Below are some preliminary questions to assist in the study of this passage. For a comprehensive study of the passage, download the Study Guide (PDF download).
1. Describe the scene John saw in Revelation 15:1, 5-7 (printed below)
And I saw another sign in heaven, one that was great and marvelous: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them the wrath of God is completed…(5) After this I looked, and the temple in heaven, that is, the tabernacle of the Testimony, was opened. (6) Out of the temple came the seven angels who have the seven plagues. They were dressed in pure and bright linen, and they wore golden sashes around their chests. (7) Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, the one who lives forever and ever. (Revelation 15:1,5-7)
John reports that he now saw another sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues. It is explained that with the pouring out of these plagues upon the earth “the wrath of God is completed.” The appearance of the seven angels, coming directly out of the temple (or, sanctuary) of God (15:6), reflects the character of God: they are seen to be dressed in “pure and bright linen.” In Revelation 16:5-6 an angel proclaims that the Lord is righteous and that He is the Holy One; and His righteousness is now revealed in the fact that He is carrying out His acts of judgment.
2. What attribute of God is especially emphasized in the song John heard being sung by those who are standing on the sea? See Revelation 15:2-4 (printed below)
I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and standing on the sea, those who were victorious over the beast and his image and the number that represents his name. They held harps given them by God (3) and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb. They sang, “Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are your ways, O King of the ages. (4) Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name?—for you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:2-4)
Sandwiched in between the introduction of these seven angels and their act of pouring out the wrath of God, there is found a hymn of praise testifying to God’s righteousness. The testimony, “you alone are holy,” is a reference to the fact that the Lord is altogether holy and, therefore, He is worthy to carry out the judgment. The statement, “your righteous acts have been revealed,” is referring to the outpouring of the seven bowls of wrath that is about to be described. The first thing we must know about the wrath of God is the fact that it is an expression of God’s righteousness.
3. Describe the first four plagues (see Revelation 16:2-4,8 printed below). What do you think they represent?
The first angel went and poured out his bowl upon the land, and it caused ugly and painful sores to break out on the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. (3) The second angel poured out his bowl upon the sea, and the sea turned into blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. (4) The third angel poured out his bowl upon the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood…(8) The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and the sun was granted permission to scorch men with fire. (Revelation 16:2-4,8)
The first four plagues (16:2-9) represent natural catastrophes and calamities. The first four of these last plagues correspond to the plagues God sent upon Egypt, a nation that set itself in defiance of God. The First Plague, foul and painful sores upon man, corresponds to the sixth plague upon Egypt, the plague of boils upon man and beast (Exodus 9:8-10). The Second Plague, the sea is turned into blood and all marine life perishes, corresponds to the first plague upon Egypt, the plague of turning the water into blood (Exodus 7:20). The Third Plague, the fresh waters are turned into blood, again corresponds to the first plague upon Egypt that affected all the waters of the land (Exodus 7:19). The Fourth Plague, the sun scorches men with fire, corresponds to the ninth plague upon Egypt; but whereas in the ninth plague upon Egypt the sun was darkened (Exodus 10:21-23), here the sun’s strength is intensified.
4. Describe the fifth plague (see Revelation 16:10-11 printed below). What do you think this plague is depicting?
The fifth angel poured out his bowl upon the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. Men gnawed their tongues in agony, (11) yet they blasphemed the God of heaven on account of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10-11)
The Fifth Plague appears to represent temporal judgments in the form of political and economic disruptions. This plague is poured out upon “the throne of the beast”—i.e., the center of his empire; consequently, “his kingdom was darkened.” We may understand this to mean the “darkness” of disruptions, chaos, and disintegration in the political and economic realm; consider Isaiah 19 (a prophecy against the nation of Egypt) as an example of such temporal judgments upon a nation and society.
5. Against whom are the plagues directed (note Revelation 16:2 printed below?) Who are spared from these plagues? See Revelation 15:2 (printed below) Note, also, Revelation 7:9,14 (printed below)
The first angel went and poured out his bowl upon the land, and it caused ugly and painful sores to break out on the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. (Revelation 16:2)
I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and standing on the sea, those who were victorious over the beast and his image and the number that represents his name. They held harps given them by God (Revelation 15:2)
After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation and from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were dressed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands… (14) “They are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white by the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9,14)
It is emphasized that the plagues are directed against those who have given their allegiance to the “beast” (which has been previously identified as the anti-God kingdom of man). In Revelation 6:16-17 there was recorded the cry of sinful, unrepentant men as they are confronted by the Lord God on the day of Final Judgment, they cry out, “Who is able to stand?” Then in Revelation 7:9 John saw a great multitude “standing before the throne and before the Lamb,” dressed in white robes, with palm branches (the symbol of praise and peace) in their hands. At that time one of the elders identified this multitude in these terms: “They are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white by the blood of the Lamb.” Now in Revelation 15:2 John sees the same scene he saw previously. There is “a sea of glass mixed with fire” stretching out before the throne of God (cp. Revelation 4:6a)—the “sea of glass” represents the crystal purity and unfathomable holiness of God. Seen standing upon this glassy sea are those “who were victorious over the beast;” those who have given their hearts to Christ, receiving forgiveness—by His cleansing blood—and grace to be true to Him despite the opposition and allurements of the world. We may be assured that the wrath of God shall not fall upon those who belong to Christ (note Romans 5:9 and John 3:36).
