Preparation For The Bowl Judgements

INTRO

Yesterday, we concluded our study of Revelation 14 with the picture of the Son of Man coming on a cloud with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. He used the sickle over the earth and harvested it. Then, an angel appeared with a sickle, and he used his sickle to gather the grapes of the earth and threw them into the winepress of God’s vineyard. Blood flowed out of the winepress up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles (vv. 14–20). From chapter 14, we go into another weird pause as we study the seven bowls in chapter 15 and the impact of how each was received. It is best to read chapters 6-11 in one sitting to understand the flow.

TEACHING

Revelation 15:1-4: John then saw seven angels with the seven last plagues, which will complete God’s wrath. “Will be completed” (v. 1) refers to God’s plan being fulfilled. There are several views about the tribulation: Some believe Christ’s followers will be raptured up to heaven before the tribulation; some believe Christ’s followers will be raptured after the seven-year tribulation. Either way, the tribulation will be implemented through six specific seals (Revelation 6):

1. The first horseman on a white horse appears and is the Antichrist. This parallels Matthew 24 to Revelation 6 and is the beginning of the seven-year period of tribulation. The Great Tribulation begins halfway through that seven-year period.

A second horseman on a red horse appears to take peace from the people—there will be wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 26).

A third horseman on a black horse with a balance scale represents scarcity, inequity, and famine (6:5–6).

A fourth horseman on a pale green horse appears who represents death and Hades.

Note: Many scholars suggest these first four seals will come early in the first three-and-a-half years of the tribulation, but we don’t know for sure.

An altar in heaven appears with faithful martyrs under it (Matthew 24:9; Revelation 6:9–11). We cannot be sure of the timeline of all this, but we can be sure believers will feel the fury during the fifth and sixth seals.

An earthquake occurs, the sun turns black, the moon becomes like blood, and a breakdown of all created order begins, announcing that the end of the world is at hand.

Note: Some scholars suggest the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls all happen at the same time. The trumpets proclaimed the coming of (1) raging fires to burn the earth’s grasses; (2) pollution of the seas; (3) contamination of the fresh water; and (4) the darkening of a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars. An eagle declared the next three trumpets would call much worse things into action: (5) a demonic invasion; (6) the demons waging war against the people; and (7) the giving of the seven bowls. These actually start the seventh seal. I firmly believe all believers will be raptured before this. At the end of the first half of the seven years, the Great Tribulation begins. Chapter 15 begins with that event.

Wiersbe describes verses 1–4 as, “The Voice of the Victors.”¹ Verse 2 describes those who have been victorious against the beast. That victory is seen because they are worshipping in heaven, possibly through martyrdom. The saints are standing on a sea of glass playing God’s harps in worship. In Revelation 5:8, the elders are also seen playing harps. MacArthur explains, “There is no sea in heaven (21:1), but the crystal pavement that serves as the floor of God’s throne stretches out like a great, glistening sea.”² These saints “from every nation, including Israel, ultimately triumph over Satan’s Antichrist and his system because of their faith in Jesus Christ.”³ The saints will also sing songs of worship (vv. 3–4). Their song describes what they are experiencing—all the nations were, in fact, together in worship of the Lord.

Remember this is an interlude before God’s wrath is experienced when the saints are singing in worship. MacArthur points out the song of Moses was “sung by the people of Israel immediately after their passage through the Red Sea and their deliverance from the Egyptian armies (Exodus 15:1–18) . . . of victory and deliverance that the redeemed who overcome Antichrist and his system will readily identify with.”⁴Further, singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb mark two “redemptive events: (1) deliverance of Israel by God from Egypt through Moses; and (2) deliverance of sinners by God from sin through Christ.”⁵

Revelation 15:5–8: Wiersbe summarizes 15:5—16:21 as, “The Voice of Fulfillment.”⁶ John watched as the heavenly sanctuary and the ark of the covenant was opened before him (v. 5). Seven angels and seven plagues then came out of the sanctuary dressed in bright linen and gold sashes (v. 6). MacArthur explains, “The [gold] bands demonstrate riches, royalty, and untarnished glory.”⁷ God is going to reveal who He is!

The living creatures mentioned in verse 7 were introduced in Revelation 4:6b–8—the lion, the calf, the face of a man, and the eagle. One of these creatures gave seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God. MacArthur explains the gold bowls “are shallow saucers, familiar items often associated with various functions of the temple worship, such as wine and blood sacrifice. Their flat shallowness pictures how the divine judgments will be emptied instantly, rather than slowly poured, drowning those who refused to drink the cup of salvation”⁸ (1 Kings 7:50; 2 Kings 12:13; 25:15). These bowls came straight from the temple.

The sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory (Exodus 19:16–18; 40:34–35; 1 Kings 8:10; Isaiah 6:4; Ezekiel 10:4) so that no one could enter it until after the seven plagues were completed (v. 8).

CLOSING

The presence and wrath of God will be released through seven gold bowls. If you know Jesus, you have nothing to fear from the wrath of God.