“Revelation 15:5 – 7 “After this I looked, and the temple—the tabernacle of the Testimony—was opened in heaven. And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean and bright linen and girded with golden sashes around their chests. Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.”
Originally, Moses took his tent and pitched it away from the camp as recorded in Exodus: 7-11. But later God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle in the wilderness and the priestly garments. (Exodus 35-40) These blueprints that were later modified to build Jewish temples throughout the world. It was always understood that the original tabernacle was a model and a forerunner of what would come later on. As a Jewish believer, John would have been extremely well acquainted with these scriptures. Now John is having “AHA!” moments; after years of reading these scriptures, he sees the heavenly tabernacle and is amazed!
Here is Barclay’s description:
It is from within the tabernacle that the seven avenging angels come forth. In the center of the Holy Place within the tabernacle lay the Ark of the Covenant, the chest in which were contained the tables of the ten commandments, the essence of the Law. That is to say, these angels come out from the place where the Law of God rests and come to show that no man or nation can with impunity defy the Law of God.
They are clothed in a shining white robe and are girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. The robes of the angels are symbolic of three things. (a) Their dress is priestly dress. The robe of white fine linen and the gold embroidered girdle about the breast is the dress of the High Priest. The High Priest might well be called God’s representative among men; and these angels come forth as the avenging representatives of God. (b) Their dress is royal dress. The white linen and the high girdle are the garments of princes and of kings; and these angels come forth with the royalty of the King of kings upon them. (c) Their dress is heavenly dress. The young man at the empty tomb of Christ was clothed in a long white garment (Mark 16:5; Matthew 28:3); and the angels are the inhabitants of heaven, come to execute God’s decrees upon earth.
It is one of the four living creatures who hands them the bowls of the wrath of God. When we were thinking about the four living creatures when they first emerged on the scene (Revelation 4:7) we saw that the first was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third like a man, and the fourth like an eagle; and that, they may well symbolize all that is strongest and bravest and wisest and swiftest in nature. if that be so, it is fitting that one of them should hand the bowls of wrath to the seven angels. The bowls of wrath are to bring disasters in nature to the world; and the symbolism may well be that nature is handing itself to God to serve his purposes.
15:8 “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels had been completed.” Time after time in the Bible, when the Glory of the Lord fills a place, the place is filled with smoke. When Solomon dedicated his magnificent temple, the Glory filled the temple. While the Glory of the Lord filled the temple, nobody could approach. 1 Kings 8:10 – 11 “And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.”
Barclay comments: There is the idea that the purposes of God will often be clouded to men, for no man can see into the mind of God; and there is the idea that the holiness and the glory of God are such that man in his own right can never approach God.
But in addition, there is the fact that no man could come into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels have been completed. God’s timing is perfect. When the time has come for judgment to be executed, nothing can stop it.
There is a legend about King Canute, who was King of England, Denmark, Norway, and parts of Sweden (995 – 1035 A.D.) King Canute was a believer. Canute set his throne up on the seashore and allowed the tide to come in, apparently to prove a point about Kings and God: ‘Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws.’ The legend continues that once Canute had carried out this demonstration, he hung his crown on a crucifix and never wore it again in honor of Almighty God.
“God Is Working His Purpose Out”
Source: Ancient and Modern: hymns and songs for refreshing worship #646
God is working his purpose out, as year succeeds to year,
God is working his purpose out, and the time is drawing near;
nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be,
when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.
God is working His purpose out. The question for us is will we work with God or attempt to oppose Him? King Canute was right; we can no more oppose God than we can order the tide to stop coming in. God loves us and wants us to love Him and to serve Him, but He will never force us.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you have given us guidance ever since the beginning of time, if we will only listen to you. Lord, help us to hear your voice and to let you have your way in our lives. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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