Revelation 15
Notes
Transcript
If you are able - please stand for the reading of God’s word. We are in Revelation 15 today.
Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed. I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God. They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb:
Great and awe-inspiring are your works, Lord God, the Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you because your righteous acts have been revealed.
After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. Then 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 completed.
Pray with me - go ahead and have a seat.
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What we sing about reveals quite a bit about our values. Thus why different cultures come up with such various styles of music, but also often times different topics. Love songs are common, but even how cultures talk about love can be all high romance, to just lewd sensuality. Some genres build up the draw of money, others pride themselves on getting by with little. What a culture values it sings about - for better or often for worse.
Spiritual music reveals much about our values and our theology too. And in different times and different context the Church has song loudly about various topics. In our current American evangelical context, we definitely emphasize the experience of the individual believer. Where other churches are much more collective, using we instead of me. We praise God for his goodness, and Love. both good. Lots of songs have been written on the atonement recently which is amazing and life giving.
But there is a certain theology and topic that while the Bible gives great weight too, we typically don’t sing about. And i don’t just mean we - I mean even historically, it’s just not as common. And that is Judgement.
I can’t think of a popular modern worship song praising God as judge. Not that they’re not out there, but I just don’t know one, especially a top song.
And even in the hymns, it’s there more than the present, but still wasn’t very common.
One of my favorites, was one written by Charles Wesley in 1744, Rejoice the Lord is King. Such good stuff. The First stanza:
“Rejoice the Lord is King; Your Lord and King Adore! Rejoice, give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice!”
That’s a good stanza! And one we could find similar modern songs about. But the final stanza of this song is breathtaking:
“Rejoice in glorious hope! Our Lord and judge shall come And take His servants up to their eternal home:
Lift up your heart, life up your voice! Rejoice, again I say, Rejoice!”
Rejoice in our glorious hope that our lord and judge shall come? Do we find our glorious hope in Christ as judge? Like does that stir joy in us? It doesn’t seem like it, at least not often.
And yet, in Scripture, there is so much expectation for the judgement of God. And the Israelites looked with hope of the day that the Lord would make all things right. And the Christians also longed and prayed for God to come and judge.
However, for those compromised in the world’s systems, whose affections are greater for the temporal - Christ’s Judgement is awful and terrifying. For the proud, who would rather try to foolish earn salvation through good deeds, rather than submit to the work of Christ, judgement is terrifying, for how will their work ever be enough to satisfy an eternally holy God?
But for the believer who follows the lamb wherever he goes, for the believer’s who’s hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Blood and righteousness, for the one who stands with the least of these, the poor the forgotten the enslaved, who sees the depravity of the world - well then Judgement isn’t some horror but the consummation of hope.
What is our response to the coming of Christ? What is our response to judgement and justice?
In our passage today, John sees another sign, and another series of judgments coming. Let’s walk through this chapter together. Chapter 15, verse 1
Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed.
A new vision, that is great - and astonishing. Great here in greek can be translated loud. IT’s a startling vision - and its a sign, a symbol of what’s to come. And this vision takes place first in the heavens, which is a reminder again, that the physical world is not the full picture of reality. But the spiritual world and the physical world are tangled and connected.
He sees seven angels with the seven last plagues.
This should remind us of the seals, and the trumpets - but the word plague also brings up images and stories from the Exodus story and the plagues of Egypt. This is going to be an important metaphor for John in this chapter, with the Exodus story being so influential to Jewish thought (and Christian thought).
He sees the seven, and with them, God’s wrath will be completed. the word completed can mean fulfilled, accomplished, finished.
What is likely in view here is NOT that revelation puts all the judgements in a literal chronological order, though some believers interpret it that way, but Rather, in my mind, and many scholars, is that last means that these bowls will begin John’s final sequences of Judgements. In fact the trumpets and the bowls both seem to draw on the imagery of the exodus plagues.
So this next vision we see the final wrath to which God’s work of wrath with be completed. next verse,
I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.
John sees something like a sea of Glass, which we’ve read about before in Revelation 4:6. a sea like glass - this time mixed with fire. There are lots of opinions on what the sea is - it being a nod back to exodus 24, where the elders of Israel see something like glass with God standing on it, another is that the sea is often an image of great evil and chaos - and here it being still suggesting that God is over even the chaos and brings it to peace, and one of the more common early church interpretations is that the sea in the heavens represented the waters of baptism by which heaven was accessed.
I think that it in this image being mixed with fire, lends itself to that third view - for it was through baptism - joining with Christ in death - that these believers have arrived. They followed Christ symbolically though baptism, and then through martyrdom and we killed as Christ was. They have passed through the fires of the world.
But they were standing on this sea of glass - and it says that they had victory over the beast, its image, and the number of its name - and now had harps in hand.
Victory here can feel a bit ironic from a worldly perspective - for if these are martyrs, didn’t they lose? Well if you think only of this fleeting life, sure - but Christ the king and Judge has come - and there is an eternal life - and by remaining pure and resisting Satan’s temptations - they have emerged victorious. They have been cross-shaped hope and life. They were purified. They are conquerors in life and death.
Last chapter 14:2, - we read about the 144,000 and how they were singing a new song with harps. And now here - we see the victorious harps in hand - likely symbolizing the same people of God - just like in Revelation 7.
And what do they do? They sing! They jam out. they sing the song of God’s servant moses and the song of the lamb, verses 3&4
They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb: Great and awe-inspiring are your works, Lord God, the Almighty; just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you because your righteous acts have been revealed.
It’s called the song of moses, as it’s like an abbreviated version of the song sang in Exodus 15, which is the song the erupts from the mouths of the israelites as they exit the red sea, and pharoah and his men are washed away. And it’s of the lamb - for JEsus is the ultimate rescuer. Not just freed from egypt and slavery - but freed form Satan, from sin, and from death.
They PRAISE GOD - in light of God’s judgement and wrath. I mean - contextually, just a few verses before in chapter 14:20, we read about blood flooding outside of the evil city for up to 180 miles, and now we see the victorious saints having a paise concert.
And look at the words - He’s almighty - just and true. Exactly what a good judge is - and he’s the king of nations. And they go back into fear - Lord - who will not fear you? for you ALONE are holy. EVERYONE will come and worship before you - because you are pouring out your righteous acts.
Praise - and wrath are inseparable in this passage.
Again - this makes sense for those who are resisting the murky influence of the beast and the earth. Who are awake in Christ to see the depravity. Who long, with creation, for consummation and restoration and perfection. Evil needs to be snuffed out.
Verse 5:
After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened.
This is a peculiar phrase - remember in the old testament - the tabernacle was seperate from the temple. but here the temple and tabernacle are linked in heaven and then opened. Instead of being two pictures - they are now one and together in a perfect picture of worship.
verse 6 and 7
Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
Here comes seven angels - with the seven plagues - and dressed with brilliance, and golden sashes. And they were given seven bowls - which are filled with God’s wrath. And he notes - God lives forever and ever. That’s an eternal wrath.
Scholars note that bowl here would likely be more in line with a saucer in our language - a larger shallower dish - rather than a cereal bowl.
It’s also interesting in how this link back to Revelation 5:8, which the elders took bowls filled with incense which are the prayers of the saints. I think it’s worth noting that in Revelation God responds to the prayers of his people. He hears their cries, and responds.
Just like in Exodus - God didn’t forget about the israelites - but he heard their cries and rescued them. God takes those bowls, hears our prayers - and responds. And his response is to punish those persecuted his church, who led others astray, and who followed the beast rather than the lamb.
Verse 8:
Then 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 completed.
At the inauguration of both the tabernacle and the temple - there were periods where no one was able to enter as it was filled with cloud or smoke - showing the presence of God.
Here the heavenly temple is filled again with that smoke of God’s glory and power - as the angles do their work - pouring out God’s wrath. God’s wrath, his judgement flows from his glory, and power, and holiness.
And with that - chapter 15 sets up the seven bowl judgements. Chapter 15 really is the beginning of the end of the book of Revelation.
But as we look back at this chapter, we need to ask our question:
So What?
So What?
As I look at this chapter I am struck in the ways that my heart is prone to wander. For there are many times in my modern so called sensibilities that I want to make excuses for my God’s behavior. For his righteousness and justice. And yet - in this chapter, God is responding to the call of his people to save them. God is working out his plan to fulfillment for his Glory and our Good. And that includes judgment and wrath. And the redeemed in the midst lift their voices in praise.
The fact that we are uncomfortable with that reveals quite a bit about us. It reveals that we often have an un-biblical view of God. Sometimes we want to go to heaven much more than we want to be with God. I want Jesus blood to purify me, but not his commands to direct me.
It reveals that often times we tie ourselves way more into the systems of this world than we realize. I mean we can be so compromised if we aren’t careful - and we often are not very careful.
We need to wake up to the ways that our societal values have shaped our view of Christianity. Tim Dwyer asks this question: What do we do if we find ourselves embedded in a social-political-economic network that teaches us a particular brand of Western Christianity - but that is actually different than the very radical vision that’s presented in the new testament?
I mean think about it - we sing our songs, we may even do daily devotions, but our systems our worlds often oppose God. We are MUCH more shaped by our sports, and recreation, and entertainment, and finances. Our system has shown that those things are to be rewarded. And if we want to be comfortable and successful in this world, then we need to play those games, right?
Can we even see the dangers and temptations around us? do we see the ways that we are being influenced by satan in our culture?
So what? We need to ask the hard question: as we look back at our faith, our own apprenticeship to Jesus: are we counting the cost of following Jesus and being victorious, do we feel that price? or our we just content with an easy Western faith - that looks very little like that of the new testament.
So what?
1 - Continue to resist.
1 - Continue to resist.
So - first and foremost, we need to continue to resist. We come back to Christ, to the table, to remember Christ’s death, and proclaim his victory. We follow Christ, we put off the ways of the flesh. We repent of our evil ways. We continue to resist the ways of the World.
So often we are going to be tempted to compare ourselves to other people - rather than Christ. We will be tempted to sin, because our sin ain’t nothing like THAT persons. Surely this little sin is okay - it’s not hurting anyone. Or I’ve already come so far - I’ve given enough.
Instead of looking at JEsus - who came and lived a perfect life, and died the atoning death, and was raised to walk in glorious life - and told US to follow him. we need to look at HIM as the example of life and faith. That way we aren’t tempted at ALL to compromise, for Christ never did.
Resist the sirens call of Satan. Who invites you to get down off the boat, to lay down, and to fall asleep. The water of wrath is coming, and if you lie down you will drown. Resist the call.
2 - Worship and attend to God.
2 - Worship and attend to God.
Second, we need to worship and praise. There is something so powerful in following Christ, and ascribing him praise. Again not just singing - but not less than that either. Worship is the centering act of the Christian life.
Eugene Peterson wrote it this way:
Worship is the act of giving committed attention to the being and action of God. The Christian life is posited on the faith that God is in action. When we worship, it doesn’t look like we are doing much - and we aren’t. We are looking at what God is doing and orienting our action to the compass points of creation and covenant, judgement and salvation. - Eugene Peterson; Reversed Thunder
We can’t stop worshiping. We must focus on God. Give him attention. We do this in singing, in the word, through church, through spiritual disciplines. We do this in good conversations and repentance. Because remember again Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
We must continue to worship and praise - focusing on Christ.
And lastly - we must persist to pray.
3 - Persist in prayer.
3 - Persist in prayer.
Prayer is the primary work of God’s people. We must continue to pray. You need to. I need to. We need to. Revelation teaches and shows that God responds to our prayers. Not always how we would have in mind - but ultimatley for his glory and our good.
let us not grow weary of prayer. Let us be like the persistant widow. Hear these words of Christ in Luke 18:1-8
Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect people. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
“For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect people, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so that she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’ ”
Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay helping them? I tell you that he will swiftly grant them justice. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Lets continue to call out to God to give us faith - and for God to come and judge.
Let us resist, worship, and pray.
Would you stand with me as I close in prayer.
I think of Galatians 6:9
Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.
Prayer
