‘Day 274

“And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 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 finished.” Revelation 15:7-8, (NASB). 

The wrath of God is ready to be poured out on an unrepentant world that has spurned the free gift of His grace, crucified His Son, and persecuted His followers. Christ, who has interceded on man’s behalf, has left the temple. Probation has closed for humanity. The glory of God has filled the temple and the four angels who have been holding back the winds of strife (Rev 7:1) are turned loose. Now the seven angels, having the seven plagues, can complete their work.

Rev11:18 had summarized events on earth right before the battle of Armageddon: “The nations were angry”. This state of affairs on earth matches Jesus’ description of the last days (Luke 21:25) and is followed by God’s wrath, which are His judgments in the form of the seven last plagues upon the unrepentant (Rev 15:12). The phrase “the wrath of God” occurs 7 times between Rev14:10 and 16:19.

Rev 15 opened with the picture of seven angels with seven bowls filled with this divine wrath. But before this outpouring happens, we have a future glimpse of God’s faithful people (Rev 15:1-4). They are described as victorious “over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name” (Rev 15:2,) as they stand on something resembling a sea of glass and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb – all images reminiscent of the Hebrews on the shores of the Red Sea, celebrating God’s victory over the Egyptians (Ex 15).

These victorious saints are the same ones referred to as the great multitude,(Rev 7:9) the 144,000 in Rev 14:1-5. Having refused the mark of the beast, they are sealed – protected from the seven last plagues. Then, at the Second Advent, their mortal bodies are transformed and clothed with immortality (1Cor 15:51-54,) and they will join the resurrected saints when Jesus comes in power and glory (1THess 4:17). 

Maranatha – “even so come Lord Jesus”.(Revelation 22:20)