15
I saw in heaven another great and wonderful sign. Seven angels were about to bring the seven last plagues. The plagues would complete God's anger. 2 Then I saw something that looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire. Standing beside the sea were those who had won the battle over the beast. They had also overcome its statue and the number of its name. They held harps given to them by God. 3 They sang the song of God's servant Moses and of the Lamb. They sang, ‘Lord God who rules over all,
everything you do is great and wonderful.
King of the nations,
your ways are true and fair.
4 Lord, who will not have respect for you?
Who will not bring glory to your name?
You alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship you.
They see that the things you do are right.’
5 After this I looked, and I saw the temple in heaven. And it was opened. The temple is the holy tent where the tablets of the covenant law were kept. 6 Out of the temple came the seven angels who were bringing the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen. They wore gold strips of cloth around their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave seven golden bowls to the seven angels. The bowls were filled with the anger of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 The temple was filled with smoke that came from the glory and power of God. No one could enter the temple at that time. They had to wait until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
15:1–8 In Revelation 14:12, John had described God's people. They obeyed God, were faithful to Jesus and were patient. In Revelation chapter 15, John saw them celebrating what they had been waiting for. They had been patiently waiting for God to rule completely over all things. God had freed them from the power of the beast. They sang praises to God for being the fair ruler who does what is right. Their song was like Moses' song in Exodus chapter 15. Moses had praised God for freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In Moses' song, other nations were afraid when they saw what God did. In the song of God's people, other nations worshipped God. They worshipped him because they saw that he did what was right. Doing what was right included stopping everything that was wrong, sinful and evil. This song was sung as the angels prepared the last seven plagues. These plagues were a sign of how God would finish judging the world.