A Day of Victory

INTRODUCTION

Well it’s Mothers Day and I struggled with whether or not to take a break from Revelation to preach a special Mother’s Day sermon but the more I thought about it the more I began to realize that there’s something in today’s passage that applies to moms even it as applies to all of us.

Maybe growing up your momma used to say “I brought you into this world and I can take you out…” Well that’s essentially what the Lord is saying in this passage to those who reject him, follow the beast and persecute God’s people.

What we’re going to see in today’s passage is that even though this world is filled with brokenness and injustice and all kinds of evil - there’s a day coming when all of that is going to end. A day of victory! A day when Jesus makes all of those sad things come untrue.

V-J-Day

For those of you who are WWII buffs you’ll remember that on August 14, 1945, it was announced that Japan had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, effectively ending the war.

Since then, both August 14 and August 15 have been known as “Victory over Japan Day,” or simply “V-J Day.” (I think US celebration is September 2nd)

When President Truman announced to the country the end of the war there was a party across the USA like you couldn’t believe.

Life magazine published a story at the time that read “civilians began celebrating as if joy had been rationed and saved up for the three years, eight months and seven days since Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941" (the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor)

PICTURE: I found some pictures of the celebrations on that day. Times square was packed. There were celebrations from Tennessee to San Francisco. One of the more memorable happenings was the fact that service men would receive random kisses by women on the streets. (photo)

There’s nothing like the celebration that takes place after a war.

The devastation, the loss of life, the horrors that are endured by all who participate finally come to an end and there is relief. Peace. Joy. Happiness.

Well as good as that V-J-Day was for the world. There’s another V-J-Day but it’s not Victory over Japan Day. It’s a victory in Jesus DAY and the people who will be celebrating are the people of God.

Hope and Warning

We get a glimpse of that celebration this morning in our passage.

Like many passages in the book of Revelation, today’s text has two pillars: a pillar of hope and a pillar of warning.

For those who belong to Christ it’s a message of hope and encouragement. Those who overcome will receive the reward!

For those who follow the false Christ and belong to the kingdom of this world a message of warning and judgment. God is holy and Jesus will execute judgment when he comes again to establish his kingdom.

For those of you new to the book of Revelation, today’s text is a prelude to the unleashing of the seven bowls of God’s wrath.

Revelation outlines God’s judgment during the end of days with three sets of seven (21 total): seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls.

All 21 judgments are connected.

In Revelation 5 Jesus is presented as the only one worthy to take the scroll and open the seals. (which he does in Revelation 6)

When the seventh seal is broken John sees seven angels in the presence of God who begin to blow seven trumpets. (Rev 8:2)

When the seventh trumpet is sounded the temple in heaven is opened. (Rev 11:19)

Out of that opened temple come seven angels with seven bowls of God’s wrath to pour out on the earth. (Rev 15:5-8)

The Context to the Bowls

The unleashing of these bowls of wrath has been a long time coming in the book of Revelation.

These bowls of wrath are the climax to an escalating conflict between two kingdoms: the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the beast.

We were first introduced to this conflict in Revelation 6. There was an extended discourse about this conflict in Revelation 12-14.

The “beast kingdom” is headed up by an unholy trinity: satan, the antichrist and the false prophet.

Satan is presented as a dragon. The antichrist is presented as a beast from the land and the false prophet is presented as a beast from the sea.

The dragon gives the beast authority to rule (Rev 13:4) and the beast uses its power to oppose God and his people. (Rev 13:5-7)

People from all around the world bow down to the beast. You take his mark if you want to stay alive or participate in the system. All those who refuse suffer under the penalty of death.

Satan leverages this beast kingdom, it’s godless government and false religion to mount his final offensive against God and the people of his Kingdom.

That war is what sets the context of this final series of judgments.

With that in mind lets read our passage.

Revelation 15:1–8 (CSB)

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, its image, and the number of its 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;

just and true are your ways,

King of the nations.

4 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.

5 After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 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.

Great & Awe-Inspiring Sign

Revelation 15 opens with a sign in heaven. John says it was a great and awe-inspiring sign.

It’s great in terms of the magnitude of it’s scale. These seven bowls end up destroying the entire creation. It’s terrifying.

Nothing is left untouched by this devastation.

(from grievous skin sores to

water turning to blood to

a sun that scorches people to death to

an earthquake that changes the fundamental landscape of earth.

It’s an unbelievable display of God’s divine power over his creation!)

It’s awe-inspiring in that nobody who sees or experiences these judgments will question the existence or reality of God. All the world will see the awesome power of God on display.

God’s people will see his power and respond with hope-filled hearts and shouts of praise. God’s enemies will see his power and respond with hardened hearts and curses of blasphemy.

What is a Sign?

It’s also noteworthy that the word John uses to describe this vision is the word “SIGN.”

Signs are not just displays of supernatural power. They point BEYOND themselves to something greater: often to transcendent theological truths.

Signs are not just events that happen IN history. Signs disclose the theological meaning OF history.

And this sign, this great and awe-inspiring sign - helps John make sense out of what he sees. It’s not just a demonstration of divine power. It’s a disclosing of theological truth.

Those truth are what I want us to focus on today. I want to put the explanation under three headings.

Our Roles will be reversed.

The righteousness of God will be revealed.

The chance for reconciliation will be removed.

Roles Reversed

The first thing we see is this reversal of roles in Revelation 15:2

Revelation 15:2 (CSB)

2 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.

What’s is John seeing here? He describes it as a sea of glass mixed with fire.

What is this sea of glass?

Like many things in the book of Revelation it’s probably symbolic. Sometimes sea refers to a large group of people but the fact that people are standing “ON” this sea makes me think it might be something different.

I think this sea of glass represents the vast gap that exists between God and his creation. It’s descriptive of the absolute HOLINESS of God. He is SET APART. He is wholly other. And, as a result of that holiness, anything sinful or polluted thing that tries to draw near is burned up in judgment. (fire mixed with glass).

That’s the idea communicated in Revelation 4 when this picture first shows up.

Who are these people?

The crazy thing is - there are PEOPLE standing on this sea of glass!

John describe them as those who had won the victory over the beast, its image and the number of its name.

In other words, John sees believers. He sees the saints. Sinners who’ve been washed clean by the blood of the lamb.

Particularly John probably sees those Christians who suffered under the wrath of the anti-christ and his godless regime. Some say its a reference only to those martyred but I don’t know that there has to be such a narrow demographic in view.

This sea of glass may be “mixed with fire” to describe the judgment and hardship these Christians have experienced. They’ve been thrown into the fiery furnace of God of persecution (just like we saw with the 7 churches in Revelation 2).

But did they give up? No! They persevered to the end. They overcame the dragon and the two beasts by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.

From Broken Hearts to Golden Harps

On earth they experienced trials and tribulation but in heaven they are characterized by GLORY.

On earth they were alienated, marginalized, physically, mentally and socially crushed because of their faith and obedience to Christ.

In heaven they are in the presence of God, clothed in righteousness and glory, celebrating the power of God to save and deliver his people.

So the first thing we need to see from this sign is that on the Day of the Lord will be a day of reversal. Our roles and fortunes will be reversed when Jesus comes again.

Rags will turn to riches. Suffering will turn to glory. Humiliation will be exchanged with exaltation!

Sorrow may last through the night but JOY comes in the morning. We may wear a garment of heaviness now but it will be replaced with a garment of praise!

Our broken hearts will be exchanged with golden harps with which we will praise God with eternal praise!

Practical Application

Never forget this contrast. Never forget that as crazy and broken as things may seem in this world - in HEAVEN - the opposite IS and WILL BE true. We don’t live for the here and now. We live for the sweet by and by!

How we live today should be shaped by the coming reversal that will happen on the day of the Lord.

What does that mean, practically speaking?

We should live joyful lives, even in suffering.

No matter how bad it gets down here, it’s all good up there. God is sovereign. He never gets rattled or nervous or rings his hand or furrows his brow. Chaos on earth? Perfect peace in his presence.

We should live fearless lives, even against great opposition.

As King Hezekiah told the Israelite army facing the greater Assyrian troops.

2 Chronicles 32:7–8 (CSB)

7 “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 8 He has only human strength, but we have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

Or God’s word to Joshua as he felt the crippling effects of fear. Joshua 1:9

Joshua 1:9 (CSB)

9 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

We Will Overcome

Even the word John uses - overcome - is packed with that tension.

It’s the word Jesus used to every church in Rev 2-3. (even as they faced suffering and death)

It’s the word used in Revelation 12:11 “They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.”

How did they overcome the wrath of the antichrist? It wasn’t though violence or force or political will. It was through patient endurance and unwavering faith in Jesus and his Gospel.

Revelation 13:7 says that the Antichrist was given permission to wage war against the saints and even to conquer them… and yet here John sees the saints as overcoming the beast and all who follow him.

The truth is we cannot lose. We cannot be conquered because even in death our victory remains.

That’s the mysterious tension of the Kingdom. The great reversal. Upside down and inside out. It requires great faith to live in light of that tension.

But there’s a day coming that will reward that faith and grant a great reversal to the people of God.

Righteousness Revealed

On the day of the Lord not only will our roles be reversed: God’s righteousness will be revealed.

We see this dynamic in our text with the song sung by the glorified saints in

Revelation 15:3–4 (CSB)

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;

just and true are your ways,

King of the nations.

4 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.

John describes this song sung by the saints in verses 3-4 as “the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb.”

The song of Moses harkens back to the story of the Exodus. It’s the first song mentioned in the Bible.

It was a song sung after God delivered Israel from their slavery to Pharoah in Egypt. God’s deliverance took the form of parting the Red Sea and then closing it down upon Pharoah and his armies after Israel had made it safely through.

Notice some of the lines.

Exodus 15:1 (CSB)

1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said:

I will sing to the Lord,

for he is highly exalted;

he has thrown the horse

and its rider into the sea.

Exodus 15:11–13 (CSB)

11 Lord, who is like you among the gods?

Who is like you, glorious in holiness,

revered with praises, performing wonders?

12 You stretched out your right hand,

and the earth swallowed them.

13 With your faithful love, you will lead the people

you have redeemed;

you will guide them to your holy dwelling

with your strength.

The first song in the Bible is Exodus 15. The song of Moses.

It’s a story of God’s delivering his people from slavery to Pharoah in Egypt.

The book of Revelation mirrors the story of the Exodus in some profound ways. I’m going to preach a whole sermon on this before the series is over.

The Song of the Lamb

But suffice it to say - the song of Moses is not the LAST song God’s people are going to sing.

The last song will be a remix of the song of Moses. John calls it the song of the Lamb.

The song of the Lamb sings of the great emancipation of God’s people from slavery to sin and Satan through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Out of darkness into light! Out of sin into righteousness! Out of slavery into freedom!

The song of Moses was the first song in Scripture.

The song of the Lamb is the last.

The song of Moses was sung at the red sea.

The song of the lamb is sung on the crystal sea.

The song of Moses was a song of triumph over Egypt.

The song of the lamb is a song of triumph over Babylon.

The song of Moses told how God brought his people out.

The song of the Lamb tells how God brings his people in.

The song of Moses celebrated the execution of God’s foes, the expectation of the saints and the exaltation of the Lord.

The song on the Lamb deals with the same three things.

A Greater Exodus

Of all the events in the OT that pointed to the cross of Jesus the greatest is the Exodus.

God used Moses to gather his people, ready them for God’s deliverance and then lead them to the promise land.

As they’re marching Satan’s schemes are unleashed. Pharoah and his armies are right on their heels.

God’s people question: “did you just lead us out of Egypt just to DIE?!”

Then right as all hope is about to be lost SHAZAM! The red sea is split, God’s people are delivered and God’s enemies are destroyed.

Do we not see the same thing at the cross?

God’s people gathered and ready for deliverance. Jesus God’s servant leading them to the promised land.

Then Satan’s schemed being unleashed on the cross.

God’s people questioning “Did you give us a Messiah who fails in his mission?

Then just as they’re about to give up hope SHAZAM! Jesus is raised and glorified and exalted. Deliverance and power revealed.

Well that’s what it’s going to be like in that last day.

God’s people will be ready. Jesus having led us to complete the Great Commission.

Satan’s schemes will be unleashed. It may feel like the flood is about to swallow us and you’ll want to give up

The love of many will grow cold. Some renouncing the faith all together.

but LIFT UP YOUR HEADS BECAUSE YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NIGH!

Jesus is coming again. Jesus is a greater leader than Moses ever was. He’ll lead an even greater Exodus than Moses even did. That Exodus will provide an even greater freedom than God’s people have ever known and result in a greater future than any of us can ever imagine.

God’s righteousness WILL BE REVEALED.

Praise of the His People

How should we respond to the revealing of God’s righteousness today? With praise! Praise him!

There’s so much rich theology in this song.

Praise God for the greatness of his WORKS.

“Great and awe-inspiring” were the words used in Rev 15:1.

It means to be undone and overwhelmed by what your eyes see.

Demonstrations of power that are unforgettable. (red sea, Egyptian plagues, the end of days wrath)

These singers refer to God as “Lord God the Almighty.” (Pantokrator)

We’ve seen this designation before (Rev 1:8; 4:8; 11:17).

The focus is on God’s power, his eternality, his ability to do immeasurably more than we can even imagine.

After proclaiming the greatness of God’s works the song moves on to declaring the rightness of his WAYS.

“Just and true are your ways, King of the nations...”

Some look at the judgment of God and say he is “unjust” and “unloving.” How can a loving God send people to hell for all of eternity? On the day of God’s judgment that will not be the charge.

God will be seen as “just and true” in his ways.

Imagine if your precious wife and children were raped and murdered by a ruthless criminal and the judge upon hearing the evidence said “Well that’s okay. Because I’m a loving judge I’m going to let this one slide.”

You’d probably spend the rest of your life in jail because of what you’d do to that judge. That’s not justice! That’s not TRUTH. And that’s not God.

God is love. But He is also just and true.

And when He executes judgment on that day his justice and truth will be seen for what it actually is. We will have no questions or qualms about God’s choice to judge as he does.

It’s built within us. It’s in the movies we watch. The stories we read. We CRAVE justice and truth. We desire it to prevail. We need it to. The universe is built for it and the universe will experience it when Jesus comes again.

Praise him for the greatness of his works and the rightness of his ways.

Worship From His World

But it doesn’t stop with the praise of God’s people. ALL THE EARTH will recognize the glory of God.

The song closes by asking, “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.” (Rev 15:4)

Philippians 2:10-11 says that on that last day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

That last line talks about God’s righteousness being revealed but it’s not the usual term for “revelation” (apocalypse).

This word has more legal connotation. It’s the idea of a thing being seen for what it really is.

And on that day all of the people who mock God, misrepresent God, malign and marginalize God because of their ignorance or rebellious hearts will finally see and admit the truth.

He really is true. He really is righteous in all of his ways.

Sadly enough, the day that God’s righteousness is universally recognized will be one day too late for those who chose to reject him.

Reconciliation Removed

Which leads to the final and third theological truth from Revelation 15.

Our roles will be reversed. God’s righteousness will be revealed.

Finally, and tragically, the world’s opportunity to repent and be reconciled to God will be removed.

Revelation 15:5–8 (CSB)

5 After this I looked, and the heavenly temple—the tabernacle of testimony—was opened. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. 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.

After John sees the praise of God’s people he sees a vision of God’s temple in heaven. Not just a general picture but a specific picture of the tabernacle of testimony.

What’s the Tabernacle of Testimony?

That’s the holy of holies. That’s the place where the glory of the Lord dwelt in it’s fullness.

Originally this room held the ark of the covenant which contained the 10 commandments, the golden pot used for holding mana and Aaron’s rod.

In the OT, nobody was allowed into the holy of holies except the high priest and that only once a year. Nobody was worthy to be in God’s presence.

But John sees this heavenly Holy of Holies and IT IS OPEN!

Why is it open? Because of Jesus’ death on the cross. He tore the veil. He made a way for us to be reconciled to God!

The cross of Christ made reconciliation with God possible!

No more blood of bulls and goats because Jesus Christ the lamb of God was slain. You can be reconciled to God! The holy of holies has been opened!

But on the day of the Lord that Holy of Holies will be filled with smoke from the glory and power of God and the unleashing of his day of judgment.

God’s Patience Will End

When John says that “no one could enter ” it’s a reference to the fact that the days of God’s mercy have ENDED. God’s invitation of mercy is not indefinite.

God’s offer of reconciliation and grace have ended. He waited and waited and waited but the days of patience have run out. Once the day of judgment comes, there will no longer be a chance for people to repent and be saved.

We will see this next week. When God pours out his wrath the people on the earth respond with hardness of heart and blasphemy. They shake their fist at God and not a single person repents to be saved.

Why is that? Because the days of reconciliation end when Jesus comes again.

CONCLUSION

So have you settled the question? Have you been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ?

Or, are you following after the beast? Are you wrapped up in Satan’s schemes with Godless governments and false religion?

There is no such thing as “neutral ground” in this world. The kingdoms are in conflict. And that conflict is raging in your life today.

The question is, which kingdom will win?

Will you respond to God with repentance and faith? Living joyfully and fearlessly even in the face of great challenge and danger?

Will you praise him - in advance - even when you don’t see on the surface how his ways are right and his power great? Say it with words of faith - even if you’re eyes cannot see.

If you’re not a Christian, will you make today the day you receive the miracle of salvation? Repent of your sin. Agree with God you cannot save yourself and throw yourself at his mercy and grace.