Revelation 15 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God. Seven angels having the seven last plagues - Under the emblems of harvest and vintage God's judgments on the enemies of his Church have already been pointed out: but these are farther signified by the seven vials, which are called the seven last plagues of God. The seven last plagues appear to fall under the seventh and last trumpet. As the seventh seal contained the seven trumpets, so the seventh trumpet contains the seven vials. And as seven angels sounded the seven trumpets, so seven angels are appointed to pour out the seven vials, angels being always the ministers of Providence. This chapter contains the opening vision which is preparatory to the pouring out of the vials.

The Targum of Jonathan on Isaiah 51:17, Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury, uses the same words employed by the evangelist here: "Jerusalem, thou hast received from the face of the Lord the cup of his wrath; ית פילי כסא דלוטא yath pailey casa dilvata, "the Phials of the cup of malediction " find again on Isaiah 51:22 : I will take out of thy hand the cup of malediction; ית פילי כסא דחמתי yath Pailey casa dechemti, "the Phials of the cup of my indignation."

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the 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. A sea of glass - A spacious lucid plain around the throne, from which fiery coruscations were continually emitted: or, the reflection of the light upon this lucid plain produced the prismatic colors of the most vivid rainbow.

Over the beast, and over his image - See the notes on Revelation 13:1-18 (note).

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. They sing the song of Moses - That which Moses sang, Exodus 15:1, when he and the Israelites, by the miraculous power of God, had got safely through the Red Sea, and saw their enemies all destroyed.

And the song of the Lamb - The same song adapted to the state of the suffering, but now delivered Christians.

Great and marvellous are thy works - God's works are descriptive of his infinite power and wisdom.

Lord God Almighty - Nearly the same as Jehovah, God of hosts.

Just and true are thy ways - Every step God takes in grace or providence is according to justice, and he carefully accomplishes all his threatenings and all his promises; to this he is bound by his truth.

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. Who shall not fear thee - That is, All should fear and worship this true God, because he is just and true and holy; and his saints should love and obey him, because he is their King; and they and all men should acknowledge his judgments, because they are made manifest.

And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony - The temple which succeeded the tabernacle, in which was the testimony, viz., the two tables, Aaron's rod, pot of manna, holy anointing oil, etc. All bearing testimony to the truth of God and his miraculous interposition in their behalf.

And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. The seven angels came out of the temple - To show that they were sent from God himself.

Clothed in pure and white linen - Habited as priests. For these habits see Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:8; and see the note on Revelation 1:13.

And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. The temple was filled with smoke - So was the tabernacle when consecrated by Moses, Exodus 40:34, Exodus 40:35, and the temple when consecrated by Solomon, 1 Kings 8:10, 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chronicles 5:14. See Isaiah 6:4. This account seems at least partly copied from those above.

When the high priest entered into the holy of holies, and the ordinary priest into the holy place, they always carried with them a great deal of smoking incense, which filled those places with smoke and darkness, which prevented them from considering too attentively the parts and ornaments of those holy places, and thus served to produce an air of majesty in the temple, which none dared to approach without the deepest reverence. To this Calmet thinks the allusion may be here.

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke [1831].