Revelationchapter 15
8 verses · BSBRevelation book hub →
Speaks with:Leviticus 26×1Revelation 4×1Revelation 12×1Revelation 19×1Psalms 111×1Exodus 15×1
Summary
Chapter summary
A short hinge chapter, the smallest in the book, holding its breath before the bowls: 'another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven plagues, which are the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God.' John sees a sea of glass mingled with fire, and standing on it 'them that come off victorious from the beast, and from his image, and from the number of his name,' having harps of God. They sing two songs as one: 'the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,' Exodus 15 at the Red Sea joined to the Lamb's redemption: 'Great and marvellous are thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty.' Then seven golden bowls are given out, and the temple fills with smoke from his glory, and none was able to enter until the plagues are finished.
Context
Apocalyptic · John — Revelation overview
- A. 1–4 The Song of Moses and the Lamb by the Glassy Sea
- B. 5–8 Seven Golden Bowls and a Temple Filled With Smoke
The outline
A.The Song of Moses and the Lamb by the Glassy Seavv. 1 to 4
Read vv. 1 to 4 →B.Seven Golden Bowls and a Temple Filled With Smokevv. 5 to 8
Read vv. 5 to 8 →
The world behind this chapter
Revelation 15The history
This is the shortest chapter in the book and it functions as a doorway. Seven angels come out of the heavenly sanctuary with seven last plagues, and after these the wrath of God is finished.
Standing on the sea of glass are those who have gotten the victory over the beast and his image and his number — and they sing "the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." Moses' song was sung on the far shore of the Red Sea, after the water closed over the army that had been chasing them.
The whole chapter is deliberately built out of the exodus. A sea that the redeemed stand beside instead of drowning in. A tabernacle of testimony. Plagues about to be poured out on a power that will not let God's people go.
The angels come out in clean bright linen with golden sashes — priestly dress. Judgment here is handled as sacred service, not as rage let loose.
Then the sanctuary fills with smoke from the glory of God, and no one can enter until the seven plagues are finished. The same thing happened when the tabernacle was finished in Exodus and when Solomon's temple was dedicated: the glory filled it and the priests could not stand to minister.
What it meant to them
For a persecuted church, framing the finale as a second exodus said the shape of the ending was already known. God had done this before — a stubborn empire, escalating plagues, a people brought out singing on the other side of the water.
It also said the plagues were not endless. "In them is filled up the wrath of God" means there is a last one. That mattered to people who could not see a horizon.
Sources cited
- Alfred Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services (public domain)
- Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The text of this chapter
This page carries no textual note on Revelation 15. Where this site has examined a place the manuscripts differ, the examination is in the manuscripts room. Every place this site examines →
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.