Revelation 15:6-8

Revelation 15:6-8

Rev. 14:6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.

Rev. 14:7          Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.

Rev. 14:8          The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Rev. 14:6 And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands.

Notice that the angel who gathers the grapes for the winepress of God’s wrath also comes out of the temple. The seven plagues can be likened to the sevenfold affliction promised by God to those who disobey Him,

Lev 26:24 then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

Lev 26:25 And I will bring a sword against you that will execute the vengeance of the covenant; when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

The angels came out of the temple meaning from the presence of God and therefore with divine sanction. One of the purposes of the book is to show that earthly events are under the control of God. They were dressed in clean, shining linen (Acts 10:30) which emphasizes their purity, they had a golden sash similar to the 'son of man', 1:13, see also Dan 10:5. They are distinguished from the saints who wear white linen.

Rev. 14:7      Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.

The four creatures, representing nature, now give the bowls to the angels the first four of which affect nature itself. The golden bowls in

Rev 5:8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

were full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, now they are used to pour out God’s wrath. Once more the wrath of God is God’s answer to the prayers of the saints as with the trumpets, see

Rev 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thundering, lightnings, and an earthquake.

the cry of the martyrs for their blood to be avenged is answered in the third bowl.

Rev. 14:8      The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

- There are many incidents like this in scripture, in which the tent or temple is filled with a cloud of the glory of the Lord,

Exo 40:34  Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Exo 40:35     And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

2 Chr 5:14 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.,

Isa 6:3 And one cried to another and said: " Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!"

Isa 30:27 Behold, the name of the LORD comes from afar, Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire.

Ezek 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and paused over the threshold of the temple; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord's glory.

this verse emphasizes God’s determination to complete his wrath. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues were completed indicates God’s determination to carry out these plagues to the bitter end. It is as though intimate communion with God by the saints is not possible until God has dealt with this matter .