Revelation 15 begins with the second great or wondrous sign,
the seven angels with the bowls of wrath.
God’s wrath comes at the time of the culmination of evil, seven being
the number of completion. The angels come from the Temple of the Tabernacle,
where God’s Spirit dwells. The picture
we see of what takes place before the throne is like a loop which circles back
to touch upon themes in Revelation 12. In Revelation 12 God’s counterpart, the
Dragon, came from the pit. We see the overcomers, those who gained victory over
the Beast’s number, standing beside the sea of glass; the knowledge of the
glory of the Lord. In contrast, the Dragon stands beside the sea which holds
the beast (Rev 13:1). The first sea is knowledge collected in men who know God;
the second sea is the knowledge which furthers error and sin upon the earth.
The first sea reflects the Son in all His glory, for His life glorified the
Father; there are no reflective properties written about the second sea.
The first sign, that of the woman being attacked by the dragon as she bore the Man Child (Rev 12), illustrated the war in heaven coming to earth. The second sign illustrates which super power will win this war: God. It is important for us to see that, when satan was cast out of heaven, he pursued God’s people. Though satan oppresses God’s people and tries to destroy them, God will destroy satan and all who follow him.
From the beginning satan has accused God of being the wrongful power over heaven and earth. After satan lost his place in the heavens as an angel, he became the devil who lies, steals, kills, and destroys. His purpose has been to destroy intimately the creation of God’s hands, Man, and to turn the hearts of men towards worshipping himself. This struggle isn’t just between God and satan, though. Mankind is involved, for it is we who choose whom to serve.
In Job we see that satan operated by accusing Job to God, and accusing God’s fairness. He said “Have you not put a hedge around Job and his household and everything that he has?” Satan accused God of blessing Job and protecting him from harm. While we see this as a good thing, Satan twisted it into the basis of his accusation against God; he thought the only reason Job was faithful to God was because God blessed and protected him. “Stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 1:9-11) Though Job passed this test and all he lost was restored, there is a bigger picture here, one in which we see that God’s creation has free will to choose whom they will worship. Those that choose to worship God provide the evidence that closes the legal case Satan brought up in the heavens against God.
Satan wants men to worship and follow him. When he is cast down to the earth he is bent on destroying all those who oppose him. But, just as Jesus gained victory over Satan when He rose from the dead, so do God’s people gain victory over Satan as well. Those who stand next to the sea of glass are a living Testimony on earth that God has people who love and follow Him. It is the people of God, those dressed in white who follow the Lamb, who stand with Him in the final victory over Satan and his own. The verdict, then, is that God has a people who love and follow Him, even if there is great tribulation on the earth. They will serve Him, even if Satan slays them. Like Job, God’s people say “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15).
Job’s story is a legal case initiated by Satan against God’s intentions towards Man. The accusations have never stopped, nor will God’s victories through His people come to an end. We will see later that God has the final say after this legal case is settled. God’s people sing the song of Moses, wherein are the words “All the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Rev 15:4) These nations sing “Just and true are Your ways, King of the Ages.” (vs 3) because justice and truth bring the resolution of the conflict between them and their enemy, Satan.
After the seven angels with the seven bowls of God’s wrath leave the Tabernacle of the Testimony, only God’s glory remains inside and none may enter. There is no one who can influence God’s decisions, for the end of the matter has been decided. We see God’s wrath depicted after the second harvest of Revelation 14 wherein grapes were cast into the winepress of God’s wrath. Though we think of those who abide in the vine as being God’s people, not all grapes represent those who love and follow Him. The Lord speaks to Israel about being a people who “have forgotten God your Savior” (Is 17:10). He likens them to a people who “set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain.” (vs 10-11). So all who do not bear the fruit of being a Christian will be cut off and suffer the fate of unbelievers; God’s wrath (Jn 15:6). God has given us everything we need to bear the fruit of righteousness andto be gathered in the first harvest of overcomers. (see 2 Peter 1:3-4)
Because of Satan’s influence on Mankind, the earth will grow increasingly evil. Indeed, Jesus tells us that “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Mt 24:22). And so we will read about God’s judgments on all who serve His enemy, Satan, who is the Dragon.
The first sign, that of the woman being attacked by the dragon as she bore the Man Child (Rev 12), illustrated the war in heaven coming to earth. The second sign illustrates which super power will win this war: God. It is important for us to see that, when satan was cast out of heaven, he pursued God’s people. Though satan oppresses God’s people and tries to destroy them, God will destroy satan and all who follow him.
From the beginning satan has accused God of being the wrongful power over heaven and earth. After satan lost his place in the heavens as an angel, he became the devil who lies, steals, kills, and destroys. His purpose has been to destroy intimately the creation of God’s hands, Man, and to turn the hearts of men towards worshipping himself. This struggle isn’t just between God and satan, though. Mankind is involved, for it is we who choose whom to serve.
In Job we see that satan operated by accusing Job to God, and accusing God’s fairness. He said “Have you not put a hedge around Job and his household and everything that he has?” Satan accused God of blessing Job and protecting him from harm. While we see this as a good thing, Satan twisted it into the basis of his accusation against God; he thought the only reason Job was faithful to God was because God blessed and protected him. “Stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse you to your face.” (Job 1:9-11) Though Job passed this test and all he lost was restored, there is a bigger picture here, one in which we see that God’s creation has free will to choose whom they will worship. Those that choose to worship God provide the evidence that closes the legal case Satan brought up in the heavens against God.
Satan wants men to worship and follow him. When he is cast down to the earth he is bent on destroying all those who oppose him. But, just as Jesus gained victory over Satan when He rose from the dead, so do God’s people gain victory over Satan as well. Those who stand next to the sea of glass are a living Testimony on earth that God has people who love and follow Him. It is the people of God, those dressed in white who follow the Lamb, who stand with Him in the final victory over Satan and his own. The verdict, then, is that God has a people who love and follow Him, even if there is great tribulation on the earth. They will serve Him, even if Satan slays them. Like Job, God’s people say “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” (Job 13:15).
Job’s story is a legal case initiated by Satan against God’s intentions towards Man. The accusations have never stopped, nor will God’s victories through His people come to an end. We will see later that God has the final say after this legal case is settled. God’s people sing the song of Moses, wherein are the words “All the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Rev 15:4) These nations sing “Just and true are Your ways, King of the Ages.” (vs 3) because justice and truth bring the resolution of the conflict between them and their enemy, Satan.
After the seven angels with the seven bowls of God’s wrath leave the Tabernacle of the Testimony, only God’s glory remains inside and none may enter. There is no one who can influence God’s decisions, for the end of the matter has been decided. We see God’s wrath depicted after the second harvest of Revelation 14 wherein grapes were cast into the winepress of God’s wrath. Though we think of those who abide in the vine as being God’s people, not all grapes represent those who love and follow Him. The Lord speaks to Israel about being a people who “have forgotten God your Savior” (Is 17:10). He likens them to a people who “set out the finest plants and plant imported vines, though on the day you set them out, you make them grow, and on the morning when you plant them, you bring them to bud, yet the harvest will be as nothing in the day of disease and incurable pain.” (vs 10-11). So all who do not bear the fruit of being a Christian will be cut off and suffer the fate of unbelievers; God’s wrath (Jn 15:6). God has given us everything we need to bear the fruit of righteousness andto be gathered in the first harvest of overcomers. (see 2 Peter 1:3-4)
Because of Satan’s influence on Mankind, the earth will grow increasingly evil. Indeed, Jesus tells us that “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” (Mt 24:22). And so we will read about God’s judgments on all who serve His enemy, Satan, who is the Dragon.
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