Prelude to the Bowl Judgments

15 Then (A)I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: (B)seven angels having the seven last plagues, (C)for in them the wrath of God is complete.

And I saw something like (D)a sea of glass (E)mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, (F)over his image and [a]over his mark and over the (G)number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, (H)having harps of God. They sing (I)the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the (J)Lamb, saying:

(K)“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
(L)Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the [b]saints!
(M)Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are (N)holy.
For (O)all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”

After these things I looked, and [c]behold, (P)the [d]temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the [e]temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, (Q)clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. (R)Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (S)who lives forever and ever. (T)The temple was filled with smoke (U)from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 15:2 NU, M omit over his mark
  2. Revelation 15:3 NU, M nations
  3. Revelation 15:5 NU, M omit behold
  4. Revelation 15:5 sanctuary, the inner shrine
  5. Revelation 15:6 sanctuary, the inner shrine

The Angels With the Last Plagues

15 Then I saw another wonder in heaven. It was great and amazing. There were seven angels bringing seven plagues. These are the last plagues, because after these, God’s anger is finished.

I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. All those who had won the victory over the beast and his idol and over the number of its name were standing by the sea. These people had harps that God had given them. They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and wonderful are the things you do,
    Lord God All-Powerful.
Right and true are your ways,
    Ruler of the nations.
All people will fear you, O Lord.
    All people will praise your name.
    Only you are holy.
All people will come and worship before you,
    because it is clear that you do what is right.”

After this I saw the temple, the holy place of God’s presence,[a] in heaven. It was opened, and the seven angels bringing the seven plagues came out. They were dressed in clean, shining linen cloth. They wore golden bands tied around their chests. Then one of the four living beings gave seven golden bowls to the seven angels. The bowls were filled with the anger of God, who lives forever and ever. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory and the power of God. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 15:5 holy place of God’s presence Literally, “tent of the testimony.” See “Holy Tent” in the Word List. Read Ex. 25:8-22.

The Last of the Terrible Troubles

15 After this, I looked at the sky and saw something else that was strange and important. Seven angels were bringing the seven last terrible troubles. When these are ended, God will no longer be angry.

Then I saw something that looked like a glass sea mixed with fire, and people were standing on it. They were the ones who had defeated the beast and the idol and the number that tells the name of the beast. God had given them harps, (A) and they were singing the song his servant Moses and the Lamb had sung. They were singing,

“Lord God All-Powerful,
you have done great
    and marvelous things.
You are the ruler
    of all nations,
and you do what is
    right and fair.
(B) Lord, who doesn't honor
    and praise your name?
You alone are holy,
and all nations will come
    and worship you,
because you have shown
that you judge
    with fairness.”

(C) After this, I noticed something else in heaven. The sacred tent used for a temple was open. And the seven angels who were bringing the terrible troubles were coming out of it. They were dressed in robes of pure white linen and wore belts made of pure gold. One of the four living creatures gave each of the seven angels a bowl made of gold. These bowls were filled with the anger of God who lives forever and ever. (D) The temple quickly filled with smoke from the glory and power of God. No one could enter it until the seven angels had finished pouring out the seven last troubles.

The Song of Moses and of the Lamb

15 Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

“Great and marvelous are your works,
    O Lord God, the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
    O King of the nations.[a]
Who will not fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
    For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
    for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

The Seven Bowls of the Seven Plagues

Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open. The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothed in spotless white linen[b] with gold sashes across their chests. Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.

Footnotes

  1. 15:3 Some manuscripts read King of the ages.
  2. 15:6 Other manuscripts read white stone; still others read white [garments] made of linen.

15 1 The seven Angels having the seven last plagues. 3 They that conquered the beast praise God. 6 To the seven Angels, 7 seven vials full of God’s wrath are delivered.

And [a]I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven [b]Angels having the seven last plagues: for by them is fulfilled the wrath of God.

[c]And I saw [d]as it were a glassy sea, mingled with fire, and [e]them that had gotten victory of the beast, and of his image, and of his mark, and of the number of his name, [f]stand at the glassy sea, having the harps of God,

And they sung [g]the song of Moses the [h]servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, [i]Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty: just and true are thy (A)[j]ways, King of Saints.

(B)Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name! for thou only art holy, and all nations shall come and worship before thee: for thy judgments are made manifest.

[k]And after that, I looked, and behold, the Temple of the tabernacle of Testimony was open in heaven.

And the seven Angels came out of the Temple, which had the [l]seven plagues, clothed in [m]pure and bright linen, and having their breasts [n]girded with golden girdles.

And therefore [o]four beasts gave unto the seven Angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God which lived for evermore.

And the temple was full of the smoke of the glory of God and of his power, and [p]no man was able to enter into the Temple, till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 15:1 This is that other place of the acts of Christ, as I noted before, 14:14. Now therefore is showed a singular work of the judgment of God belonging to the overthrow of Antichrist and his forces of which divine work the preparation is described in this Chapter and the execution in the next. The preparation is first set down generally and in type in this verse: and is after particularly set forth in the rest of the Chapter.
  2. Revelation 15:1 Of which Rev. 8:9, in pouring forth in the plagues of the world: for even these plagues do for the most part agree with those.
  3. Revelation 15:2 There are two parts of the narration: one the confession of the Saints glorifying God, when they saw that preparation of the judgments of God, unto verse 4: another the vocation, instruction, and confirmation of those instruments which God hath ordained for the execution of his judgments, in 4 other verses.
  4. Revelation 15:2 This part of the vision alludeth unto the sea or large vessel of brass in which the Priests washed themselves in the entrance of the Temple: for in the entrance of the heavenly Temple (as it is called, verse 5) is said to have been a sea of glass, most lightsome and clear, unto the commodity of choice mixed with fire, that is, as containing the treasury of the judgments of God, which he bringeth forth and dispenseth according to his own pleasure: for out of the former, the Priests were cleansed of old and out of this the ungodly are destroyed now, Rev. 4:6.
  5. Revelation 15:2 That is, the Godly martyrs of Christ, who shall not give place even in miracles unto that beast: of these, see before, Rev. 13:17 and 14:9, 10.
  6. Revelation 15:2 Glorified God, from the particular observation of the weapons and instruments of God’s wrath, floating in the sea of glass.
  7. Revelation 15:3 That song of triumph which is Exod. 15:2.
  8. Revelation 15:3 So is Moses called for honor’s sake, as it is set forth, Deut. 34:10.
  9. Revelation 15:3 This song hath two parts, one a confession, but particular in this verse, and general, in the beginning of the next verse: another, a narration of causes belonging to the confession, whereof one kind is eternal in itself, and most present unto the godly in that God is both holy, and alone God, another kind is future and to come, in that the elect taken out of the Gentiles (that is, out of the wicked ones and unbelieving: as Rev. 11:2) were to be brought unto the same state of happiness by the magnificence of the judgment of God, in the next verse.
  10. Revelation 15:3 Thy doings.
  11. Revelation 15:5 The second part of the narration (as was [noted,] verse 2) wherein first the authority of the whole argument and matter thereof is figured by a forerunning type of a temple opened in heaven, as Rev. 11:19, namely that all those things are divine and of God, that proceed from thence, in this verse. Secondly, the administers or executors, come forth out of the Temple, verse 6. Thirdly, they are furnished with instruments of the judgments of God, and weapons fit for the manner of the same judgments, verse 7. Finally they are confirmed by testimony of the visible glory of God, in the last verse. A like testimony whereunto was exhibited of old in the Law, Exod. 40:34.
  12. Revelation 15:6 That is, commandments to inflict those seven plagues. Here is the figure called Metonymy.
  13. Revelation 15:6 Which was in old time a sign of the kingly or princely dignity.
  14. Revelation 15:6 That is, girding was a sign of diligence, and the girdle of gold was a sign of sincerity and trustiness in taking in charge the commandments of God.
  15. Revelation 15:7 Of these before, Rev. 4:7.
  16. Revelation 15:8 None of those seven Angels might resume, till he had performed fully the charge committed unto him according to the decree of God.