And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests. Sermons
I. BY THE SEVERITY OF THE JUDGMENT THREATENED. The vision is one of judgment, not of warfare. It is only incidentally that the idea of war is introduced (Revelation 16:14, 16; Revelation 17:14). Judgment is the burden of the vision. The severity of the judgments is seen in the terms used. There are seven vials, or bowls. The first becomes "a noisome and grievous sore," etc. (ver. 2); the second a cause of death - "every living soul died;" the third turns "the rivers and fountains of the waters" into "blood ;" the fourth, "men were scorched with great beat;" the fifth, "they gnawed their tongues for pain;" the sixth prepares the way for the coming of (antagonistic) kings (this requires a subsequent interpretation); the seventh brings "lightnings and voices and thunders" and "a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth." Thus is set forth ideally the utmost painfulness and severity of judgments. Much of the imagery carries us back to Egypt's plagues. II. We are further arrested by the UNIVERSALITY OF THE JUDGMENT. There is no reference to portions of the earth, as earlier (Revelation 8:7-11). III. BY THE FINALITY OF THE JUDGMENTS. "In them is finished the wrath of God." It is the judgment of "Babylon the great," "the great harlot that sitteth upon many waters." "Babylon the great, the mother of the harlots, and of the abominations of the earth," whose flesh they shall eat, and "shall burn her utterly with fire." Thus by outward materialistic judgments are we to see a spiritual conquest and destruction and judgment ideally represented. Blessed are they who are not included in "the judgment of the great harlot"! - R. G.
The seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues. Note,1. The instruments employed by God for executing His wrath upon sinners — angels, seven angels: not that He needs them, but He is pleased to make use of them, and they are but instruments in His hand, who receive all their efficacy from the hand that uses them. 2. From whence these seven angels come, namely, out of the temple, more immediately from the presence of God, implying that they came forth to execute vengeance by God's special directions, and consequently that the work was very well pleasing unto God which they went about. 3. How they are furnished, having seven plagues — namely, to inflict upon the idolatrous enemies of the Church. 4. In and after what manner these angels were apparelled and appeared.(1) They were clothed in pure and white linen, to denote the holiness of their persons, as also the holiness of that work which they had then in hand.(2) This clothing of theirs was girded to them, expressing thereby their great readiness for, and their great alacrity in, their work.(3) The girdle wherewith they were girded was a golden girdle, exactly answering the habit of the high priest, when he entered into the holy of holies, to inquire of God, or came out with an answer from God. 5. From the whole learn, that when the Lord comes to pull down Babylon, as well as to build up Sion, He will appear in glory; the angels are God's special ministers; when they go forth to pour out the vials of His wrath upon Babylon, they appear gloriously apparelled, glittering like the high priest, and girded with golden girdles. (W. Burkitt, M. A.) I. The SOURCE of genuine soul discipline. "After that (these things) I looked (saw), and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened." The discipline, as we have seen, was of a painful character. It involved "seven angels" with "seven plagues." Whence did it proceed? Not from secondary instrumentalities, fortuitous circumstances, or a heartless, rigorous fatality, but direct from the presence of the Infinite. The language here points to the inner compartment of the old Jewish tabernacle, known as the "Holy of Holies." There the Jew regarded Jehovah as especially revealing Himself to them, and as communicating to them His ideas and plans. To a genuinely disciplined soul all influences from heaven tending to purify and ennoble are regarded as coming direct from the presence of the Great Father. Its inner eye, so to speak, is so opened and quickened that it glances into the very shrine of the Almighty.II. The MINISTERS of genuine soul discipline. 1. They are complete in number and qualification. "Seven angels" and "seven plagues." 2. They go forth direct from His presence. "Came out of the temple," etc. 3. They are divinely marked and attired as God's priests. "Clothed (arrayed) in pure and white linen." 4. They have a commission of severity. True soul-education involves pain. The very severity is a blessing. III. The INDISPENSABILITY of genuine soul discipline. "No man (no one) was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled" (should be finished). The idea suggested is that no man could enter into the shrine or into the immediate presence of God until the discipline had been fully accomplished. (David Thomas, D. D.) People JohnPlaces PatmosTopics Across, Angels, Arrayed, Bands, Breasts, Bright, Bringing, Chests, Clad, Clean, Clothed, Dressed, Forth, Girded, Girdles, Girt, Gold, Golden, Linen, Messengers, Plagues, Precious, Punishments, Pure, Robed, Round, Sanctuary, Sashes, Seven, Shining, Stone, Temple, Wearing, WoreOutline 1. The seven angels with the seven last plagues.3. The song of those who overcame the beast. 7. The seven bowls full of the wrath of God. Dictionary of Bible Themes Revelation 15:6 4113 angels, agents of judgment Library Israel in EgyptMay God the Holy Spirit enable me to exhibit the parallel which exists between the condition of Israel when passing through the sea, and the position of the church of Christ at the present day. Next, we shall compare the triumph of the Lord at the Red Sea with the victory of the Lamb in the great and terrible day of the Lord. And lastly, I shall point out certain prominent features of the song of Moses, which will doubtless be as prominent in the song of the Lamb. I. First, it is our business to … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 Transcriber's Note: All Fulness in Christ The Sixth vision "In Heaven" A vision of the King. The Angel's Message and Song The Living One Stedfastness in the Old Paths. Notes on the First Century: "But Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God," &C. Covenanting a Duty. The Testimony of Jesus Christ Links Revelation 15:6 NIVRevelation 15:6 NLT Revelation 15:6 ESV Revelation 15:6 NASB Revelation 15:6 KJV Revelation 15:6 Bible Apps Revelation 15:6 Parallel Revelation 15:6 Biblia Paralela Revelation 15:6 Chinese Bible Revelation 15:6 French Bible Revelation 15:6 German Bible Revelation 15:6 Commentaries Bible Hub |