“Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for with them, God’s wrath will be completed” (Revelation 15:1 HCSB).
What could account for God’s wrath as mentioned in this passage? In addition to the factors we’ve already discussed, there is something else to consider. For instance, suppose you were God and your only Son intervened to resolve the conflict that existed between you, as the Creator, and your human creation. What if your beloved Son was brutally assaulted and murdered by those He sought to help? Would that scenario inflame your wrath?
In considering these questions, it’s important to recognize that God’s wrath does not stem from an impulsive outburst or loss of composure. Instead, God executes His wrath in the form of judgment against those who refuse His mercy. These final seven judgments will unleash unprecedented devastation upon a world that has utterly rejected its Creator. But they will fully satisfy His justifiable wrath towards those who have provoked, dismissed, or ignored Him.
“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: ‘Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested'” (Revelation 15:2-4).
The people mentioned here in Revelation 15:2 are those who prevailed over the beast, his mark, and the number associated with his name. So how did they achieve that victory? The answer to that question leads us back to a portion of Revelation chapter fourteen…
“This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus” (Revelation 14:12 NIV).
So these individuals remained loyal to Christ, obeyed God, and rejected the mark of His enemy. Their presence with the Lord also implies their passing from this earthly life. So let’s tie these elements together: if they were victorious over the beast, and they were with the Lord, then it likely means they sacrificed their lives for what they believed.
We’ll consider some modern-day applications from this passage next.
Image Attribution: Judgment by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free