Rev. 15:1, 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.
John sees another sign in the heavens, which is, seven angels with seven last plagues. These are called the last plagues because upon their completion the wrath of God will be finished. These bowl judgments are the unfolding of the seventh trumpet judgment. These bowl judgments actually begin in Chapter 16.
Rev. 15:2-8.
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."
5 After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
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.
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.
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.
Standing on this sea of glass are those who did not abandon their faith in Christ when persecuted, threatened or killed by the Antichrist. These are the overcomers that overcame during the Great Tribulation.
Verses 3&4, Moses sang a song of redemption following the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex. 15:1-18), which now is the song of the Lamb, a celebration of God's judgment, power and authority, sung by those who forever have been delivered from the power of Satan. Can you imagine the exaltation of our Lord from this great choir. You may not be able to carry the tune of a crow now but no nightingale has ever sung more beautifully than you will then.
Verses 5-8, the tabernacle of Testimony is a Greek translation for the Hebrew "Tent of Meeting" see (Ex. 40:34&35). John saw a tabernacle in heaven like the one in the OT that contained the Ten Commandments. This signifies that the bowl judgments are the result of God's opposition to sin and of human rejection of His Word. The clothing of the angels show that they are free from corruption, immorality and injustice. According to (v.7) there is no doubt about the bowls being the wrath of God. The fact that no one can enter the temple of God until the plagues are finished means that no one can intercede to stop the judgment (v.8). There is no escape from this judgment; God has declared the end; His judgment will be complete and without mercy. This must take place because our eternal reign with Christ won't begin until all evil is destroyed by His judgment.
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