A STUDY OF REVELATION Chapter Fifteen

This chapter has a close connection with chapter 14. Assurances had been given that all the enemies of religion would be cut off, and that the church would be ultimately triumphant, and particularly that the Antichristian power represented by the "beast" would be destroyed. The last seven plagues are designed for the counterfeit church (W.T. Russel)

In the fifteenth chapter we are going to find an introduction to what is called the Battle of Armageddon. That word just simply means the Hill of Megiddo. There have been many actual and real battles fought in that very spot. The Hill of Megiddo is where Gideon won the victory over the Midianites. Joshua won his victory on that Hill. There are at least eight decisive battles which were fought and won in the location referred to as Armageddon. In our continued study, I contend that this is an analogue. The battles of the past fought and won on the Hill of Megiddo is an analogue for the battle this Book of Revelation talks about, and the war called the Battle of Armageddon. In other words, this is the antitype. The Battle of Armageddon is a spiritual battle. Those eight battles fought on the Hill of Megiddo were natural. There were hundreds and thousands who died in battle. In this battle, it is the pouring out of the plagues upon the counterfeit church. This is done in answer to the prayers of the martyrs, but keep in mind that it is done before the church comes out of the wilderness.

Rev 15:2-4 is a parenthesis that gives a picture of the martyrs in their state of bliss. Sea = Multitude Glass = Peace and purity Mingled with Fire = Judgments Harps of God = Rejoicing

Moses taught the people to celebrate their deliverance with an appropriate hymn of praise, the redeemed would celebrate their delivery and redemption in a similar manner. Moses as an anti-type; the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and the destruction of the Egyptians at the Red sea, which occasioned the song of Moses, are seen here as an emblem of God's bringing his people out of antichristian bondage, and of the ruin of antichrist. The Lamb is seen as the deliverer of which Moses was a type.

The sense here is, that the judgments about to be inflicted on the beast and his image should and would teach men to reverence and adore God. There is, perhaps, included here also the idea of awe, inasmuch as this would be the effect of punishment. At the destruction of the beast Gospel will be freely preached to all nations.

The opening of the temple represents the free exercise of the true religion, a setting up of Gospel churches according to the original plan, a keeping of the ordinances, as they were first delivered, and a more clear discovery of Gospel truths. The heavenly temple is the type and the church is the anti-type Does not represent the future state if Israel Does not represent the building of a third temple

The trumpets shook the world kingdoms in a longer process; the vials destroy with a swift and sudden overthrow of the kingdom of "the beast”. Seven Angels 1. May be seen as messengers of God or ministers who will be the executioners of God's wrath upon the beast, and his followers.

The temple was filled with smoke—So was the tabernacle when consecrated by Moses, Exodus 40:34, 35, and the temple when consecrated by Solomon, 1 Kings 8:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 5:14. Also the anointing of the church at Pentecost Acts 2:2-4 The church on earth has been an instrument of God in carrying out his purposes. The pouring out of the plagues upon the counterfeit church and a wicked world is in answer to prayer.