The Final Countdown

2 I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, his image, and the number of his name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.

3 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; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the Nations.

4 Lord, who will not fear and glorify Your name? Because You alone are holy, for all the nations will come and worship before You because Your righteous acts have been revealed.

5 After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony —was opened.

6 Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests.

7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.

8 Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from His power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

God’s Glory is seen in the Believer’s Victory

Revelation 15:1–2 HCSB

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. 2 I also saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, his image, and the number of his name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.

So there it is: The final countdown. Another grouping of 7. We saw 7 seals opened, seven trumpets sounded, and now seven bowls poured out. These will COMPLETE GOD’S WRATH.

If it bothers you to think of God being so filled with wrath, it may be because you don’t understand either His holiness, and/or the cost Jesus paid at Calvary so people could avoid this wrath. God is not just love. He is holy.

But the preparation for the end of God’s wrath is not all we see here.

We see victorious people. And their victory reveals God’s glory.

I can’t read this without thinking of the Words of Paul that to live is Christ and to die is gain.

These people lived their lives for Christ at incredible cost here on earth, but to the glory of God and they won the victory by being in heaven.

They are standing on a “glass sea” that was first mentioned in chapter 4 as being before the throne.

I understand that in Gatlinburg there is a glass bridge you can walk over from one point to another.

Imagine standing on a crystal platform that is as large as a sea (and having no fear)

This platform has fire mingled. I believe this is like looking at a reflection of something burning. You can see the fire of the wrath of God.

Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, these saints did not go looking for trouble, but God gave them victory. And these victors are seen standing before the throne (see chapter 4) as pictures of God’s glory and grace.

God’s Glory is Seen in the Believer’s Song

Revelation 15:3–4 HCSB

3 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; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the Nations. 4 Lord, who will not fear and glorify Your name? Because You alone are holy, for all the nations will come and worship before You because Your righteous acts have been revealed.

Moses wrote more than one song about God’s faithfulness. I most often think of the one in Exodus 15 that he wrote after God drowned Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea. I think that’s why its called Moses’ Song. It is a song of deliverance and victory over the enemy of our soul.

Songs are often written from experience.

The Star Spangled Banner.

Many Psalms start of in peril and end in triumph.

Some of the songs have David depressed and they just stay sad.

There’ll be sad songs to make you cry. At least here on earth.

BUT

Heaven will surely be a place where we never get tired of celebrating through song, all that God has overcome to bring us safely to the shores of glory.

OH that we would learn to sing together NOW the songs of the church. The songs of victory, of God’s glory, and of heaven.

God’s Glory is Seen in His Wrath

Revelation 15:5–8 HCSB

5 After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony —was opened. 6 Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 8 Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from His power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

I didn’t mention it earlier, but let me remind you glory has to do with weight. When we glorify God we are giving the proper weight to who He is. It has to do with heaviness. Like in the Old Testament, God showed up in a cloud; a thick heavy cloud. Here there is smoke from God’s glory.

It helps me to think of my old hippy friends “heavy man”.

The smoke fills the Temple in heaven like it did the one in Isaiah 6.

And nothing else can happen until the bowls of the 7 plagues are poured out.

We will see those plagues in the next few weeks.

But understand, GOD the righteous judge is about to complete the 7 years of Tribulation by exhausting His wrath.

And His Glory is seen in the process.

Are you giving God the weight he deserves in your life. The respect, the deference, the honor, the rightful place on the throne of your heart?

Are you living life unrepentant? Have you made Jesus your Savior and Lord.

Are you a Christian, but you are not living life in light of God’s holiness, his glory, and His rightful place on the throne of your heart?

Related Media

Related Sermons