WHEN EXCUSES RUN OUT OF TIME

Revelation 15
Bob Bonner
March 12, 2006

This past week I was in southern California, joined by 3,500 other men at a pastor’s conference, where in four days I was privileged to sit under some outstanding teaching for 25 hours! I have never been in such a conference in my life! Amongst many subjects, we were challenged to continue to preach the gospel clearly and precisely, in an age when many congregations hear many half- truths or no biblical truth from those who stand in pulpits. For if we don’t speak the truth, clearly and precisely, few will know what it means to be saved or how to be saved.

Because of weak teaching coming from pulpits all over this country, many are confused and don’t have any clear direction about God. As a result, many excuse themselves to be agnostics, people who really are not sure if there is a God. Others, who claim to be Christians, excuse themselves to live their lives as they see fit rather to than seek after the will of the Lord and to submit to His direction for their lives. In doing so, they don’t even realize that such a lifestyle reveals that they are not and have never been true Christians or followers of Jesus Christ. One day, I believe many who stand behind such pulpits will have to answer to God for not clearly teaching His Word and for having not warned, but allowed or encouraged people to deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ in their lives.

This morning, we are going to look at a passage of Scripture that points to a time in the not-so-distant future, when our excuses for not fully acknowledging and submitting our lives to Jesus Christ will run out and some will be faced with a Christ-less eternity. If you have your Bibles with you, I invite you to open them to Revelation 15.

By way of reminder, allow me to set the scriptural and prophetic context of our passage for this morning. In the book of Revelation, the only chapters that deal with any part of the Church Age, are chapters 1-3. When we come to chapters 4-5, we are in the throne room of God, in heaven. The raptured New Testament believers are there possessing their eternal rewards. By the time we come to chapter 6, we discover that Revelation has deliberately skipped over the first three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation. There is nothing in Revelation that speaks to these three-and-a-half years. So, chapters 6-19 deal exclusively with the second half of the Tribulation period known as the Great Tribulation. These chapters make up more than half of the book of Revelation. 

In these chapters, we read about three sets of seven judgments. The three sets are the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments. Each set is chronological in itself, but in relationship to other sets of judgments, they are not necessarily chronological.

Due to the severity of the sixth seal judgment, it will be impossible for life on earth to exist but a few days. Hence, the seventh seal judgment, we are told, really makes up all of the remaining two sets of trumpet and bowl judgments.

Chronologically, the seven trumpet judgments come out of the seventh seal judgment and fit between the fifth and sixth seal judgments. Similar to the seven trumpet judgments coming out of the seventh seal judgment, so also the next seven bowl judgments come out of the seventh trumpet judgment.

In the end, the picture that Revelation paints for us about the Great Tribulation is that, as every day passes and gets closer to the end of these last three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation, the distresses in the world increase to such an extent that the pressure to just survive will be enormous. It will be in this condition that the beast, the Antichrist, in desperation will wage the war of Armageddon against Jesus Christ and will be quickly vanquished. Immediately following the end of that war, will come the Millennial Kingdom.

What makes the study of Revelation chapters 6-19 a little confusing for some, is that in between each of the sets of judgments there are three parenthetical sections that do not advance the chronological timeline at all. These parenthetical sections merely answer questions raised by the previous sets of judgments. They give us information as to key players during these times, what their roles are and what happens to the believers during these days. They reveal to us not only what is happening on planet earth during these judgments, but also what is happening in the control room of heaven, the throne room of God.

This morning, we are looking at the last chapter in the largest of the three parenthetical sections. Our chapter sets the stage for the last set of judgments to come, in chapter 16, the bowl judgments. Now that we have set the Scriptural and prophetic context of our chapter of study for this morning, chapter 15, let’s begin to work our way through this passage.

The opening two verses of chapter 15 set the scene, where and what time the events of this chapter will occur. We read, ¹Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, [this expression of both of these terms only appear here and in verse 3, nowhere else in the NT.] seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. [This sets the timing of these verses. Chronologically, these words take place before ch. 14, which follows the victory of Christ and 144 thousand with Christ singing a song of victory.] ²And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

The “sea of glass” is that same sea of glass that was mentioned back in 4:6, which surrounds the heavenly throne. This tranquil sea is mixed with the fire of God’s judgment that is about to take place.

Who are these people, standing on the sea of glass? These are the martyred saints spoken of in 13:1-10, that were killed by the beast, the Antichrist, during the Great Tribulation. These believers are called “victorious” because even though they died, they remained faithful to Christ, even unto their deaths they did not yield to the blasphemous demands of the beast, they did not fall down to worship his idol, nor did they succumb to having his number or the mark of the beast placed upon them. They did not fear the ultimate threat of the beast, their death, knowing that his brief victory over them would not last long. They knew that they would be resurrected in the future to live in the Millennial Kingdom, while the beast would be sent to hell,.... do not pass go, do not collect $200, never to know God’s grace again. The fact that these saints are holding harps indicates that the tenor of their praise is that of rejoicing.

One point of clarification: Do not confuse these singers and their song with that song sung in ch. 14. In chapter 15, these words will be sung in heaven; whereas in chapter 14, these words will be sung on earth. Furthermore, those doing the singing in chapter 14, were the 144,000 protected-by-Christ Jewish believers. In chapter 15, the singers are the martyred believers of the Great Tribulation. In 14:3, the song was a victory song sung at the end of the war of Armageddon. Whereas in chapter 15, this song will be sung just before the final seven plagues or bowl judgments take place, before the war of Armageddon. Finally, one last difference between these two chapters in which we read about singing, in chapter 14, there is only one song being sung. In chapter 15, there are two songs being sung.

Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Sung on Earth Sung in Heaven 144,000 Surviving Jewish Believers Martyred Great Tribulation Saints Sung after the victory of Armageddon Sung before the war of Armageddon Sing one song Sing two songs

Notice what verse 3 says, “And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.

The “song of Moses” referred to here is found in Exodus 15. It will be sung again in heaven by these martyred believers. Notice the comparison between these two songs found in chapter 15 the “song of Moses and the song of the Lamb:

Song of Moses Song of the Lamb Sung at the Red Sea Sung at the Crystal Sea At the triumph over Egypt At the triumph over Babylon How God brought Israel out How God brings Israel in The first song in scripture The last song in scripture Theme: Faithfulness that triumphs Theme: Faithfulness that triumphs Subjects of the song Subjects of the song Execution of the foe Execution of the foe Expectation of the saints entering Promise Land Expectation of the saints entering the Millennial Kingdom Exultation of the Lord Exultation of the Lord

Verse 3 speaks more specifically of the subject of the song of the Lamb, that it is about God and what He is doing. We read, Great [in extent] and marvelous [that is something that is astonishing and arouses wonder] are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. If this verse were written in Hebrew instead of Greek, it would have Great and marvelous are Your works, Yahweh Elohim, El Shaddai. That is a powerful grouping of three names for God: Yahweh, which is God’s personal name, describing His ever-present being with you and caring God; Elohim the creator/owner God who is the only one who possesses rights to your life; and therefore He is El Shaddai, (the Almighty one) who provides, protects and sustains the believer’s life.  

Now, keep in mind who it is that will be singing this song of praise to God. These will be the ones who had been martyred, and yet, they declare that even though they died, God has provided, protected and made them secure for that day when they will spend eternity with Him forever. They realized that His promise to provide and protect, sometimes is fulfilled by His taking us from the earth through difficult circumstances. Also note that they are not bitter about their loss. Their hearts are full of nothing but adoration and praise for God. There’s nothing like knowing you will one day stand in the eternal winner’s circle to give you eternal perspective during tough times!

The second point about God that this song has to do with God’s manner of judgment. It tells us that it is righteous [ meaning perfectly just in all He does] and true [faithful to keep His promises] are Your ways, King of the nations! God, the sovereign ruler of all the human race, is shortly to manifest His sovereignty and divine judgment on a wicked world. And when He does, the conclusion of all who observe this scene will be that God’s manner of judgment is just and true.

As you read verse 4, notice the futuristic context of this song is revealed in the futuristic rhetorical question at the beginning of verse 4. ⁴Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. This question raises the point that who can miss that our God is transcendent, unique, beyond what any person could think. It points to two of God’s attributes, His glory and holiness.

Overall, this song of praise, in verses 3-4, as John MacArthur correctly states,“extols God’s character as the omnipotent, immutable, sovereign, perfect and righteous Creator and judge.”

As a result of seeing his great and marvelous works, as a result of observing His just and true judgment, as a result of recognizing His glory and holiness, we read in the rest of verse 4, For all the nations [that is all believers and nonbelievers] will come and worship before You, For Your righteous acts have been revealed.”

As a result of all that God has done, there will be universal worship shown to God, by both the righteous and the wicked. Post Armageddon, even those who up till then have refused to acknowledge God for who He is, to their ultimate shame and eventual judgment, they too will worship God before being banished from His presence forever. There will no longer remain one atheist or agnostic.

The other day, I discovered that the Oxford Dictionary cites that “agnosticism” wasn’t even an English term until 1700's when it was coined by T. H. Huxley. I heard R. C. Sproul say that “foolish is the one who claims to be an agnostic. Better to claim that one is an outright atheist than an agnostic.” Why? Because Romans 1:18-20 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse.”

To be an agnostic is every bit as much being a rebel against God as is being an atheist but even more so. Why? Because the atheist, at least does not lie about suppressing the truth. The atheist clearly states, “I believe there is no such thing as God. God is a creation of man’s imagination.”

The agnostic, on the other hand says, “I’m not sure if there is a God because nobody informed me or has shown me that there is a God.” Hence, the agnostic adds insult to injury by not only suppressing the truth, but by calling God a liar, saying that he wasn’t informed. God clearly says that every person realizes there is a God and no one will be without excuse for not worshiping Him as such and for suppressing the truth about God. Furthermore, one day, all creation, the demons and the wicked, along with the righteous will worship God for who He is, and they will sing this song found in Rev. 15:3-4. 

In addition, Ray Stedman accurately points out that they won’t be the only ones singing this song,, but this song “will be on our hearts when we too stand in the presence of God. We will certainly not feel that we have done anything. We will simply marvel in awestruck gratitude at all that God has done for us!”

After these two great hymns of praise, we are introduced to what is about to take place in ch. 16, on earth, the seven last plagues or final judgments upon this earth as we know it. Verse 5 begins with the phrase, “After these things I looked,...” which typically introduces something horrific and dramatic is about to take place. In this case, it is the final preparation for the seven last plagues to hit the earth, bringing the end of this world as we know it, which will usher in the Millennial Kingdom.

⁵After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, ⁶and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. Coming out of the heavenly temple, the holy of holies where God’s presence dwells are these angels dressed in such a manner as to indicate that what these angels are about to do, that is, to bring judgment, stems from the very holy nature of the temple, the home of God, who must deal righteously.

⁷Then one of the four living creatures [if you have not been following our study, these are the four creatures, the Seraphim and Cherubim mentioned back in chapters 4-5] gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, [“full” meaning the fullness of the devastating character of what is about to happen. It is an ominous sign of what is about to happen] who lives forever and ever. ⁸And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; [The smoke represents the wrath of God; thus] and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. Once these final seven bowl judgments begin, no one is able to enter the temple to stop them. The final earthly judgment has come. It has come and God will not cease until the earth is fully purged, cleansed and prepared for His Millennial Kingdom.

The one message that continues to come through loud and clear in the book of Revelation is the same message that R. C. Kuhlman preached to us two weeks ago from 1 Peter 2. It’s better to persevere, to be determined to live as “holy living stones” today, and to receive eternal rewards that will last forever, than to live a compromised life so as to be comfortable or accepted by our peers, and in the end miss God’s eternal blessing.

Or, for you who may not yet have committed your life to Christ, it is better to live today for the Lord, than to live forever without Him! Better to reign with Christ forever than with Antichrist for a few short years! Better to endure persecution, whether being mocked for your faith or actually being martyred for your faith, now, than to escape the world’s rejection by denying Christ and suffer throughout eternity!

Psalm 2:12, gives a fitting warning to all who live on this earth today. It reads, “Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”

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