Revelation chapters 15-16
What do these Seven last Plagues Represent? and When do these events occur in History?
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| The Seven Angels with the Seven last Plagues |
Rev 15:1 Then I saw another marvel (sign) in Heaven, great and wonderful--there were seven angels bringing seven plagues. These are the last plagues, because in them God's anger has found full expression. WNT
Rev 15:1 After this, I looked at the sky and saw something else that was strange and important. Seven angels were bringing the last seven terrible troubles. When these are ended, God will no longer be angry. CEV.
There are the Historicists who say that these were poured out on the Papacy in the past with the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars and will conclude in the future. Others say that these plagues were poured out on Jerusalem and the Jews. They seem to think that these verses refer to God’s judgments on Pagan Rome.
Most reliable interpreters see:
- These Bowls or Vials represent future, global Judgments that in their devastating effect are unparalleled in History.
- These occur at the very end of the Tribulation Period (of Seven years) culminating in the World War III or the Battle of Armageddon
- This war is the last Battle to be fought by mankind, and it will end with the Personal Appearing of Our Lord Jesus Christ as He comes to establish His Millennial Kingdom on Earth. Revelation; Four Views by Steve Gregg
Rev 15:1 Then I saw another marvel in Heaven, great and wonderful--there were seven angels bringing seven plagues. These are the last plagues, because in them God's anger has found full expression.
RWP “Seven angels (aggelous hepta). Accusative case in apposition with sēmeion after eidon. Cf. Rev_8:2.
Which are the last (tas eschatas). “Seven plagues the last.” As in Rev_21:9, “the final cycle of such visitations” (Swete).
Is finished (etelesthē). Proleptic prophetic first aorist passive indicative of teleō as in Rev_10:7. The number seven seems particularly appropriate here for finality and completeness.
Rev 15:2 And I saw what seemed to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had gained the victory over the Wild Beast and over his statue and the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass and having harps which belonged to God. Rev 15:3 And they were singing the song of Moses, God's servant, and the song of the Lamb.
Those who had victory over the Beast, His Statue and the Number of his name v.2 [These are the Tribulation saints]
Rev 15:3 And they were singing the song of Moses, God's servant, and the song of the Lamb.
Their words were, "Great and wonderful are Thy works, O Lord God, the Ruler of all. Righteous and true are Thy ways, O King of the nations.
Rev 15:4 Who shall not be afraid, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and shall worship Thee, because the righteousness of all that Thou hast done has been made manifest." WNT
- They sing the song of Moses - That which Moses sang, Exo_15:1, when he and the Israelites, by the miraculous power of God, had got safely through the Red Sea, and saw their enemies all destroyed.
- And the song of the Lamb - The same song adapted to the state of the suffering, but now delivered Christians.
- Great and marvellous are thy works - God’s works are descriptive of His infinite power and wisdom.
Righteous and true are Thy ways, O King of the nations.WNT
(Just and true are Your ways, O King of saints.) MKJV
Every step God takes in grace or providence is according to justice, and He carefully accomplishes all His threatenings and all His promises; to this He is bound by His truth.A.Clark
God is always a God of Truth
"Because he who is blessed in the earth Will be blessed by the God of truth; And he who swears in the earth Will swear by the God of truth; Because the former troubles are forgotten, And because they are hidden from My sight! Isaiah 65:16
“God cannot lie; His loving and holy perspective is always true. Jesus lived out that truth and perspective not only as an example for us to follow, but so that we might know the truth deep in our being. An essential key to our wholeness and freedom is receiving God’s truth and applying it to the beliefs that guide our lives.”
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King of saints MKJV Differing renderings King of the Ages NIV King of the nations WNT
nations ethnos Grk. eth'-nos
Probably from G1486; a race (as of the same habit), that is, a tribe; specifically a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually by implication pagan): - Gentile, heathen, nation, people.
Rev 15:4 Who shall not be afraid, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and shall worship Thee, because the righteousness of all that Thou hast done has been made manifest." WNT
Who shall not be afraid, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? For Thou alone art holy.
Who shall not — Greek, “Who is there but must fear Thee?” Compare Moses’ song, Exo_15:14-16, on the fear which God’s judgments strike into the foe.
Exo 15:14 The people shall hear, being afraid. Sorrow shall take hold on the people of Philistia.
Exo 15:15 Then the princes of Edom were terrified. Trembling seized upon the mighty men of Moab. All the people of Canaan shall melt away.
Exo 15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them. By the greatness of Your arm they shall be still as a stone, until Your people pass over, O Jehovah; until the people whom You have purchased pass over.
all nations shall come — alluding to Psa_22:27-31; compare Isa_66:23; Jer_16:19. The conversion of all nations, therefore, shall be when Christ shall come, and not till then; and the first moving cause will be Christ’s manifested judgments preparing all hearts for receiving Christ’s mercy.
He shall effect by His presence what we have in vain tried to effect in His absence. The present preaching of the Gospel is gathering out the elect remnant; meanwhile “the mystery of iniquity” is at work, and will at last come to its crisis; then shall judgment descend on the apostates at the harvest-end of this age (Greek, Mat_13:39, Mat_13:40) when the tares shall be cleared out of the earth, which thenceforward becomes Messiah’s kingdom. The confederacy of ‘the apostates against Christ becomes, when overthrown with fearful judgments, the very means in God’s overruling providence of preparing the nations not joined in the Antichristian league to submit themselves to Him.
He shall effect by His presence what we have in vain tried to effect in His absence. The present preaching of the Gospel is gathering out the elect remnant; meanwhile “the mystery of iniquity” is at work, and will at last come to its crisis; then shall judgment descend on the apostates at the harvest-end of this age (Greek, Mat_13:39, Mat_13:40) when the tares shall be cleared out of the earth, which thenceforward becomes Messiah’s kingdom. The confederacy of ‘the apostates against Christ becomes, when overthrown with fearful judgments, the very means in God’s overruling providence of preparing the nations not joined in the Antichristian league to submit themselves to Him.
judgments — Greek, “righteousnesses.”
All nations shall come and shall worship Thee, because the righteousness of all that Thou hast done has been made manifest."
| All nations shall Worship Him |
From G4314 and probably a derivative of G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.
Rev 15:5 After this, when the doors of the temple [sanctuary] of the tent of witness in Heaven were opened, I looked;
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| "Come let us worship and bow down" Psalm 95:6 |
Rev 15:5 After this, when the doors of the temple [sanctuary] of the tent of witness in Heaven were opened, I looked;
See the notes as above on Act_7:44, where the same Greek phrase is used as here - rendered there “tabernacle of witness.” The word “temple” here - ναὸς naos - does not refer to the whole of the building called the “temple,” but to the holy of holies. See the notes on Heb_9:3. This was regarded as the unique dwelling-place of God; and it was this sacred place, usually closed from all access, that now seemed to be opened, implying that the command to execute these purposes came directly from God himself.
Were opened - Were thrown open to the viewer John, so that he was permitted to look, as it were, upon the very dwelling-place of God. From his holy presence now came forth the angels to execute his purposes of judgment on that anti-Christian power which had so long corrupted religion and oppressed the world.
Rev 15:6 and there came out of the sanctuary the seven angels who were bringing the seven plagues. The angels were clad in pure, bright linen, and had girdles of gold across their breasts.
plagues:πληγή plēgē Thayer Definition:
1) a blow, stripe, a wound 2) a public calamity, heavy affliction, plague
Each one entrusted with a single “plague” to be executed upon the earth. The meaning here is, that they were designated or appointed to execute those plagues in judgments. The symbols of their office - the golden vials - were given to them afterward, Rev_15:7.
Rev 15:7 And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven bowls of gold, full of the anger of God who lives until the Ages of the Ages.
four living creatures gave the seven angelsFrom the explanation given of the design of the representation of the “four beasts,” or living creatures, in the notes on Rev_4:6-7, it would seem that the meaning here is, that the great principles of that divine government would be illustrated in the events which are now to occur. In events that were so closely connected with the honor of God and the triumph of his cause on the earth, there was a propriety in the representation that these living creatures, symbolizing the great principles of divine administration, would be particularly interested.Barnes
seven bowls of gold, full of the anger of God who lives until the Ages of the Ages
Seven bowls of gold. The word used here - φιάλη phialē - means properly, “a bowl or goblet, having more breadth than depth” (Robinson, Lexicon). Our word vial, though derived from this, means rather a thin long bottle of glass, used particularly by apothecaries and druggists. The word would be better rendered by “bowl” or “goblet,” and probably the representation here was of such bowls as were used in the temple service. See the notes on Rev_5:8. They are called in Rev_16:1, “vials of the wrath of God”; and here they are said to be “full of the wrath of God.” The allusion seems to be to a drinking cup or goblet filled with poison, and given to persons to drink - an allusion drawn from one of the methods of punishment in ancient times.
Golden saucers, but not full of incense as in Rev_5:8, but “full (gemousas for which see Rev_5:8) of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever” (tou thumou tou theou tou zōntos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn). Portents of dreadful events.
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