understood as a special sphere, as its reflection like the rainbow (Rev 4:3), as rays of the Divine being, expressing His nature and the character of His activity. According to the image in Rev 4:6 these rays were pure and calm (the sea was like crystal). Now the sea is mixed with fire; now God’s activity toward the world has changed, and to it is added the fire of God’s wrath. On this sea, that is, in the sphere, in the light and brightness of the majestic and terrible Divine being stand those who conquered the beast. They conquered in the sense that they did not allow, did not permit the beast to conquer them, did not submit to it; they overcame the beast’s striving to make them his worshippers, and victoriously departed into eternity to the heavenly throne.

Revelation 15:3. and they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! righteous and true are Your ways, King of the saints! Revelation 15:4. Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? for You alone are holy. All the nations will come and bow down before You, for Your acts of judgment have been revealed. They sing a song, the song of Moses and the Lamb. It is the song of Moses because it contains the remembrance of those plagues which were sent upon Egypt by the Lord through Moses. But it is also the song of the Lamb, because in it, besides that, the work of human salvation accomplished by Jesus Christ is praised. At the same time this song (v. 4) is praise for the deeds of Divine almighty power, which were manifested over the kingdom of antichrist and of which these conquerers of the beast are witnesses, as martyrs of the time of antichristian persecution, who died during the persecutions of antichrist.

Revelation 15:5. And after this I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. In verse 5 it is said that the tabernacle of testimony was opened, that is, the most important part of it, which had the significance of testimony—revelation. And if in the vision of the Apocalypse the access to the Holy of Holies, to the ark of revelation, is represented as open to all, then this must evidently mean the final moments of Divine revelation, the final manifestations of Divine judgment over mankind. From the Holy of Holies, that is, from the very throne of God, as heralds, came forth the seven Angels (Rev 15:1). They were given bowls filled with the wrath of God. And since the wrath of God, with which the bowls were filled, in Holy Scripture is almost always depicted as fire (Ps 78:6; Jer 10:25), we must believe that the Angels’ bowls were also filled with fire. As soon as the bowls were given, the whole temple was filled with smoke of God’s glory, so that entrance into it became impossible. This must be understood as an indication of the kindled wrath of God, of the impending terrible plagues upon the antichristian world.

Revelation 15:6. And there came out from the temple seven Angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and bright linen and girded at their chests with golden belts. Revelation 15:7. And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven Angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, Who lives forever and ever. Revelation 15:8. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven Angels were completed. * * * Hengstenberg, Ebrard, Andrew of Caesarea