Sermon Text: Revelation 16

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.’ So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, ‘Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!’ And I heard the altar saying, ‘Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!’ The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (‘Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!’) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found. And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.” (Revelation 16, ESV)

Introduction

Whenever we have come to a new cycle of seven in the book of Revelation it has been my custom to, first of all, consider that cycle broadly in one sermon and then to move through it more methodically in subsequent sermons. That was my approach with the letters to the seven churches, the seven seals, and the seven trumpets, and I’d like to take the same approach with the seven bowls of God’s wrath as they are described here in Revelation 16. We will consider this passage in it’s entirety today, making some general observations, before moving through it more slowly in the the week (or weeks) to come.

There are four general observation that I would like to make about this text today.

It Would be an Error to Interpret this Passage in a Literal Fashion

First of all, we must remember that it would be an error to interpret this passage in a literal fashion.

This is a point that you’ve heard me make over and over again in this sermon series, and so I will not try to prove the point here, for I’ve already done that. I simply need to remind you that the book of Revelation, given its apocalyptic genre, is not meant to me interpreted literally. Generally speaking, the book uses symbols to communicate truth to us. Most of the Bible is to be interpreted literally. And it is a tragedy when people take passages of scripture that are meant to be taken literally and interpret them symbolically or spiritually (this they do so that they might interpret them, not as author intended, but as they would like to). We must resists that impulse with all that is in us, for it is a distortion of God’s word. But with that said, there are some passages of scripture that would be wrong to interpret literally, for they are symbolic by nature. To interpret the literal as symbolic, or the symbolic as  literal is equally problematic, for both approaches will yield error. The student of the Bible must pay careful attention to the type of literature that he or she is handling, and interpret it accordingly and with consistency. The text that is before us today is apocalyptic and prophetic. Here we have truth communicated via symbol.

Now, please do not misunderstand. The event that is symbolized here in this passage will literally happen. God will indeed pour out his wrath upon the ungodly at the end of time. But that event is described to us in a symbolic way. In other words, John was not shown video footage of the second coming of Christ and the outpouring of God’s wrath ahead of time as if exactly what John saw is exactly what will one day happen. No, John was shown a vision filled with symbols which reveal to us what will indeed happen on that last day.

When interpreting symbolism an extra step is required in the process of interpretation. Not only must we read the words to understood what the author is describing to us, but we must go a step further and ask, what does that thing represent? Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field” (Matthew 13:31, ESV). The literalist thinks, “if I wish to further the kingdom of God I must learn how to farm!” But the one who rightly divides the word of truth recognizes the symbolic nature of Jesus’s words and adds another step to the process of interpretation, asking, “what does the sowing of mustard seeds represent concerning God’s kingdom in the world?”

So no, I do not believe that on the last day those ungodly who are alive upon the earth when Christ returns to judge will experience things exactly as they are stated here in Revelation 16, as if John were shown video footage of the event ahead of time. No, I don’t believe that the outpouring of God wrath will happen just like this, with seven literal angels pouring out seven literal bowls, as they, like crop dusters, fly over the face of the earth.

But I do believe that the wrath of God will be poured out, and that the outpouring of God’s wrath will be terrible and awesome and perfectly just. The symbolism of Revelation 16 communicates these truths very effectively.

The Key to the Symbolism of the Bowl Judgments is Found in the Old Testament

Secondly, it is important to recognize that the key to the symbolism of the bowl judgments is found in the Old Testament.

Two passages are primary: First of all, the ten plagues as described in Exodus 7 and following, and secondly, Leviticus 26, where Israel was threatened with sevenfold punishment should she fail to keep the covenant that she did enter into with her God – the Mosaic Covenant – a covenant of works that could be broken.

I will not go into great detail here. For now, recognize that the seven bowl judgments of Revelation 16 are clearly patterned off of the ten plagues that God poured out upon the Egyptians by the hand of Moses to bring about the deliverance of the people of Israel so that he might lead them to the promised land. It is the historical event of the exodus and the ten plagues that stand behind and give meaning to the symbolism of the seven bowls of Revelation 16.

Remember that the bowls were first called plagues in Revelation 15:1-8. In 15:1 John said, “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (Revelation 15:1, ESV). Now they are called “the seven bowls of the wrath of God” (Revelation 16:1, ESV).

Notice that the seven bowls, or plagues, of Revelation 16 correspond to the ten plagues of Exodus 7 and following.

The first bowl of Revelation 16 corresponds to the sixth plague of Exodus wherein sores and boils did inflict the ungodly.

The second and third bowls correspond to the first plague wherein the waters were turned to blood, this time not just the Nile, but all the waters of the earth.

The fourth and fifth bowls corresponds to the ninth plague, I think, in that the sun is affected, first resulting, not in darkness, but in scorching heat, and then darkness.

The sixth bowl corresponds to second plague with the mention of frogs.

And the seventh bowl corresponds to the seventh plague with the mention of hail stones falling from the sky.

Clearly, the plagues that were poured out upon the Egyptians in the exodus event stand behind the symbolism of Revelation 16. We have only considered these things very briefly, but the similarities and the differences are obvious.

Leviticus 26 is also a significant text. In verses 1-13 blessings are promised to Old Covenant Israel should they keep God’s commandments. In verses 14-39 judgments are promised to Israel should they decide to break the covenant of works that they did enter into with their Redeemer. These blessings and curses have to do, not with the salvation of individuals, but with the nation and their prosperity or ruin in the land of promise.

The repeated threat is that, should the people disobey, God would “strike” them, or “discipline” them “sevenfold”. There is in this passage a noticeable intensification in the threatening, and it does culminate with these words from God:

“But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury, and I myself will discipline you sevenfold for your sins. You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. And I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense altars and cast your dead bodies upon the dead bodies of your idols, and my soul will abhor you. And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.” (Leviticus 26:27–33, ESV)

Clearly, both the plagues of the exodus event and the sevenfold threats leveled against Israel in Leviticus 26 do stand behind the outpouring of the seven plagues of Revelation 16.

The meaning is this, therefore. At the end of time something like the exodus event will happen again, but on a universal scale and with finality. God’s people – all in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike – will be redeemed, and the wicked – all not in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike – will be judged.

These plagues – or these sevenfold judgments – will come, not upon one people, but upon all who do not have Christ as Lord, who have taken upon themselves the mark of the beast, and not in a limited way, but fully and with finality.

God’s people will be redeemed, not from Egypt, but from this world, being rescued, not from Pharaoh, but from the Ancient Serpent himself, being delivered, not from earthly bondage, but from sin and death.

More will be said about the relationship between the bowls of Revelation 16 and the Old Testament in coming sermons. For now I simply want you to recognize, one, that there is clearly a connection (the key to understanding the symbolism of the Revelation 16 is the Old Testament, and not today’s news paper!), and two, that the book of Revelation is picking up these Old Testament themes having to do with judgment and is intensifying and universalizing them.

If you’ve spent time reading your Old Testament you’ve undoubtably come across those passages of that describe the judgment of God coming upon peoples and nations and their, so-called, gods.

The exodus event would be an example of this. The ten plagues did culminate with the death of the firstborn throughout all of Egypt. Pharaoh’s army was indeed swallowed up in the sea. It was  and act of deliverance for Israel, and act of judgment upon the Egyptians.

Also, in Leviticus 26 we read the threats that God did level against Israel at the beginning of the Mosaic Covenant, but later in the Old Testament we have an account of God actually making those threats a reality because of the Israel’s disobedience. Indeed, Old Covenant Israel would eventually be vomited out of the land and sent away to exile – those threats of Leviticus 26 did eventually fall upon Israel, for they broke the covenant.

And we also find in the Old Testament many descriptions of the judgment of other nations too. God is indeed merciful and patient, but when the iniquity of a particular nation was complete (see Genesis 15:16), God would judge them. For example, this happened to many nations at the time of the conquest, when Israel did finally enter into the promised land with Joshua at the lead. God commanded Israel to devote those peoples to utter destruction.

I know that many people are bothered by those passages of scripture where God commanded the utter annihilation of a particular people by Israel at the conquest. One thing that should be remembered is that for Israel this was an exception to the rules which typically governed their warfare. These instances of herem warfare were unique to Israel’s conquest of land promised to them. this needs to be recognized.

But the thing I wish to focus upon now is how many, even amongst professing Christians, feel compelled to explain away those difficult passages of scripture that have to do with God’s judgment of a nation. And what is their complaint? “That is not fair”, they say. Or, “God is love, never would he command such a thing.” And so with that assumption firmly rooted within their hearts they go to work to explain away those difficult passages found within the Old Testament.

One of the most common explanations is that the God of the Old Testament is somehow different from the God of the New. The God of the Old is wrathful, the God of the New is love, mercy, and grace, some say.

This view is problematic on so many levels. I’ll mention two things: One, our God does not change, but is the same yesterday, today, and forever – the scriptures are clear about this! And two, I wonder if those who make a distinction between the God of the Old Testament and the New have ever read either! For God is loving and gracious, merciful and kind in both Testaments; and in both Testaments he is also just. He has forever hated that which is evil and will, in due time, punish all iniquity.

Friends, the New Testament does not throttle back one bit on the theme of wrath and judgment, but intensifies it. I suppose we could also say that God’s love and grace is also intensified in the pages of the New Testament. Why? Because the Christ has come! Christ suffered and died for our sins. It’s at the cross we have the greatest manifestation of the love of of God the world has ever known. And it is also at the cross that we are given a glimpse of what it is that our sins do deserve.

But the New Testament does still speak often of judgment and the outpouring of the wrath of God. And when it speaks of God’s wrath and the final judgement it refers back to those Old Testament instances of judgment and speaks of them as merely a sampling or taste of the wrath that is to come.

Jesus himself did say concerning the town that rejects the proclamation of the gospel that, “it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town” (Matthew 10:15, ESV). Those instances of judgment that we find in the Old Testament are to be viewed, therefore, as but a small foretaste of the judgment that is to come – a judgment universal, full and final.

To put it bluntly, if you are one of those who, when you read of instances of judgment in the Old Testament, think, “I’m not fond of the God of the Old Testament”, then I doubt you’ll be fond of the God of the New Testament either, for he is the same. What God did to Sodom and Gomorrah, to Egypt, to the Amorites at the hands of Israel, and to Israel at the hands of other nations will be done at the end of history by God himself against all who have sinned against him who are not in Christ – these God and Christ will judge fully and finally at the end of time.

When you read of the seven bowls of God’s wrath poured out, and when you see that the symbolism is rooted in the ten plagues of the exodus event and in the sevenfold punishments of Leviticus 26, only modified to be universal, full and final, this is the conclusion we must come to: those judgments of old were but a partial and restrained manifestation of the wrath of God to be poured out in full strength upon all ungodly at the end of time.

Relationship to the rest of Revelation – seals; trumpets; Armageddon; judgment of dragon, beast, FP harlot; great white throne

The Bowl Judgements Reveal Something of The Final Judgment, Particularly the Outpouring of the Wrath of God Upon the Unrighteous Alive on Earth on the Last Day

Thirdly, and briefly, notice that the bowl judgements reveal something of the final judgment, particularly the outpouring of the wrath of God upon the ungodly alive on earth on the last day.

I mention this because we tend to speak of the final judgment, or the return of Christ, or the last day in general terms, but we should remember that that day will be a complex day. Here in the bowl judgments we have a depiction of the wrath of God poured out upon the ungodly alive upon the earth on the last day, but that is not all that will happen.

When we consider all that scriptures have to say about the time of end we must conclude that when Christ returns the dead in Christ will be raised and caught up with the Lord to meet him in the air, then those alive will also be caught up. Those alive and not in Christ will have God’s wrath poured out upon them (that is the thing symbolized here). All not in Christ will then be raised to stand before God at the Great White throne judgement. Also, Satan and he demons will be judged. And what should we say about the dissolution of the heavens and earth, and the ushering in of the new creation?

The book of Revelation does picture all of these things, but not all at once, and not necessarily in the order in which they will take place. These cycles give a glimpse of one thing and then other, sometimes with greater detail, and sometimes with less. For example, notice that the battle of Armageddon is only briefly mentioned here in this passage, but the book of Revelation will return to that event to describe it in greater detail in chapter 19.

The Heavenly Opinion Concerning the Judgments of God Is That They are Righteous

Fourthly, and finally, notice the heavenly opinion concerning the judgments of God is that they are righteous.

After the pouring out of the third bowl John “heard the angel in charge of the waters say, ‘Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve’” (Revelation 16:5–6, ESV)!

This angel emphasizes the justice and holiness of God and his eternality. God is just. All of his judgments – and even the final judgment – are perfectly right. He is holy and can do no wrong. He is the one “who is and who was”. In Revelation 1:4 and 8, and 4:8 God and Christ are called the one “who was and is and is to come”. The “is to come” is dropped here, for here we have a description of his coming! According to this angel God’s judgments are perfectly fitting – the punishment does fit the crime – “for they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve.”

After this John heard the alter speak. This must refer back to Revelation 6:9 and the breaking of the fifth seal where John “saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:9–10, ESV).  Now that that question has been answered by the subsequent visions, the voice from the alter says, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”

So both the elect angels and the redeemed do agree that the judgments of God are perfectly fitting, just and right.

Conclusion

I wonder, what do you think of the judgments of God?

Some scoff at the idea, I know. They are those that Peter spoke of when he warned, “that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation’” (2 Peter 3:3–4, ESV). Is this you? Do you disregard the word of God, saying, “these things will never happen” to comfort your conscience so that you might continue in your sin? Friends, do not disregard God’s word. And do not ignore the judgments of God that have already been poured out as warnings of the wrath of God to come.

While some scoff, others recoil at the thought of the judgments of God. I have in mind those who, when they hear of instances of God’s judgement, either past, present, or future, say, “that’s not right!”, or, “that’s not fair!”, or, “how could God do such a thing to us?”. It’s not surprising when the un-believing do this, but many who profess faith in Christ in our day also recoil at the thought of the judgment of God. And so they must do something with the scriptures they claim to believe. They must find a way to disregard those passages which speak of judgment.

Some simply ignore the texts that mention God’s wrath, judgment, and condemnation. These are those who love to quote John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV), but neglect John 3:18: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18, ESV).

Some attempt to explain those judgment passages aways, usually by applying some kind of evolutionary principle to the history of religion or to God himself. Their argument is basically that something has changed with God, or with our conception of God, so that we no longer think of God in those terms.

But the Christian must confess that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is the one who was and is and is to come”. And the Christian does also believe that God’s word is indeed God’s word so that what it says is true! And so we are bound to believe, not parts of it, but all of it. And what do find when we handle it with care? That God is indeed merciful and gracious and kind. Though he would have been right to judge all for their sin, he has provided a way for salvation through faith in Jesus the Christ. And he is patient with sinners. He gives good gifts even to those who blaspheme his name – he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust alike. But God is also holy and just. All sin must be punished. The punishment for sin was either poured out upon Christ on the cross, or it will poured out upon the sinner at the end of time.

Brother and sisters, I’m not saying that we should rejoice at the thought of the judgment of the wicked. Ezekiel 33:11actually reveals that God himself takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked”, and neither should we. But neither should we scoff or recoil all thought of the judgments of God. Our minds must be thoroughly renewed by the word of God so that when we think of him we do see him as loving and kind, but also holy, righteous, and just! And when we think of man we must also confess that we are, apart from Christ, very sin and deserving of God’s just condemnation. In short, we must agree with the angel and the alter who say, “It is what they deserve!” And, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” (Revelation 16:6–7, ESV).

Lastly, the thought of the wrath of God poured out at Christ’s return should stir us to be ready. Notice the words of Christ in verse 15, and with these words will close: “Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15, ESV). Friends, be ready. Repent and believe upon him for the forgiveness sins, for there is no other way to stand before God righteous! You do not have a righteousness of your own. You must be clothed with Christ’s righteousness received by faith. And once you have believed upon him, cling to him continually until he returns our takes you home.

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 15:1–18

“Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name. Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble. At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up; the floods stood up in a heap; the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea. The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.’ You blew with your wind; the sea covered them; they sank like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. The peoples have heard; they tremble; pangs have seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Now are the chiefs of Edom dismayed; trembling seizes the leaders of Moab; all the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. Terror and dread fall upon them; because of the greatness of your arm, they are still as a stone, till your people, O Lord, pass by, till the people pass by whom you have purchased. You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. The Lord will reign forever and ever.’” (Exodus 15:1–18, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Revelation 15

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.’ After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 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, and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.” (Revelation 15, ESV)

Introduction

I’d like for you to notice three things about this text before we go on to make application from it to our lives.

First of all, notice again the presence of recapitulation. Secondly, notice how this passage prepares us for the judgment scenes to come. And thirdly, notice how this passage pauses to gives us a glimpse into the world of the redeemed.

Recapitulation 

First of all, let us simply recognize the presence of recapitulation.

Recapitulation is the fancy word used by Bible scholars to describe the repetition that we encounter in the book of Revelation. The book is not ordered chronologically, as some suppose, so that what is said in chapter 15 will actually happen after what was said in chapter 14. No, the book moves in cycles, telling, and retelling the story of redemption, giving special attention to the time between Christ’s first coming and the time of the end. But we should recognize by now that the repetition that we encounter in Apocalypse is far from monotone. The book does not simply say the same thing over and over again,  but with each cycle reveals something new. With each pass some aspect of the history of redemption is emphasized that was not emphasized before. Here is one of those places where the presence recapitulation is very obvious.

In verse one we read, “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (Revelation 15:1, ESV).

For now simply notice that this new heavenly vision shown to John will describe to us the outpouring, or finishing, of the wrath of God at the end of time. And if you are paying careful attention to book of Revelation you should say, “but haven’t we already been told about the outpouring of God’s wrath?” And the answer would be, yes.

In fact the vision of Revelation chapter 14 concluded with a depiction of the outpouring of the wrath of God upon the ungodly. Look at 14:19:

“So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia.” (Revelation 14:19–20, ESV)

The final judgment was also depicted back in Revelation 11:15-19 with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The song that the twenty-four elders sang in 11:17-18 proves the point. They sang,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” (Revelation 11:17–18, ESV)

The final judgment was also depicted with the breaking of the sixth and seventh seals back in Revelation 6:12-17 and 8:1-5. Listen to 6:12:

“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?’” (Revelation 6:12–17, ESV)

What is this except a description of the last day when the wrath of God will be poured out upon the ungodly? In 8:1 the description of the final judgment is more subtle, but it is there. “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1, ESV). I argued that the silence in heaven was the kind of silence appropriate for those witnessing something as terrible and awesome as the final judgment. No celebrating, on the one hand. No objections on the other. But only solemn silence. 8:5 says, “Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake” (Revelation 8:5, ESV). This is a portrayal of the final judgment.

And so it is not hard to see that the book of Revelation does recapitulate, not only in its portrayals of the final judgment, but in other respects too, particularly its portrayals of the redemption of God’s elect. The book is constantly giving us different view points on the preservation and salvation of God people, and also the judgment, both partial and full, of those not in Christ who do stubbornly persist in their sins.

By this time you might be tempted to complain, saying, “Pastor, you also recapitulate often on the subject of recapitulation.” I do so because it is important. I would argue that most of the errors made in the interoperation of the book of Revelation are made because people fail to recognize this literary feature. Also, I do it because I believe it to be beautiful. God, in his grace, shows us what is true concerning the time between Christ’s first coming and the time of the end over and over again. And with each pass more texture and detail is added to the story. Truly, the book of Revelation is like a painting wherein the artist comes to the canvas time and time again, first to lay down a base, then to add detail, then to shade, and then to texture.

Preparation

Secondly, notice how this passage prepares us for the judgment scenes that are to come.

In verse one John describes “another sign in heaven”. This sign, he says, is “great and amazing”. And what does he see? “Seven angels with seven plagues”. These, he says, “are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (Revelation 15:1, ESV).

These seven plagues, as they are here called, will differ from the seven seals and the seven trumpets which we have already encountered in that some of those – the seals and trumpets – described, not the final judgment, but partial judgments – the kind of judgments that come upon men as they live in this world, but are not the final judgment. Indeed, the sixth and seventh seals did describe the final judgment, but seals one through five did not. Seal five provided us with a glimpse of the “souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne”, crying out for justice from beneath the heavily alter. Seals one through four described wars and famines and plagues. And these, we were told with the breaking of the fourth seal, were limited to 1/4 of the earth. And so while the judgments of God were indeed portrayed there in the breaking of the first four seals, it was not the final judgment that was portrayed.

The same can be said of the first six trumpets. The seventh trumpet did indeed take us to the time of the end, but the first six did not. The judgments of God described there were restrained by God to affect only one third of the earth. And so intensification is communicated, but trumpet judgments one through six were not about the full and final judgment to be poured out on the last day.

Not so with these seven plagues. These “are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished” (Revelation 15:1, ESV).

In verses five we read, “After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.” (Revelation 15:5–6, ESV)

These angels that John introduced in verse one are now described in verse five as coming out of “the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven” which was opened.

Remember that the tabernacle that Israel constructed in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses and after the exodus was constructed according to the heavenly realities shown to him on the mountain. Exodus 25:40 says so. Acts 7:44 and Hebrews 8:5 emphasize this. So the earthly tabernacle and temple were not the originals but were earthy copies which represented heavenly realities. Here John is seeing the heavenly reality.

These angels are seen proceeding from “the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven”. The tabernacle was called the “tent of witness”, or “tabernacle of testimony”, because it was there that Ten Commandments were kept, and these Ten Commandments did serve as a testimony or witness against the people of Israel concerning their sin. Indeed, they function as a light unto their path, but also as a witness against them. The tabernacle was, therefore, both the place where God’s people were to approach him in faith (it was also called “the tent of meeting”), but it was also the place from which the judgments of God did flow when the people were found living in perpetual and unrepentant disobedience to the commandments of God. And so this one place – the tabernacle – was both a place of worship and refuge for the faithful (a tent of meeting), and the place from which the judgments of God did flow (it was a tent of witness).

The same is true of the heavenly tabernacle. Better yet, the earthly tabernacle was simply a visible representation of that which is true in heaven. God is a place of refuge for his people. He does meet with and shelter those who come to him through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. But it is also from him that judgment flows.

And what will be the basis for his judgment? He will judge all who have transgressed his holy law. This law is contained within and summarized by the Ten Commandments, and it is also written upon the heart of man. The fact that these angels come out of “the sanctuary of the tent of witness” to pour forth “the seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished”, does show us that God will judge all who have transgressed his holy law.

God will judge all who have failed to give him the worship he so rightly deserves and have given to another instead. He will judge all idolaters. He will judge all who take his name in vain. He will judge all who violate his sabbath day. He will judge all who dishonor parents; all who murder and have hatred for others in their heart. He will judge the adulterer and the one who lusts. He will judge the thief and the one who is dishonest. He will judge the one who covets that which belongs to another. And he will send his angels before him as his ministers.

Notice that these seven angels who came forth from the sanctuary were “clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests” (Revelation 15:6, ESV). This is the way that Jesus was described as being dressed in Revelation 1:13. They are dressed like him because they represent him.

Verse seven: “And one of the four living creatures (do you remember them from earlier in the book of Revelation?) gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever….” (Revelation 15:7, ESV). The seven plagues are now described as “seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God”. We will witness these seven bowls being poured out, one at a time, in chapter sixteen.

Verse eight: “And the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished” (Revelation 15:8, ESV). Clearly the outpouring of this final judgment will be very awesome and great.

Can you see, then, how all of chapter fifteen is preparatory. No judgement is actually poured our here, but preparations are certainly made. Literarily this serves to create a sense of anticipation leading up to this great and amazing event. Also, it seems to communicate something of the mercy of God. He, by his mercy, does not give us what our sins deserve now, but is patient and long-suffering.

A Pause

Thirdly, let us recognize how this passage pauses to gives us a glimpse into the world of the redeemed.

Verses two through four seem out of place, don’t they? But this is intentional. In verse one the seven angles with seven plagues are introduced. In verses five through eight they become the focus again, as they are prepared to pour out the wrath of God upon lawbreakers. But in verses two through four the focus is on the redeemed. There we read,

“And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, ‘Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.’” (Revelation 15:2–4, ESV)

You should be used to this kind of thing by now. Remember the interludes that we found inserted in between seals six and seven and trumpets six and seven? The focus in both the seal and trumpet cycles was mainly upon the ungodly and God dealings with them, but before the end of these cycles we encountered a pause where the focus of attention was shifted to the redeemed of God and their salvation in Christ Jesus.

Between the breaking of the sixth and seventh seals we found, inserted in chapter seven, a vision of the 144,000 sealed by God, and then a vision of “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands” (Revelation 7:9, ESV), giving praise to God – the vision was of the redeemed in heaven. Between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets we found, inserted in chapter eleven, a vision of two faithful witnesses, preserved by God as they ministered on earth. These interludes, or pauses, served two purposes. One, they gave a sense of delay, as if to say, the end is not yet. Two, they gave an answer to the question, “what about the people of God? How will they fair in the midst of these trials, tribulations and judgments?” The answer is that God knows and is able to keep those who belong to him.

Something similar is happening here in 15:2-4. Preparations for the outpouring of God’s wrath are being made. We will see the outpouring of God’s wrath portrayed in chapter sixteen. But before we get there, God’s word does provide us with a picture of the redeemed. And where are they? They are safely home and at peace.

God’s people are “not destined…for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9, ESV). As God’s people we will indeed experience tribulation in the world, but we will not come under his wrath. Why? Because Christ has stood in our place, has taken upon himself the punishment that we deserved, and we do trust in him! If you are in Christ – if you are sheltered by his wings – you will not come under the wrath of God.

This, I think, was the thing being symbolized in the previous passage too. In 14:14-16 we saw a depiction, first of all, of the harvest of the righteous unto salvation on the last day, and then we saw a depiction of the harvest of the wicked unto condemnation.

And here in this passage preparations are being made for the outpouring of the wrath of God by the “seven angels with seven plagues”, which are the “seven bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.” But before even one of these bowls of the full and final wrath of God is poured out, we see that God’s people are safely home.

These are seen standing beside (or upon) “a sea of glass mingled with fire… with harps of God in their hands.”

Think about the imagery here. It is really quite beautiful. And you must think about the imagery, not only with the rest of the book of Revelation in mind, but the whole of scripture. Where are these worshippers of God standing? They are standing beside (or upon) “a sea of glass mingled with fire”.

Remember that this sea of glass was first mentioned in Revelation 4:6 as being before the throne of God in heaven. On earth there is turmoil, but in heaven there is perfect tranquility. The turmoil of this world cannot effect heaven. God is not disturbed by his enemies. God is not affected from without. His heavenly kingdom and his heavenly purposes are never in danger.

Also, remember that not long ago in the Apocalypse John saw “a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads” (Revelation 13:1, ESV). Again, the seas of this world are tumultuous. The beast rises from there, works for the dragon, and represents political powers that persecute the people of God. And so the people of God do suffer as they sojourn in this world. They are threatened constantly by tumultuous seas and the evil that rises from there.

But here the saints are seen, no longer battered by stormy seas, no longer at war with the beast who rises from there, but they are peace. The sea that they now stand upon is like glass. All is right. All is as it should be.

The sea is said to be “like glass mingled with fire.” Fire symbolizes judgment. The picture is that of a tumultuous sea made calm because the one who stirred up the sea by rising out of it has been judged by God and eternally condemned. And so there the people of God stand. They are peace. No longer are they threatened or persuade. They have harps in their hand to give worship to God. These are the ones “who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name.” These are the elect of God as seen in glory.

And they sing a song. Notice that it is said to be “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb…” (Revelation 15:3, ESV).

The original song of Moses was read at the beginning of this sermon from Exodus fifteen. But do you remember what happened in Exodus fourteen? It is there that we find the story of God’s parting of the Red Sea at the hand of Moses so that the people of Israel could pass through to escape Pharaoh who had pursued them into the wilderness with his army. The song of Moses was a celebration of God’s deliverance of his people through tumultuous waters and from Pharaoh, who, in Ezekiel 29:3, is referred to as “the great dragon”.

But the song sung here in Revelation fifteen is not exactly the same as the original song of Moses. For one, it is called “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3, ESV). This song is ultimately about Jesus. Secondly, this song is about the accomplishment of things far greater and far more universal than what was accomplished at the Exodus by the hand of Moses.

The ten plagues leveled against the Egyptians at the hand of Moses, as awesome as they were, were nothing at all compared to the seven plagues given by God and Christ to the seven angels, for they are the last, and with them the wrath of is finished.

Moses delivered Old Covenant Israel from Egypt. Christ delivered New Covenant Israel from sin and death.

Moses defeated Pharaoh. Christ has overcome the dragon himself, the beast and false prophet.

Moses led the people through the tumultuous waters of the Red Sea. Christ will still all waters at his return so that nothing will threaten his people at all for all eternity.

The deliverance brought about through Moses did cause the Egyptians to give glory to God as well as the sounding nations, but at the return of Christ all will bow the knee to confess that he is Lord, either willingly or by compulsion.

This is why we hear the redeemed sing: “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:3–4, ESV).

The salvation provided for Old Covenant Israel by the hand Moses pales in comparison to the salvation provided for the elect by Christ. The first Exodus was but a precursor to the second. It served as a shadow of better things yet to come.

Application

How then should we apply these truths?

I wonder, how will you fair when the seven angels with the seven plagues of God come forth from the heavenly tent of witness to judge fully and finally on that last day? How will you fair when your life is compared with God’s holy law? Will you stand or will you fall?

If you are trusting in your own righteousness, you will not stand, but will fall, “as it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one…Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19–20, ESV). But if you are found believing in Christ you will stand. You will be made to stand by the grace of God, being justified in Christ, having been washed of yours sins and covered in his righteousness. Be sure that you are in Christ on that last day. Be sure that you are in Christ before you breath your last, for there is no room for repentance after death.

Friends, acknowledge your sin, turn from it, and look to Christ today for the forgiveness of your sins, and then remain in him. Your sins will be judged.  The question is, who will take the judgment? The cup of God’s wrath will be poured out upon your sins. God’s wrath will either be poured out upon you, or it has been poured out upon Christ. The cup of God’s wrath will be drunk to the dregs. Will you drink it? Or has Christ absorbed it in your place? You must believe upon him, friends. You must turn from your sins and cry out to Christ, saying, “have mercy upon me!”

And for those of you who are in Christ I wonder, do you stand in awe of the salvation that has provided for you in Christ Jesus?

Imagine standing amongst the freshly redeemed Israelites under the Old Covenant. Imagine standing on the opposite side of the Red Sea, having just passed through, and having witnessed the waters fall in upon the mighty Egyptians. Imagine looking upon Moses by whom your deliverance was accomplished. Remember the plagues. Remember how you did plunder the Egyptians as you left. Indeed, you would have stood in awe of the salvation that the Lord had provided for you.

How much more should we stand in awe of the redemption accomplished by Christ, for it is far greater. Christ has redeemed us, not from Egypt, but from the domain of darkness. He has defeated, not Pharaoh, but the evil one himself. He has led us through, not the Red Sea, but the waters of God’s wrath. And he brought us, not into the promised land, but has guaranteed our place in the new heavens and the the new earth. How could we not stand in awe of the salvation our Lord has provided, and give thanks?