Revelation 15 - The Beginning of the End (notes)

Revelation 15 - The Beginning of the End

Chapter 15

1. Deals with the preparation for the final bowl judgments in chapter 16.
2. Seven angels appear to John, whom many believe are different angels in the previous chapters of Revelation.
3. God’s wrath has been building for centuries.
4. In the tribulation, He unleashes His wrath.
5. In the bowl judgments, He concludes His judgments on the world.

The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb

• I saw another Sign in Heaven, huge and breathtaking.
• Seven angels with seven disasters, the wrap up of God’s wrath.
• The martyrs who conquered the beast stand by a “Sea of Glass” with harps of God. In preparation for the outpouring of the seven bowl judgments, the people of God enter into worship.

The beast

• And his tribe do not surface until the middle of the Tribulation. This means that those who gained victory over the beast must have done that sometime after the middle of the Tribulation.
• These believers have already been martyred and sing a song in Heaven.

I Saw Something like a sea made of glass, the glass shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb.

The Song:

Mighty your acts and marvelous, O God, the Sovereign-Strong! Righteous Your ways and true, King of the nations! Who can fail to fear You, God, give glory to Your Name? Because You and You only are holy, all nations will come and worship You, because they see Your judgments are right.

Exodus 15:1-18

What we see:

God is highly exalted.

God is my strength & defense.

The Lord is a warrior.

God defeats His enemies.

Who is like God?

You will lead the redeemed to your place.

The nations will hear & tremble.

Revelation 15:5-8

Then I saw the doors of the Temple, the Tent of Witness in Heaven, open wide. The Seven Angels carrying the seven disasters came out of the Temple. They were dressed in clean, bright linen and wore gold vests. One of the Four Animals handed the Seven Angels seven gold bowls, brimming with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Smoke from God's glory and power poured out of the Temple. No one was permitted to enter the Temple until the seven disasters of the Seven Angels were finished.

(MSG)

The Message

• There is a song that is sung when God triumphs over evil. There is a time to sing when God pours out His wrath upon those who hate Him and who hate His people.
• Anyone who is saved becomes a partner with God in the fulfillment His purpose on earth.
• We are made in the image of God so when we receive His grace we come under His umbrella of protection & blessing.
• The nation of Israel is delivered from bondage in Egypt.
• God raised up Moses from the house of Pharaoh which prepared Him to go before Pharaoh make the demands God gave Him.
• Through a series of mighty signs and wonders God sets Israel free from oppression and bondage in Egypt.
• Pharaoh is overcome with anger and chases them to the Red Sea. God shows His power over evil by defeating Egypt’s army in the Red Sea.
• This all points to the time when God will once again show His mighty power to the world for what they did to His people.
• The judgments in Revelation are the result of God’s response to evil and lack of repented sin in the world.