The Final Judgement
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“The End Is Near”
“The End Is Near”
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
We see a third sign mow in the heavens revealing the judgement of God though the actions of these angles.
I Chapter 12 we saw the Radiant woman and the dragon. The two main players in this drama.
Nowhere do we see the church of today. This period of judgement was purposed on the disobedient, those who refused God’s grace and the nation of Israel
Notice that there are 7 angles - signifying the certainty and completeness of the divine judgement of God warned through the last events - seals and trumpets
In their hands, censors filled holding the plaques or in the Greek, Calamities
The word here signifies “that which on brings on themselves” Hence the justice of God is protected!
‘Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.
Remember
And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.”
The word “fully there means “overly ripe” The fullness of man’s sin is running over!
These final events complete the warning of God to impenitent man all that remains is the final judgement
Yet men continue to blaspheme God and harden their hearts - like Pharo’s
But in them, the wrath of God is finished…but so is man!
A lot of the imagery in chapter 15 is from the Old Testament linking the Law with Grace
And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”
In verses 2-4 we see the victors from the crisis in an interlude of victory and praise set against the impending judgements of suffering about to be unleashed
These are those who have emerged from their final battle with the antichrist standing victorious on the “sea of glass”
In Rev 4:6 we are given a description of the heavenly throne room and we are told
Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
The sea is designed to reflect God’s glory. It represents the holiness and purity of God
Here though we see it mingled with fire.
Kittle proposes that since so much imagery is here from the time of Moses that the “fire” in the “sea of glass” is an allusion to the deliverance of His people from the pursuit of Pharo at the Red sea. God now is preparing to let the waters of judgement fall on their enemies! Of course the reflection of fire representing the suffering of these people against Satan.
These servants of God have held out to the end
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
They now break out in song and praise!
They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
Their reward? Eating from the tree of life 2:7; Protection from the second death 2:11; Hidden mana 2:17; Authority over the nations 2:26; White garments 3:5; bBecoming a pillar in the temple of God 3:12; The privilege of sitting with Christ on His throne!
No wonder they are exuberant and joyful! Now why in the world would you want to have to go through all of that when today you can settle your account?
Again we see a proclamation of God’s Justice, it is not His decision but man’s, which road man walks!
Death no longer holds a victory for Satan!
The four-fold song to God
God’s works, God’s ways and God’s worthiness, God’s worship
Look at the focus of their worship
Your…Your…You…Your…You…You…Your
Only one focal point! God
There is one song here not two! Remember that the Song of Moses Exodus 15:1-18 prefigures the complete act of redemption through Christ!
There are comparative echos in Ex 15:11and Rev 15:4
The theme of deliverance becomes the foundation of praise!
Again we see the influence of the OT with the words of this song
Psm 11:2; 139:14; Amos 4:13; Deut 32:4; Psm 86:9; Mal 1:11; Psm 144:17
It is interesting that the tile “Almighty” appears 9 time in the book of Rev and only 1 time in the NT. The term represents Him as the ultimate authority and holder of power
Now “After these things” the song
After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.
We see now God’s intolerableness of sin! From the temple - the place of His dwelling comes forth righteousness and justice. Some attribute “temple” better translation “Tabernacle.” No problem here as in the OT the Tabernacle was were the presence of God dwelt and the ark of the covenant, containing the tablets of the law rested.
A reminder that the Law brought a judgement of death but Grace and mercy through Jesus Christ!
They are dressed in bright white linen representing the purity of God’s Word and Judgement. Seen by Daniel in his vision
I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz!
Gold representing the priestly function
Then 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.
Again we see these living creatures as intermediaries doing God’s bidding
The only other place we see these bowls Rev 5:8, they are filled with incense representing the prayers of the saints for deliverance connecting the relationship between pray and divine retribution
and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
We see now the temple closed off to anyone until the judgements are passed
God is grieving over the need to take this route with men!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
God takes no joy in pouring out His wrath
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
The word “willing” here means“rational, conscious desire”; a decision based upon the will of a person; a deliberate resolve
That is why there has been so much perceived time between the sacrifice and the redemption of the world!
God has made a conscious, reasonable decision to stave of judgement…but
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
I plead with you today! Receive the grace of God or you will be on the receiving end of His judgement!