Reflections on Revelation 15

Revelation 15 (Contemporary English Version)
1. After this, I looked at the sky and saw something else that was strange and important. Seven angels were bringing the last seven terrible troubles. When these are ended, God will no longer be angry.
   
2. 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,
   
3. and they were singing the song that 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.
   
4. 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."
   
5. After this, I noticed something else in heaven. The sacred tent used for a temple was open.
   
6. 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.
   
7. 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.
   
8. 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.

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In chapter 15 the stage is being set for God's final wrath to be poured out on the Anti-Christ and his followers, which takes place with the pouring out of the seven bowls "filled with the wrath of God," (15:7) also equivalent to the "seven last plagues" mentioned here in verse one. Present at the appearance of the angels with the seven plagues are the saints who had been martyred that were first mentioned in chapter 6.  Verse 10 of chapter 6 records their question to God, "O Lord, holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?" Now they are about to witness the avenging of their blood. As they sing praises to God they predict that the time will come when everyone on earth will worship Him because His "righteous acts have been revealed." More specifically, they have seen God's judgment and no longer doubt its reality. If one doesn't worship God because of His greatness and His love and mercy, they will worship Him because of His judgment.

The next scene, in verses 5-8, depicts the preparation for God's judgment to take place. The seven angels with the seven last plagues emerge from the heavenly sanctuary and are handed the gold bowls with the wrath of God. As they receive the bowls the sanctuary fills with smoke from God's glory and power and no one is able to enter the sanctuary until the plagues are completed. Though God's judgment in history has at times been averted because of the intervention of one of His saints, there will be no intervention on this occasion. No priest or other agent will enter the sanctuary to seek mercy on behalf of those who will be judged. This judgment is certain. God's mercy-seat will be inaccessible for this period of time until the plagues are completed.