THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Revelation Chapters 15-16

THE SEVENTH TRUMP AND THE POURING OUT OF THE VIALS OF WRATH

The 7^th Trumpet sounds in chapter 11 verse 15 and continues to sound till Christ’s Return in Revelation 19:11-21. That of 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1Thessalonians 4:16. The Book of marvels unsealed and unleashed, reveals the final 7 judgments of Almighty God, now to be fully realized. It is after this verse 15 that 3 chapters are interposed. As we have noted before, they are Revelation chapters 12,13, & 14. These give more details to the events alluded to in chapters preceding 5-11 & also mention, without discussing at length, events yet to follow in chapters15-20.

CHAPTERS 15 & 16 are the subject of this lesson. And they are so designed to take us back to Israel’s Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea. The two chapters should be taken together as one, as they are of the same vision. Wherein chapter 15 introduces the 7 last plagues/Vials of God’s Great finishing Wrath, chapter 16 gives the detail of what they are. The two chapters answer to chapter 11 verse 18…the how God “….shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” The Eleventh chapter verse 14 makes this statement: “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” The 2^nd Woe, now past, corresponds to the events following the sounding of the 6^th Trumpet in Revelation 9:13 up through Revelation 11:14.

The next verse, the 15^th says; “And the seventh angel sounded…” (The sounding of the 7^th Trump is the harbinger of the 3^rd and final Woe). Now that long anticipated 7^th Trumpet is sounding, resulting in great declarations with worship transpiring in heaven. John’s vision is here interrupted. And the Prophet is redirected from the description of the 3^rd Woe to follow. In that his attention is drawn away to observe, and describes heaven’s dwellers as they get a glimpse of the final judgment accompanying the last Trump. And its intended results in anticipated victory declare in verse 15b: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord…” giving thanks “O Lord God Almighty, …..because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

(Later a similar pause, in the same glimpse of the results of the 7^th Trump after the 14^th chapter’s further expose. In that sounding of that final Trumpet is the Harvest just preceding the terrible Day of the Lord’s Winepress of Wrath. There again the breaking forth of praise and thanksgiving in anticipation of the completed Victory to be finally realized in the sounding of the 7^th Trump.)

CLOSING THE INTERPOSING WINDOW and moving forward in the vision of another sign (15:1)

After the interposing of the 3 chapters (plus) between Revelation 11:15b and-15:4 (including the anticipatory praise and thanksgiving offering of 15:b-18 and including the anticipatory offering of thanks and worship of 15:1-4)… There then is the taking back up of the unveiling of the 3^rd Woe that we were introduced to back in the 11^th chapter verse 14 & 15a, and again in the 15^th chapter VERSE 5. This Great Wrath (final judgment) is in part in answer to:

1. The Anti-Christ’s and others’ blaspheming
2. The Anti-Christ’s and Israel’s alliance
3. The Killing of the Two Witnesses
4. And in part because of other Martyrs’ blood

The who and why of the third great Woe having been established, the “how” of the destroying of the destroyers of the earth will be accomplished, and when, is now going to be presented to our view as Chapter 15:5 closes the interloping window of chapters 12-14. With: “And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.… This being that same moment and scene of chapter 11:19: “And the temple of God was opened in heaven…..”

The next verse 15:6 proceeds in explanation of that 3^rd Woe which is ushered in by the sounding of the 7^th Trump in 11:15a. “And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues…..seven golden vials full of the wrath of God….” The vials being in answer to the 7^th Trump are now to be dispensed upon the irreclaimable enemies of God. Those who have declared their allegiance with satan, the Beast and the false prophet, with seal and worship, are now to be trodden down in the Wrath of God’s Winepress. See 2^nd Thessalonians 2:6-12, Zechariah 14:1-16, Isaiah 29, Zephaniah 1:14-18, and Psalms 76.

God is revealing the fullness of His just and true ways in His Holiness being manifest in the 15^th and 16^th Chapters of Revelation. [Ephesians 3:10] Where it is seen and acknowledged in the heavens, (the imagery is taken from the Tabernacle of the wilderness) that He judges wisely and righteously, pouring out His Vials of Wrath upon the Destroyers of His Creation. IT IS NOT MERCY THAT REFORMS THE WORLD, BUT JUSTICE. No other god is Holy and no other god can withstand this God. All their gods were wicked, They were just bad men, only possessed of greater power. The false Christ is the manifestation of the character of the gods of the World. They are Wild Beasts. But God Almighty is HOLY.   Powerlessly, satan’s unrepentant self-diluted darkened hordes can do nothing but hurl blasphemies at the Holy Trinity. [Revelation 16:9]

In answer to all satan’s and man’s chaos wrought throughout the millenniums, come His final Judgments. Out from the temple (Holy of Holies – Leviticus 9:24 10:1,2) of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven (The heaven related to the earth. It is but a Tabernacle, not an abiding Temple. So as the Tabernacle of the wilderness disappeared in the temple of the city, so does this Tabernacle disappear after the Millennium in the City of our God) come the seven angels dressed as priests, given the vials full of the wrath of God, the Tabernacle Holy Place then being filled with the smoke from His glory. No man was able to enter into till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled..” [Revelation 15:5-8] That is to say all intercession in the heavens is suspended. [Lamentations 3:44] Righteous Acts and Words are now fully comprehended. Now words of proclamation in praise and worship are declared by those on high. Those who “…had gotten victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.”. [Revelation 15:2]

The Great Tribulation has near reached its end. And those raised up and those snatched away from the 7^th vials out pouring, are rejoicing on high, in the first heaven, above the earth. Who are they? They include the representative 144,000 First Fruits offering of Revelation chapter 14:1. Which is the Man-Child of Revelation 12 taken previously. But in particular, they are the Great Multitude who have come out of the Great Tribulation who John previously saw in Revelation chapter 7:9-17. They are those who have now joined the martyrs of Revelation 6. They are now, together, the Harvest of Revelation 14:15.

When are they taken? Between the 6^th angel’s pouring out his vial in Verse 12 and the 7^th angel pouring out his vial in Verse 17. For in Revelation 16:15, we have the word of the sure presence of Christians on the earth down to the Day of the Lord With the inserting of the Lord’s exhortation to these, between the two fixed points. “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.….” (THESE THEN ARE NOT THE GARMENTS OF CHRIST’S UNSTAINABLE RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT ARE RECKONED TO HIM UPON FAITH IN THE ATONEMENT. WHICH IS THEN IMPUTED TO HIM AND JUSTIFIES HIM ETERNALLY FROM THE ETERNAL WRATH IN THE LAKE OF FIRE) These are those GARMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which are their own, in that they, in the end, did not defile their garments. These are the fine linen they have arrayed themselves, in their righteous acts. [Revelation 19:7,8] These, now alert, ripened by the Tribulation, and now keenly watching are thereby not caught off guard again and now keepeth their garments. They had ignored this very warning given to all Christians previously throughout the centuries seen in Matthew 24:42-44. “…..lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” And who are those finally shamed? They are supposed to be those of 1Corinthians 3:15.

Where is this place on high where they stand on the sea of glass with harps from God, singing? It is an allusion to their having been like Israel, in the Red Sea, and their now having come up out of it. [Exodus 15:1,20,21; Isaiah 30:29-32] It is where they have now passed through that fiery sea of death. Now in martyrs’ resurrection or having now shared in Christ’s suffering in the Great Tribulation and Temptation trials. They are caught away as worthies, alive unto glorification, before the Judicial Throne in the Tabernacle of God. Having passed through and having been washed in the fiery Laver outside the Tent. Now standing on the molten glass of the 2^nd death as it can no longer harm them. They may now enter into the presence of God. They shall co-rule from the heavens above the earth dressed in white garments, (Revelation 3:5) in regal glory setting on thrones with Jesus Christ in His Millennial Kingdom. It is from that heaven’s Mt. Zion above the Earth in the first and 2nd heavens, where His and their thrones are now being set. (Psalms 122:5; Revelation 20:4).

Chapter 16 VERSES 17-21 The 7^th vial is poured out that reaches to the end of the Age. It is the last of God’s Judgments with God’s statement of verse 17b “It is done.” The Frogs are lying spirits that have gone out from the unholy trinity to all the kings of the earth and through their mouths. That is to say, by persuasive speech, deceived them to gather together against Him at Armageddon. [1Kings 22:19-23; Exodus 8:4] It is then done. That is, God’s Judgments out from His Judicial Throne are finished. It is at Christ’s Coming that He will tread the Winepress of God’s Wrath as the blood will run bridal deep 160 plus miles.

God’s final vial Judgment includes an earthquake like none ever since man was upon the earth, followed by great hail up to 100 pounds in weight. This is that same earthquake and great hail of Chapter 11 verse 19. (Again showing Chapters 12-14 as parenthetical.) This one is that one that accompanies or just precedes the Lord’s Return. The Father, now having made His Son’s enemies His footstool, now comes to claim His Kingdom. But before Jesus Christ’s divine intervention upon His Return to the earth, we have the interposing Chapters of 17 & 18 that take up the two previous brief references to Babylon. Those being in Chapter 14:8 will be further detailed in Chapter 17 and Chapter 16:19 will be dealt with in Chapter 18.

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