Bible Commentaries
Revelation 15

Verses 1-8

1. Intro:
   1. Welcome to the shortest ch. in Rev.
      1. We have here an “Interlude”! (L. ‘inter/between’; ludus/play)-{to play between 2 acts of a play}
         1. John gets to tune into 2 songs before.......it all breaks loose!
   2. Read Ray Stedman Intro:
2. 7 ANGELS W/7 BOWLS! (1)
   1. Another Heavenly scene!
   2. “last” - A Promise from God this is the “last” of the series of judgments.
   3. “Plagues” - The plagues remind us of the Plagues of Egypt! (we’ll see in 16).
   4. “in them the wrath of God is complete” - That means that His wrath began some time before these judgments.
      1. This seems to come against the “overlapping” theory(occurring simultaneously).
   5. “complete” - Judgments will be finished, & He will begin to set up his kingdom!
3. VICTORY CHANT! (2-4)
   1. vs.2 - Q: Who are these people? “Those who have the victory!” (believers from the trib. who had overcome the Beast & his system).
      1. Note: They’re in Heaven, not purgatory!
      2. Note: They are singing, something impossible if their souls were asleep between physical death & Res.!
      3. They are “those who loved not their lives unto death!”(12:11)
      4. They are they whom the world would call “LOSERS”!.....They were captured, imprisoned, reviled, hated, some tortured, then put to death.
         1. [Ray Stedman] “The beast thinks he is showing his absolute power, & ridding himself of his enemies. In reality, all he doing is running a shuttle service to heaven!” “He wants to be worshiped, but he’s nothing more than an elevator boy in God’s service, taking saints by the car load up to Glory!”
      5. Yet, they were not Sorry Losers,......But Crowned Victors!
      6. Just as They had Victory over the Beast, so WE can have victory over the Beast’s in our life!
         1. The Flesh Beast, the World Beast, & Devil himself.
         2. “Simply love not your life unto death! (death to SELF!)
         3. Mr 8:35 “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.”
         4. “Though he will lose it now, he will find it again in the resurrection of life!”
   2. vs.3,4 - 2 SONGS!
      1. You remember the last song we couldn’t listen to(14:3)! This one we get to dial into!
   3. [1] The Song of Moses:
      1. Q: Do you think Moses was the Conductor?
      2. Give Background to Moses song! - Read - Ex.14:5-15:2
         1. “Sinners may not learn from the past; but believers can be encouraged by the past!” (www)
      3. Look @ the comparisons of the 2 songs!
      4. SoM - was sung @ the Red Sea; SoL - is sung @ the Sea of Glass!
      5. SoM - was a song of triumph over Egypt; SoL- triumph over Babylon!
      6. SoM - told how God brought his people out; SoL - tells how God brings His people in!
      7. SoM - was the 1st song in scripture; SoL - is the last one!
      8. SoM - commemorated the execution of the foe, the expectation of the saints, & the exaltation of the Lord; SoL - Ditto!
      9. SoM - was sung by a redeemed people; SoL - Ditto!
      10. Both songs looked back to the “Blood of a Lamb”!!!
   4. [2] The Song of the Lamb:
      1. Note: There is not ONE word about the martyr’s own achievements!
         1. Not.....“Oh Lord, how faithful we have been to you!”....“How true we have been to your word”....“How patiently we have endured.”
         2. The only pronouns refer to God! (you,your)
      2. They Praise Him for His Works & His Ways! (3x’s found in script.)
         1. Ps.145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.”
         2. Da 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
      3. Q: Can you praise Him for His ways when they’re not your ways?
      4. Q: Can you Trust His ways when they are not your ways?
         1. Trust Him with your very Life!
         2. Ps 56:3 says, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” {Spurgeon called that going to heaven in 3rd class! 1st class is Is.12:2 “I will trust and not be afraid.”} Trust Him in ALL His Works & Ways!
4. SMOKE SCREEN! (5-8)
   1. vs.5 - A New vision opens & John now escorts us to the Holy of Holies in Heaven.
   2. We have here the commissioning of the outpouring of the plagues!
      1. Probably are coming from here(H.o.H.) to speak of His Holiness,...His Righteous judgments!
   3. vs.7 - Bowls = deep saucer/incense bowl.
      1. They contain the White-Hot Wrath & Holy Anger of God!
   4. Think of where these Angels are coming from, & going to!
      1. From: the heavenly Temple’s Holiest site, supreme headquarters, from God’s pure presence!
      2. To: face a world that has reached its climax o fits wickedness!
         1. Gen.6:5 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
   5. vs.8 - Here’s where I think they got the term “Holy Smoke!”
   6. Until the bowls are poured out no one can enter the Temple because of the “smoke”!
      1. Like: Ex.19:18 “Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.”
      2. Like: Is.6:3,4 “And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.”
         1. Q: Where do we tell out children the safest place in the house is during earthquakes? (The door ways! Their posts will shake!)
      3. We have here the deepest insight on the Holiness of God!
   7. Homework: (John Phillips said)“Since Calvary, the way into the Holiest in heaven has been opened to all, because the blood of Christ has blazed a highway to the heart of God. Bright glory burns w/in the temple, filling it w/smoke & standing guard at its door!...Now for a brief spell the Royal Road is barred!
      1. Q:To whom? It says, “No one can enter”.
      2. Does it mean....No one on earth can pray?
      3. Or, no one can enter the place of intercession to advert these judgments(it’s too late!)