Revelation 15 explained: Seven Angels and a Victory Song

The last seven plagues (v. 1)

John sees seven angels holding seven final disasters, called "last" because with them God's anger against evil is complete. They are poured out in the next chapter, and the book does not soften how terrible they are.

Victors beside a glassy sea (v. 2)

Those who held out against the beast, the cruel power of chapter 13, refusing its statue and its number, stand by a sea like glass with fire in it, holding harps from God. The sea may recall the glassy sea before God's throne (4:6) or Israel safe beyond the Red Sea, and the Greek could also mean standing "on" it.

Song of Moses and the Lamb (vv. 3-4)

Like Israel singing after the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 15), they sing of Moses and "the Lamb," this book's name for Jesus. Their words echo Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 86:9 and Jeremiah 10:7, and they call God just and true and state as certain that all nations will come and worship him. Copies differ on whether he is "King of the nations" or "King of the ages."

Heaven's sacred tent opens (vv. 5-6)

The temple in heaven opens. It is called the tent of the covenant, after the desert shrine that held the tablets of God's law, and this may tie the coming judgments to God's own covenant. The angels wear golden sashes like Jesus in 1:13, and early copies split between shining "linen," like priests' clothing, and bright "stone," with strong support for both.

Golden bowls of anger (v. 7)

One of the four living creatures around God's throne hands the angels seven golden bowls full of God's anger. Earlier, golden bowls held the prayers of God's people (5:8), and some readers see these judgments as an answer to their cries for justice (6:10).

Smoke fills the temple (v. 8)

Smoke from God's glory and power fills the opened temple, and no one can enter until the seven plagues are finished. It recalls the cloud of glory that kept people out of Israel's tent and Solomon's temple (Exodus 40:35; 2 Chronicles 5:14) and the smoke in Isaiah's vision (Isaiah 6:4). The text does not say why no one can enter.

Key verse: Revelation 15:3

Where Christians differ

Christians differ on what these final plagues refer to: events in the first century Roman world, events spread across church history, a still future end of the world, or a symbolic picture of God's judgment on evil in every age.

Something to think about

Is it possible to long for justice against cruelty without it turning into a wish for revenge, and where would you draw that line?