Preparation of the Bowl Judgments--The Truth of John's Revelation

Short Introduction

The bowl judgments of John's revelation are the last judgments of the book. The judgments take place in chapters 15 and 16 of this magnificent book. They are severe, and these judgments may cause you to doubt God's grace and mercy.

To get a detailed copy of the judgments and look at them side by side, you can get a free copy here.

This post is a preliminary to the final judgments which will be dealt with later. However, there must be some explanation to the events leading up to the pouring out of the first bowl on earth.

God says that man thinks in strange ways compared to him. Isaiah 55 tells us that God's ways and thoughts are higher than man's. Therefore, man has trouble understanding God's sovereignty.

God has given man centuries to come to him for forgiveness, offers a solid, no nonsense plan of action and paid a horrendous price. Now, time has run out for many. Revelation chapter 15 reveals God's attitude toward sin. He hates it!

God is holy! He can't sin nor can he be around sin. If he is going to be the God who walks with and in his creation as he did in the Garden of Eden, he must rid his creation of sin.

The ironic thing is that Satan once was created a Cherub (Ezekiel 28:14). His job was to be sure that no unholiness ever came close to God. Yes, this little known fact is amazing!

God’s righteous self demands righteousness, Romans 3:24-26, to the point that He gave Jesus as a propitiation so God could become the just or the right. So God uses these eight verses of Chapter 15 to prove His justness in completing the rest of the purification of the peoples of the earth.

There are seven judgments left, the bowls or vials. It’s nearly over!

A Scene in Heaven

Let's begin by taking a look at what John sees in heaven. He again sees seven angels who have seven plagues. When these seven angels are through, God's wrath is finished.

The final phrase of verse 1 reads, . . .the wrath of God is finished. Are there other places in the Bible where we have it is finished. In Genesis 2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, i.e. finished. Also, Jesus said on the cross, John 9:30b, . . .It is finished!

From God’s standpoint, this moment was finished before the foundation of the world.

Seven angels have the seven last plagues. Anti-christ will have no other authority. The plagues will come from heaven.

Remember, it was seven angels who brought the seven messages to the churches, too. The events take place in heaven. They are marvelous, too.

John then reports that he sees a sea of glass mixed with fire. He sees the saints who have come out of the great tribulation (Revelation 7) standing on this sea. They have been given harps from the Lord God.

The Sea

What might all this mean? The "sea" represents calmness. This calm appears in great contrast to the calamity about to fall on the earth.

The believers killed in the tribulation period are in the calmness of the Lord. We’ve met them before in chapter 7.   they are given harps. They have become part of the heavenly choir. They are in the perfect peace of His presence. These saints are about to witness the perseverance of their faith.

Is their peace the same peace available today? It is. John 14:27, Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Yes the scene represents calmness, but it could also represent the church at rest. Or the calmness could represent God’s living word. Nonetheless, these saints have the victory that overcomes the world.

Sing or Say

Because of the security they have found in heaven, look at what they do from verse three, And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,

            saying,
          Great and marvelous are Your works,
         O Lord God, the Almighty;
         Righteous and true are Your ways,
         King of the nations! 

Notice the translation, “they sang” and then at the end it says “saying,” which is correct? Most often when we translate “sing” from heavenly hosts, the real Hebrew or Greek is “say.”

Angels never sing. However, can people in heaven sin?. Since we have tribulation saints pictured here, they could be singing or they could be saying. The song of Moses that they sang is recorded in Exodus 15:1-21.

Although John writes that they sang the song of Moses, they didn't sing Moses' song verbatim (Exodus 15:1-21). However, the contextual meaning of Moses' song is found in John's heavenly choir's rendition.

The basic idea is that God Triumphs over the enemies of his servants. God's protection worked for Moses, and that same shield works for these tribulation saints. Either way, the song is a victory song!

These saints have overcome the enemy even though the with their victory was to forfeit their physical lives. God's peace for you comes from your knowing that even in death, you live in perfect peace and absolute victory.

John Pictures King Jesus

Then John praises God for his holiness and his righteous acts (v 4). When you view the destruction of the 21 judgments of God, do you see them as holy or righteous? Only by your faith in the true words of God can you see his acts as righteous.

Following the rapture of the church, Jesus' next acts that are faithful and true represent the promises of God to destroy the works of Satan. Because Satan's works are in his kingdom, the earth, humans who live and worship in Satan's kingdom will be destroyed with Satan.

There's no fear in Christ's kingdom. The church is safely removed, the tribulation saints are in heaven and the havoc reeked on the earth destroy's Satan and his kingdom.

Temple in Heaven Opened

The preparations are nearly over, and the first bowl judgment is impending. First, however, John sees the temple in heaven opened and the Tabernacle of testimony was visible.

We think of the temple as a place of worship. It is true that judgment takes place in the temple as well. We are about to see judgment begin following the praise and worship session of the tribulation saints in heaven.

The writer of Hebrews writes about this tabernacle, the one not made by human hands (9:11).

John begins verse 5 with, "After these things. . ." What things?
   The praise and worship of the tribulation saints
   The song of Moses is finished
   The temple in heaven is opened and the Ark of the Testimony is shown

Remember that the Ark made by human hands resided in the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle and in Solomon's Temple. No one could go into this sacred place except the High Priest, and he could enter only one time each year.

Now, in heaven the Holy of Holies is open to all. Even John could see into it. We have direct access to God through the blood of Jesus. However, no one will be able to enter the heavenly Temple until after the seven last plagues are dispensed on earth.

The Stage Is Set

The heavenly militia is ready to aim and fire. In the next chapter, 16, of Revelation, the first 12 verses are given to the first 6 bowl judgments. That will be the topic of our next post. We will look at the wrath of God poured out in the bowl judgments.

I am here to help or answer questions. Please leave your questions or comments in the comment section provided.