The Complete Wrath of God (Revelation 15)
Call to Hear
Well good morning, everybody! We are back to our study of the book of Revelation and today, we are in chapter 15. Before we go there, I’d like to briefly make mention of this very special day in church history.
Today is the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–41). Pentecost means 50th and occurs 7 weeks (50 days) after Easter/Resurrection Sunday. We were first introduced to Pentecost in the Hebrew Bible (OT). There it is referred to as the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of First fruits (Ex. 23:16; Ex. 34:22; Dt. 16:9). How this feast was to be observed is detailed in Lev. 23:10-15 and Num. 28:26.
You are probably most familiar with it from the NT though (Acts 2:1–41). In Acts 2:1-4 we read these words.
Acts 2:1–4 NKJV
When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
As Jesus’ Galilean disciples began speaking in other tongues with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 2:9–11 NKJV
Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
I believe that our church is experiencing a type of Pentecost as well. Every week, the Word of the Lord goes forth from this podium in English, and those from China, Afghanistan, Iran, Haiti, Cuba, Africa, Venezuela and El Salvador have the message of God’s wonderful works translated into their own languages.
So, what does the day of Pentecost have to do with the book of Revelation? Everything as I see it. The day of Pentecost is about the faithfulness of our God. That when He says He’ll do something, we can trust Him to fulfill His promises. The Apostle Peter reminded those folks in Acts that what they were witnessing was the fulfillment of God’s promise through the prophet Joel.
Acts 2:17 NKJV
‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
Acts 2:21 NKJV
And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
Till this day people are still experiencing the outpouring of God’s Spirit and even now there is salvation for anyone who will call on the Name of the Lord. So, the things that we read in Revelation should not surprise us at all.
In our last message, The Triumph of the Lamb (Rev. 14:6-13), I emphasized the value of the Gospel. What we discovered from chapter 14 is that the Gospel is eternal. It never changes or loses its power. It is still the power of God unto salvation for anyone who would dare believe its message. The gospel is also universal. It is for everyone, no matter who you are or what your sin might be. The Gospel also demands a response. Choose life or choose death. The Gospel comes with a consequence. For anyone foolish enough to reject its offer to have your sins nailed to the cross of Christ, you will indeed suffer. And finally, it comes with a guarantee. Trust in the Name of the Lord and be saved!
Chuck Swindoll encourages and warns us with these words,
“You may recall that a significant portion of John’s revelation describes the coming judgments of God against an increasingly wicked and rebellious humanity. [However] if you have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior, you need not fear these cataclysmic judgments. Those who accept Christ will be rescued from those dreadful days of doom; however, those who reject the gospel will remain and suffer the wrath to come”.
Therefore, I want to speak to both of you today. Those who have accepted Christ as Lord and Master of their lives and those of you who are stubbornly holding on to the reins of your life rejecting the salvation and grace of Christ.
The Wrath of God (Rev. 15:1)
In this chapter of the revelation John witnesses three extraordinary things taking place. The first thing that he sees is the wrath of God in its fullness.
Revelation 15:1 NKJV
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
This is the third sign that John has seen in the revelation. The first one was in Rev. 12:1.
Revelation 12:1 NKJV
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
The second one was in Rev. 12:3.
Revelation 12:3 NKJV
And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
The sign that John sees in Rev. 15:1 appears to be greater and more outstanding than the previous two because this is the grand finale of signs. It’s like a Fourth of July firework show. You save the best for last. From this point moving forward there is no more hope for the wicked and only rejoicing lay ahead for those who trust in the Lord. The wrath of God has reached its goal.
What John sees are seven angels and they are carrying with them, the final seven plagues of the end times. The word that is translated plagues comes from a Greek work meaning to hit, beat, flog or punish. Isn’t that appropriate? God and the Lamb will do to the wicked what they have done to Christ. Jesus was treated the same way by those who rejected His offer of grace.
In Matthew 16:21 we read this;
Matthew 16:21 NKJV
From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Later in Matthew 20:17-19 Jesus again tells His disciples in a private conversation that the chief priests and scribes would
Matthew 20:19 NKJV
and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.”
Hundreds of years earlier, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and told us that Jesus “…was despised and rejected by men. That He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; He was oppressed and afflicted” (Isa. 53:3-7).
Well, as the saying goes, turnabout is fair play.
What they did to Jesus is now what’s about to happen them. The Triune and Sovereign God over all creation is about to open up a can on anyone who refuses to bow. Chuck Swindoll says that “these plagues will come with sudden impact - swift, severe, destructive, and fierce”.
At this point, John is just setting the stage for what will take place beginning in chapter 16.
The Worship of God (Rev. 15:2-4)
After seeing this great and marvelous sign in heaven, the sign of God’s full and completed wrath, John sees something else, the worship of God by those faithful followers of the Lamb.
Revelation 15:2–4 NKJV
And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”
I love this part of the chapter! What hope and encouragement are found in these words for the people of God! We are on the winning side and the gates of hell shall not prevail against us!
As you look around at the things taking place in our world today; wars, famines, violence and murders, battles over gender and sexuality, battles over abortions rights, prayer in school, church leaders of congregations discrediting the Bible and even God Himself, etc. Some folks within the church can start to tense up, they start feeling nervous as they watch their religious freedoms being taken away, but I’m here to remind us that we are on the winning side church.
Man cannot destroy what man did not build! Destroy this temple and watch the Lord raise it up again!!
But in the meantime, we must focus on worship!
When John looks again, he sees a heavenly ensemble singing their highest praise to the Almighty God, the Alpha and the Omega! These folks have overcome the beast, his mark, his image and his number! How were they able to accomplish this? Well, scripture tells us that they (we) have weapons in their arsenal that this world cannot provide! These weapons are not man-made, but “mighty in God”. Our government can’t provide these weapons. Our school system can’t provide these weapons. Grassroots community organizing and protesting can’t provide these weapons. They are MIGHTY in God (2 Cor. 10:4). We know from scripture that they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, their testimony (Rev. 12:11). They overcame by placing their faith in the only True and Living God(1 Jn. 5:4). So, when John looks, he doesn’t see a sad group of dejected Christians, he sees these individuals standing tall on the sea of glass exalting the Name of the Lord.
How can they worship at a time like this? How can they offer up praise to God while He is pouring out His wrath on the world? I believe that we should ask ourselves this question instead, “Why does the wrath of God not inspire us to worship Him”?
Notice here that they do not sing about their own victory over Satan, there would be nothing wrong with that if they did, rather they focus their hearts on the One who gave them the victory - God Almighty! These saints prayed for this in Revelation 6:10.
Revelation 6:10 NKJV
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Here we see that God has graciously obliged them.
Some commentators believe that the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb is speaking of one song, but it seems pretty clear to me that these are two individual songs about the same God and the same outcomes.
We find the song of Moses in Exodus 15:1-6ff and the song of the Lamb in Revelation 5:8-14 . Let me just read a little so you understand what’s happening.
Exodus 15:1–6 NKJV
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and spoke, saying: “I will sing to the Lord, For He has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea!
The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name.
Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.
The depths have covered them; They sank to the bottom like a stone.
“Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power; Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.
Revelation 5:9–10 NKJV
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Revelation 5:12–13 NKJV
saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
I absolutely LOVE John Phillips’ commentary on this section. He says,
“The song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea, the song of the Lamb is sung at 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 was the first song in scripture, the song of the Lamb is the last. The song of Moses commemorated the execution of a foe, the expectation of the saints, and the exaltation of the Lord; the song of the Lamb deals with the same three themes”.
Something else that we can learn from these two songs is that, our particular style of worship is not at all what is important. What’s most important is that we are, from a heart of gratitude for what God has done on our behalf, making our boast in and about Him! Swindoll accurately says,
“Whether the songs are old or new, the purpose of worship is to glorify God for His awesome person and His awe-inspiring works”.
I’m sure Morgan could appreciate that line.
Well, God will certainly be glorified and we’re going to see His glory in the next section. Things are about to get very bad for those who have aligned themselves with the beast. However, verses 2-4 are intended to comfort those faithful followers of the Lamb, assuring us that we have nothing to fear.
The Glory of God (Rev. 15:5-8)
After a time of rejoicing for those faithful followers of the Lamb, the scene in heaven switches back to the wrath that God is bringing upon the wicked of this world and John then sees the glory of God in the heavenly temple.
Revelation 15:5–8 NKJV
After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.
Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
At the time that John is recording these Words (95 AD) there is no physical temple on earth. There had been two previously, but both of them were destroyed. The last one being destroyed about 25 years prior to John’s recording of this revelation.
The temple was filled with smoke from the glory and the power of God (Ex. 19:18; 40:34; Lev. 16:2; 1 Kin. 8:10; 2 Chr. 5:13; Is. 6:4). This same glory that men refused to give Him, is now on full display in the temple. And not a single soul was able to enter it until all of the wrath of God was poured out on the earth. We’re going to see what that looks like when we get to chapter 16. Although they knew God they did not glorify Him or give Him thanks (Rom. 1:18-21). Because they had exchanged His incorruptible glory for man-made and corruptible things (Rom. 1:23) He will pour out the fullness of His fury on all the wicked of this world. As the saints in heaven worshiped they proclaimed,
Revelation 15:4 NKJV
Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”
Listen closely to what Martin Kiddle says about the wrath and glory of God.
‘Here is the bitter irony of [the lot of those who follow the beast and receive his markings]: though they damn themselves eternally by their refusal to face the truth, one day they will be forced to face it. Sooner or later the “glory” they refuse to “give” the Creator willingly will be torn from them by the spectacle of His wrath.’
That oughta wake you up this morning! If nothing else that I’ve said has spoken to you, this should get your attention!
When John mentions “the temple of the tabernacle of the Testimony”, this language is taken directly from the OT (Ex. 38:21; Num. 1:50, 53; 9:15; 10:11; 17:7, 8; 2 Chr. 24:6; Rev. 13:6; Acts 7:44) and even there it is associated with the wrath of God.
Numbers 1:51–53 NKJV
And when the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall set it up. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
The children of Israel shall pitch their tents, everyone by his own camp, everyone by his own standard, according to their armies;
but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
Here we see the priests of God serving as a barrier of protection for the people of God so that they do not suffer His wrath.
D.A. Carson does a brilliant job of bringing together, both the love and wrath of God in this article.
God’s wrath is not an implacable blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against His holiness. At the same time His love wells up amidst His perfections and is not generated by the loveliness of the loved. Thus there is nothing intrinsically impossible about wrath and love being directed toward the same individual or people at once. God in His perfections must be wrathful against His rebel image-bearers, for they have offended Him; God in His perfections must be loving toward His rebel image-bearers, for He is that kind of God. . . .
Do you wish to see God’s love? Look at the Cross.
Do you wish to see God’s wrath? Look at the Cross.
Call to Respond
David Platt is an author and lead pastor of McLean Bible Church. In his sermon How Do We Worship God in His Wrath? (David Platt, Sep. 30, 2012), he shares a story about one of his church members.
Azeem is an Arab follower of Jesus and former member of this church, now back in the Middle East, and he was sharing the gospel recently with a taxi driver in his Muslim country. The driver believed that he would pay for his sin for a little while in hell, but then he would surely go to heaven after that. After all, he hadn’t done too many bad things.
So Azeem said to him, “If I slapped you in the face, what would you do to me?” The driver replied, “I would throw you out of my taxi.” Azeem continued, “If I went up to a random guy on the street and slapped him in the face, what would he do to me?” The driver said, “He would probably call his friends and beat you up.” Azeem asked, “What if I went up to a policeman and slapped him in the face? What would he do to me?” The driver replied, “You would be beat up for sure, and then thrown into jail.”
Finally, Azeem posed this question: “What if I went to the king of this country, and I slapped him in the face? What would happen to me then?” The driver looked at Azeem and awkwardly laughed. He told Azeem, “You would die.” To this Azeem said, “So you see that the severity of sin’s punishment is always a reflection of the position of the person who is sinned against.” And the driver realized that he had been severely underestimating the seriousness of his sin against God.
Folks, make no mistake about it, God is good! But He is also severe! He means what He says. Do not underestimate the holiness of God!
If you’re here today and you’re not a Christian, don’t waste another minute. You don’t have to suffer the wrath of God. Through a personal relationship with Jesus you can be rescued from God’s wrath.
The word of God tells us that the blood of Jesus justifies us and saves us from God’s wrath (Rom. 5:9). That if you place your hope in Christ you will be appointed to obtain salvation (1 Thess. 5:9). Will you trust Him?
