A Study Of The Book Of Revelation
Lesson No. 18: Chapter 15

Date: January 21^st, 2004, Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Class
Speaker: John Phillis
Note: Much of the information for this Study of Revelation was taken from the book “Revelation Through First Century Glasses” by W. B. West. Other sources: “The Living Word, Study of Revelation, Parts I & II” by Dr. Frank Pack; “Revelation” by Jim McGuiggan; “Commentary on Revelation” by Homer Hailey; “Commentary on Revelation” by Burton Coffman; “The Book of Revelation – Spiritual Sword Lectureship, October 18 – 22, 1998”; “Commentary on Revelation” by Howard Winters; “Revelation for Christians Today” by Lonnie Woodruff; “Unlocking Revelation” by J. Stafford North.

Objectives in Studying this Chapter:

1) To see how the stage is set for the final outpouring of God’s wrath upon the beast and upon those who followed him

2) To note the comforting scene of those victorious over the beast praising God for His righteous judgment

A Brief Introduction

Chapter 15contains to major visions. It will also form, then, something of a background for what we are going to see in chapters 16 and following, that is, the pouring out of the “seven bowls,” or, depending on your translation, the “seven vials,” of God’s wrath upon the earth.

PRELUDE TO THE SEVEN BOWLS OF WRATH (VERSES 1-4)

“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.

2 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. 3 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! 4 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.’”

A Great and Marvelous Sign in Heaven (verses 1-2)

“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.

2 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.”

As this chapter begins, notice verse 1: “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.” Well, here we go! Here, it’s going to come! We’re going to see it!

But wait a minute. There’s a bit of an interruption. Instead of seeing this vision continue on with the seven angels and the seven bowls, or, the seven vials, John sees something else.

We notice here that these two visions are conveniently divided between verses 2, 3 and 4 and then verses 5, 6, 7 and 8. These are the two dividing points in this chapter. So, let’s take a look at the first vision that John has.

THE FIRST VISION

This vision anticipates the final triumph of those who have come out of the persecution and the suffering. It extols, we see here, the justice and the righteousness of God, and it documents, or, exalts, the results of those final outpourings of God’s wrath and judgment upon the evil world.

The Sea of Glass

Verse 2: “2 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.”

John sees here what resembles “a sea of glass” reflecting the flashing fire, like a glassy floor. This may be the symbol of God’s glory, or, it may symbolize the final judgments of God about to fall on men.

Those who are victorious—victorious over the beast and over his image and his mark—are standing on this sea of glass, having harps of God. There’s some symbolism that can be seen here, again, related back to the Old Testament, Exodus 15, like the ancient Israelites who, by God’s Own providence, had been delivered from the Egyptians.

These ones, who have overcome the beast, who have overcome Satan, if you will, come forth in their victorious “exodus” from the world, and they sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb.

Singing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb (verses 3-4)

“3 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! 4 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.’”

The song of Moses, of course, in the Old Testament is found there in Exodus 15, verses 2 through 19. However, the words of the song in this chapter, Revelation 15, are not a quote from Exodus 15—not at all! Rather, this song is a combination of parts of the Old Testament, mainly from the Psalms and the prophets. Now, in mentioning the “song of Moses” and the “song of the Lamb” together, it appears that the faithful of both the Old and the New Covenants are here included.

God’s works and God’s ways are justified in this song as “just and true.” Notice again the words of this song of Moses and the Lamb. They are very beautiful, very powerful: “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….”

That word there, that’s translated “true,” has the meaning of genuine, in the sense of there being no sham, no falsity—absolutely, utterly true. As the only true and holy God, all men shall reverence Him; all men shall glorify Him; “all NATIONS shall come and worship before” Him. They shall ultimately acknowledge and honor His sovereignty.

One is reminded of the statement of Paul in which he says that all men shall acknowledge “that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2 and verse 11 [“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name, 10 that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father,” Philippians 2:9-11.]. Why should all nations come and worship before God? Verse 4 answers the question. Why should all nations come and worship before God? “For YOU alone are holy.”

God’s “judgments have been manifested” to all nations. All will acknowledge the justice of God’s righteous acts and judgments.

In looking at this song, we are struck with the fact that these singing victors praise God’s greatness, and rightfully so. But notice that they call no attention, at all, to their own victory, or, triumph. They lose themselves in adoration, in the praise of God, Whose justice has vindicated them and Whose merciful love has redeemed them eternally. What a beautiful thought! What a beautiful scene this is! And to think that WE will be a part of that! How wonderful to think that WE will be among those singing “the song of Moses…and the song of the Lamb!”