Revelation 15: God’s Fight Song

SERMON IN A SENTENCE

Revelation 15 shows us a vision of the holiness and glory of God that corrects our vision from self-centeredness to a God-centered perspective of all things.

INTRODUCTION

Introduce New Sermon Series. Today we will focus on the thread of the holiness of God.

We will look at Revelation 15 in its context to better understand what the holiness of God means.

Revelation’s theological message is that God sovereignly rules now and will defeat evil, vindicate his suffering church, and consummate his kingdom.

Douglas J. Moo

In Revelation 15, we get to see a glimpse of a worship service that takes place before God’s final wrath is poured out against his enemies. I want us to pay close attention to verses 3-4.

The songs that move us: our favorite team’s “anthem,” “the star spangled banner,” popular music that speaks to generational feelings and emotions.

If God had an anthem, what might it say? Let’s look together!

Revelation 15:1–8 ESV

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and amazing, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also 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 amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” 5 After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever, 8 and the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

CONSIDER THE HOLY SETTING

The Song’s Location

“In heaven…a sea of glass mingled with fire.”

“The sanctuary…the (overwhelming) glory and power of God.”

The Song’s Title

“The Song of Moses”: OT Reference to the Exodus.

An empire rages against God, who rescues his people by the blood of the Lamb.

“the song of the Lamb”: A reference to Jesus’ victory on the cross.

An empire rages against God, who rescues his people by the blood of the Lamb.

Summary Statement:

The setting of God’s fight song highlights God’s holiness by showing the overwhelming power of God’s presence and the history of God’s saving power.

CONSIDER THE HOLY LYRICS

Revelation 15:3–4 ESV

3 …“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God Almighty!”

God’s actions reveal God’s holiness. God is the God who Creates, sustains, and saves. There is no power or authority higher than his.

“Just and true are your ways, O King of Nations!”

God’s moral goodness reveals his holiness. God only acts in justice and truth. Every nation will submit to the King of Kings.

“For you alone are holy.”

God’s unique position and power reveal that he is holy.

“All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

God’s holiness revealed results in reverence and worship.

Summary Statement:

God’s holiness and his nature are not two things, they are but one. God’s holiness is his nature, and God’s nature is his holiness.

Thomas Brooks

CONSIDER THE SHIFT IN PERSPECTIVE

We Live With Forced Perspective

Forced perspective in The Lord of the Rings. The angle or “perspective” with which we come to the story of Scripture will greatly impact our ability to grasp reality.

Before I begin to think and consider the love of God and the mercy and compassion of God, I must start with the holiness of God.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?” (4)

The Cross Corrects Our Vision

The cross is God’s truth about us, and therefore it is the only power which can make us truthful. When we know the cross we are no longer afraid of the truth.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Revelation 12:11 “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Summary Statement:

How will we view the world around us and our place in history and eternity? The cross of Jesus reveals to us the holiness of God and his love for his people. With the right perspective we can live toward God’s glory displayed in all that we think, say, and do.

Communion

Hebrews 9:11–14 ESV

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Mark 14:22–25 ESV

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

PASTORAL PRAYER

Father, you are holy, holy, holy. Help us to see. To really, truly, clearly see your holiness with our souls. To consider the truth of who you are and to empty ourselves of selfishness and draw near to you.