Revelation 15:1

The announcement of the seven last judgments 15:1

This verse serves as a superscription for chapters 15 and 16 and even, perhaps, for the rest of the book. One writer argued that Revelation 15:1 concludes the previous revelation rather than introducing what follows. [Note: Michael Wilcock, The Message of Revelation, pp. 137-40.] Most scholars disagree.

"And I saw" (Gr. kai idou) again introduces a new scene, this time in heaven (cf. Revelation 13:1; Revelation 13:11; Revelation 14:1; Revelation 14:6; Revelation 14:14; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 15:5). The "sign" John saw signified God’s final judgments on earth-dwellers during the Tribulation (cf. Revelation 12:1; Revelation 12:3). The former signs were the woman and the dragon.

"They [the signs] point beyond themselves and disclose the theological meaning of history." [Note: Mounce, p. 285.]

This sign, however, is both great and marvelous, especially awesome. It is awesome because it signifies the climax of the outpouring of God’s wrath on nature, humankind, the dragon, and the two beasts. The sign itself is the seven angels who control seven plagues. As with the seals and trumpets, angels were God’s agents in pouring out His wrath in this series of judgments. These angels were now ready to do their duty (cf. Psalms 103:20). They appear seven times as a group (Revelation 15:6-8; Revelation 16:1; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9) and nine times individually (Revelation 16:2-4; Revelation 16:8; Revelation 16:10; Revelation 16:12; Revelation 16:17; Revelation 17:7; Revelation 21:9). John simply introduced them here. They do not begin to act until Revelation 15:6 (cf. Revelation 8:2; Revelation 12:6; Revelation 21:2).

The bowl "plagues" that follow have many similarities to the plagues that God sent on Egypt, as we shall see. All seven of these judgments reprise in varied ways the plagues of Egypt. These similarities suggest that God’s purpose in both series of judgments is the same: to punish godless idolaters and to liberate the godly for future blessing and service.

Some interpreters believe the bowl judgments are the same as the seal and trumpet judgments. One advocate of this position wrote as follows.

"The bowls go back in time before what is depicted in ch. 14 and explain in greater detail the woes throughout the [inter-advent] age culminating in the final judgment." [Note: Beale, p. 786.]

He explained their being described as "the last" this way.

". . . they portray the full-orbed wrath of God in a more intense manner than any of the previous woe visions." [Note: Ibid., p. 788.]