Revelation 15:1-8
Verse 1 opens with John witnessing another sign in heaven; he calls it ‘great and marvelous.’ This could mean, spectacular or amazing as signified in other translations.
He sees seven Angels/Believers with the last seven plagues of God’s wrath. This would be an awesome sight yet could cause some foreboding due to the nature of the destruction caused by these seven plagues yet to take place.
In verse 2 John sees what appears to be a sea of glass mixed with fire. Revelation 4:6 also makes reference to this sea of glass yet looking like crystal. Ezekiel 1:22 makes a similar reference of an awesome gleam of crystal over the heads of the Cherubim that he was viewing in a vision.
In Genesis 1:7 God created firmament to divide the waters below from the waters above. Some have misunderstood this to be a reference to land coming out of the waters on the earth. However, notice in Genesis 1:8 that God calls the firmament “heaven.”
Basically this is a reference to the sky we see every day and what we call ‘outer space.’ The area out there that we look through our telescopes to see the stars.
The waters below refer to the waterways of the earth and clouds that bring the rain. The waters above being like a separation or barrier to the entrance to God’s Heaven.
When each of our time comes to move to Heaven we will pass through the waters above. This also signifies that we are pure by the blood of the cross of Christ and allowed into Heaven, crystal signifying we are clean.
Being mixed with fire is a reference to the Tribulation saints passing through the same waters above since they are the ones that come through the fire of the Tribulation. From the view in Heaven, the waters above could look like a sea of glass.
Notice the description in the rest of the verse of what those that are standing on the sea of glass overcame. These are things that the Tribulation saints faced before arriving in Heaven to receive their harps of God. The music that they are playing must be out of this world, for it is!
In verses 3 and 4 these saints are given songs to sing, the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. The scene could be similar to that which happened in 2Chronicles 7 when they dedicated the Temple and God’s presence filled it.
In verse 5 the Temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in Heaven opens. So worship again starts the ball rolling in which God gets actively involved.
Verse 6 gives us a description of the Angels/Believers coming out of the temple. Notice that they are dressed in similarity to what Jesus wore in the first chapter of this book. This could be another indication of Believers as the Body of Christ performing the functions of their authority; meting out God’s judgment as instructed by Him.
In verse 7 the four beasts (Cherubim) start passing out the vials or bowls full of the wrath of God. This is similar to any given Sunday morning where the Pastors of the Churches pass out the communion to the ushers to dispense to the people.
Verse 8 – This is again reminiscent of 2Chronicals 7 when the presence of God filled the Temple, no one is able to enter the Temple. God turns up the power until all the plagues are complete. This too could be representative of God’s preparation for battle since Armageddon is soon coming.
