Revelation 15

Revelation 15 is a chapter in the latter part of the book of Revelation. With only eight verses, it is the shortest chapter in the book. Following the visions of the harvest and the winepress in Revelation 14, it presents the scene that prepares for the seven bowl plagues poured out in Revelation 16.

Outline

• Verse 1 John sees in heaven seven angels holding seven plagues. These are the last plagues, and with them the wrath of God is completed.
• Verses 2–4 Beside a sea of glass mingled with fire stand those who have gained the victory over the beast, over his image, and over the number of his name. Holding the harps of God, they sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.
• Verses 5–8 The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven is opened. The seven angels come out clothed in linen and girded with golden sashes, and one of the four living creatures gives them seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God. The temple is filled with smoke, and no one can enter it until the seven plagues are completed.

Key Verses

• Revelation 15:1 "the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God" — This identifies the seven bowls as the final series of plagues.
• Revelation 15:3 "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb" — This joins the deliverance of the Exodus and the redemption accomplished by the Lamb in a single song.
• Revelation 15:4 "for all nations shall come and worship before thee" — This hymn looks ahead, even in the midst of judgment, to the worship of all nations.

Figures and Places

• The seven angels: The angels entrusted with the seven last plagues.
• Those who overcame the beast: The people who did not submit to the beast of Revelation 13 or to its mark.
• Moses: He does not appear directly but is mentioned only in the name of the song.
• The Lamb: A title for Jesus Christ in Revelation; see also the article Lamb of God.
• The four living creatures: Beings first introduced in Revelation 4 around the throne of God.
• The sea of glass: The sea before the throne in chapter 4, described in this chapter as mingled with fire.
• The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony: The heavenly temple, which recalls the tabernacle in the wilderness.

Points for Reflection

• Many interpreters read the song of Moses in connection with the song of Exodus 15, sung after the crossing of the Red Sea. Some also read it alongside the song of Deuteronomy 32. Interpreters likewise differ on whether the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb are one song or two.
• The hymn in verses 3–4 echoes Old Testament expressions such as Psalm 86:9 and Jeremiah 10:7.
• The people standing beside the sea of glass and the plagues that follow are often interpreted as patterned on the Exodus narrative, especially the ten plagues.
• The scene in which the temple is filled with smoke so that no one can enter is compared with the scenes of the coming of God's glory in Exodus 40:34–35, 1 Kings 8, and Isaiah 6.
• When the seven bowl plagues take place depends on one's approach to interpreting Revelation. Some read them as future events, others look for their fulfillment in the history of the church, and still others read them as symbols that transcend any particular era. Views also differ on whether they follow the earlier series of plagues in sequence or present the same events again.