And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name, standing by the sea of glass, having harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are thy ways, thou King of the ages. Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all the nations shall come and worship before thee; for they righteous acts have been made manifest. And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and there came out from the temple the seven angels that had the seven plagues, arrayed with precious stone, pure and bright, and girt about their breasts with golden girdles. And one of the four living creatures gave unto the seven angels seven bowls full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and none was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels should be finished. Revelation 15

Read More Than Conquerors, pp. 189–193

A. SEVEN ANGELS HAVING SEVEN PLAGUES, verse 1

The new section which covers chapters 15 and 16 stands in close connection with those that precede it. Just bear in mind that trumpets (chapters 8–11 ) warn, and that bowls (chapters 15 and 16) are poured out upon those who fail to heed the warnings. There is also a close connection between the present section and the immediately preceding one, for the bowls are poured out on the men who have the mark of the beast (see 16:2). These men were introduced in the vision of the Christ versus the Dragon and his Allies (see 13:16).

The Bible itself makes the connection between the present and the preceding vision very clear by stating at the very beginning of chapter 15, “And I saw another sign in heaven,” etc. This very word “another” supplies the link between 15:1 and 12:1 and 12:3. Look up these three and notice (beginning with 12:1): “a great sign in heaven,” “another sign in heaven” (12:3) and then once again “another sign in heaven” (15:1). In the first of these three signs we saw the radiant woman (the Church about to bring forth the Christ-child); in the second the ugly dragon (Satan), and now in the third, the bowls of final wrath that are poured out upon those who have taken the side of the dragon. The seven angels have “the seven plagues,” that is, they are about to be entrusted with the contents of seven bowls.

B. THE TRIUMPHANT MULTITUDE STANDING ON THE SHORES OF THE SEA OF CRYSTAL, verses 2–4

The seven angels are about to receive and pour forth the bowls upon the impenitents. That implies terrible, destructive judgments. Now when God by means of such plagues reveals his wrath, even the redeemed often wonder, “Why does God do this?” And a similar why often arises even in connection with all the other ways of God with men, whether with the wicked or with the righteous. Because of our own sin-darkened minds and our proximity to all these terrible happenings our vision is often distorted. Hence, in this beautiful and comforting vision of The Sea of Crystal we are shown how God’s ways and actions look to the Church Triumphant when it looks back upon them from the point of view of the new heaven and earth.

John beholds a sea. It has a shoreline. Its waters are deep. This sea indicates God’s judgment upon earth, the ways of his providence (Ps. 36:6), “a great deep,” indeed. The fact that this sea is as it were mingled with fire shows that the ways of God are at times mingled with fiery indignation, as is true, for example, when bowls are poured forth on the impenitent. But now John notices that this very same sea, as viewed by the Church Triumphant. is a transparent sea. The redeemed can look into the very heart of it. The wisdom and righteousness of God’s ways and actions have become abundantly evident, so that the Church breaks out into singing, “Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God almighty, Righteous and true are thy ways, O thou King of the ages…thy righteous acts have become manifest.”

C. THE SEVEN ANGELS DEPARTING FROM THE SANCTUARY, verses 5–7

The heavenly sanctuary is opened, that we may understand that the wrath that is about to be poured forth is God’s wrath. The seven angels who receive the seven bowls are robed in pure linen, probably to indicate that this is sinless wrath. Their breasts are encircled with golden belts, for this wrath is golden in its integrity. It is not at all like human wrath which so often is based on sinful, personal revenge, passion, and jealousy.

D. THE SANCTUARY FILLED WITH SMOKE, verse 8

The sanctuary is filled with smoke so that no one can enter, that is, intercession in order even now to avert these plagues, has become impossible. The impenitents have crossed “the deadline,” They have committed “the sin against the Holy Spirit,” and that sin is unpardonable.

               

Questions

1. A hardened unbeliever and his companion who is also an unbeliever but not yet hardened force a believer with them into a boat. As they are trying to cross the water a violent storm arises, and the boat capsizes. The believer and the hardened unbeliever are drowned. The other man is rescued. Things like this happen and may happen any time in hi$tory. The question, then, is this: For the believer this event was what: a seal, a trumpet, or a bowl? What was it for the hardened unbeliever? For the other man? A correct answer to these questions will show whether you have grasped the central idea of seals, trumpets, and bowls.

2. What has Moses to do with the song of the Multitude Around the Crystal Sea?

3. What is meant by “the testimony” in verse 5?

4. What well-known hymn is based on verses 2–4?

5. What is meant by “the sin against the Holy Spirit”?

6. What has that sin to do with the present lesson?

7. How can we comfort truly penitent people who are afraid that they have committed the sin against the Holy Spirit?