15 Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is ended.
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire, and 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. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,
“Great and wonderful are thy deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are thy ways, O King of the ages! 4 Who shall not fear and glorify thy name, O Lord? For thou alone art holy. All nations shall come and worship thee, for thy judgments have been revealed.”
Michael Barber gives a fascinating insight (page 187). Moses and the Israelites sang a new song on the other side of the Red Sea and now we see the song of Moses and the Lamb sung in victory by the Sea of Glass. We also see the seven last plagues which remind us of the seven plagues of Egypt.
Shadow and fulfilment again.
5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, robed in pure bright linen, and their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever; 8 and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.
The Seven bowls could be translated seven chalices. Match that with the fact that the seven Angels are wearing robes and leaving the Temple and the image of the heavenly liturgical worship being connected to events on earth continues to be unmistakable.
This is another portent/sign like the Woman clothed with the Sun (chap 12). What is the teaching of this scene?
The lesson that I draw is that God's Justice will ultimately be fulfilled. In chapter 6, the martyrs cry out, asking how long God will wait to carry out His vengeance for their martyrdom. As we see in this scene and others, the machinery of heaven works, through God's Saints and Angels. It is through them that our prayers rise up to Him and it is through them that God's Justice is meted out.
At ground level, we need to constantly be reminded of this because, down here, it often seems like the wicked prosper while the good get beat up.
Ultimately, Justice answers the call.
Chapter XVI coming up
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