Revelation 15

Revelation 15:1

THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES. “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.”–15:1. In chapter XIV. the apostle has given a swift summary of the events to the end of the world. Among these he has announced the fall of the great city Babylon, the source of persecution, the stronghold of sin. He has entered into no details concerning the events connected with its fall, save to show that the revival of true religion and the proclamation of the gospel had gradually sapped its foundations. Beginning with the fifteenth chapter the prophet enters upon a series of pictures that portray the secondary causes which co-operate with the power of the gospel, and he leads us on until the dragon, beast and false prophet are overwhelmed in the battle of Armageddon. The fourteenth chapter gives a summary of future events; the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth chapters present the same events in detail. These chapters are all connected with the fall of spiritual Babylon, and open with these words: “I saw another great sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues.” The seven seals carry us to the triumph of Christianity over Paganism. The seven trumpets lead us onward to the overthrow of the western Roman Empire by the Goths, Vandals and Huns, and the ruin of the Eastern Empire by the Saracens and Turks. The last trumpet of the seven reaches to the close of secular history with the trump of the Archangel. The seven vials also give the history of an epoch, and, like each of the series of seven, bring us to the end of that epoch. They present the series of calamities that first weaken and then destroy the power of Papal Rome. I do not venture an idle conjecture when I state that the seven vials are poured out in order to the destruction of the spiritual Babylon. Each one of three series of seven leads to the completion of a well-defined purpose. The seven seals have, a definite object, and lead us to the accomplishment of that object in the overthrow of Roman Paganism. The seven trumpets have a definite object, and lead us to the fulfilment of their design in the overthrow of the Roman Empire. Equally definite is the object of the seven vials,and equally certain that the last vial will accomplish the utter overthrow of that blasphemous power, which is variously described as a “city of fornication,” “the great city Babylon,” the scarlet adulteress, and the seven-headed and ten-horned beast. The reader will have no doubt of this if he will note the following facts:

1. Chapter XV. introduces the seven vials of wrath in immediate connection with those who have overcome the beast, his image, mark, and the number of his name. 2. The first vial, it is recorded in the next chapter, was poured out upon the, men who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. 3. The third angel pours out a vial that brings judgments upon the murderers of the saints and prophets. 4. The fifth vial is poured out upon the throne of the beast. 5. When the sixth is poured out unclean spirits come out of the mouths of the dragon and beast, and call the kings of the earth to battle. 6.

When the seventh angel pours out his vial, “Babylon the great came the into remembrance before God, to give her the cup of the wine of his fiercest wrath,” and she fell to rise no more. Thus the reader will see that the end of this series of seven plagues is to destroy the great spiritual despotism which then falls forever. Since we have ascertained the object against which these plagues are directed, we know just where to look to observe their fulfilment, and it will not be difficult to find historical events occurring successively, that correspond with the symbols as far as they relate to what is already past.

Revelation 15:2-3

“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the 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, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”–15:2-3. The scene opens in heaven. The apostle beholds a multitude of joyous ones having the harps or God, and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. We are left, in no doubt concerning the identity of these singers. They are “them in who had gotten the victory over the beast and his image, and over his mark and the number of his name.” The ground of their rejoicing is also recorded. “All nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” The mighty arm of God is to be revealed in bringing to naught the powers of evil, and especially all the great enemies over whom they had been victorious. The saints who have undergone the persecution of the beast are represented as rejoicing because the day of its judgment has come.

Revelation 15:4-8

“Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials 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 no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”–15:4-8. The apostle looks again and “behold, the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven is opened.” The tabernacle of the testimony was the Holy of Holies. Into it none but the High Priest entered, and he only to make intercession for the forgiveness of sins. Then the seven angels having the seven plagues, come forth. There is given to them seven golden vials full of the wrath of God. Then the temple is filled with “smoke from the glory of God and his power, so that no man can enter it till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. Does this mean that the heavens are shut against man during this period?

Does it mean that no one can enter the true Church until the plagues are poured out? So some have mistakenly maintained. The doors of the kingdom were opened on Pentecost, and will never be closed until the marriage supper of the Lamb. The true meaning is plain. The place of intercession has just been seen. The seven wrath angels came forth. The smoke then fills the temple so that no one can approach the place of intercession. The Greek original says no one, instead of no man. It means that the Divine purpose is fixed; the wrath angels shall pour out their vials; there is no place longer given for intercession to prevent the just judgments of God. The time of intercession has passed by, and the time for judgment has come. “No one can enter the temple” to the tabernacle of testimony, the place of intercession, to avert these judgments “until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.”