At just eight verses, Revelation chapter fifteen is the shortest chapter in this book. This chapter functions as a sort of interlude that precedes the terrible judgments that will dominate chapter sixteen. Thus, Revelation chapter fifteen acts much like a staging area for the events to follow…
“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete” (Revelation 15:1).
In Revelation chapter six, we witnessed a series of divine judgments, each corresponding to the opening of seven different seals. Revelation chapter eight then brought forth seven trumpets that heralded a series of further judgments. Those judgments impacted one-third of the oceans, one-third of the vegetation, and one-third of the earth’s freshwater supply, among other things.
Revelation chapter fifteen will now unveil the final set of judgments that take the form of seven different plagues. No further judgments will follow those plagues, for our text from Revelation 15:1 explicitly links them to the culmination of God’s wrath.
In the source language for our text, the word “wrath” signifies a volatile, passionate type of anger. (1) For instance, anyone who has ever witnessed someone erupt in a display of furious indignation will readily grasp the idea behind this word. But what could possibly generate such a response from God? To help address that question, let’s approach this subject from the perspective of humanity’s Creator.
From God’s perspective, we might begin with the following observations…
- God created human beings and gave them life.
- He provided them with the capacity to experience love, pleasure, and happiness.
- He equipped them with the ability to think, feel, reason, and create.
- Finally, He placed them in an environment that was perfectly suited to their growth, development, and prosperity.
Now let’s consider the way God’s human creation responded to those blessings. Have the members of the human family returned God’s love for them? Have they offered Him the respect and appreciation He deserves? Have they even acknowledged His existence? Unfortunately, the answer is no for large numbers of people.
Now let’s consider these things from a 21st century vantage point. Today, there are many among the members of God’s human creation who employ His name as a profanity. Others refer to Him in a flippant and disrespectful manner. Then there are those who respond by mocking Him or dismissing Him in pursuit of their passions or pleasures. If you were in God’s position, how you would feel if countless millions did such things to you each day? Would you have a right to feel angry?
We’ll consider another aspect of these questions next.
(1) G2372 – thymos – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2372/kjv/tr/0-1/