“I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues – last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.” Rev. 15:1.
In Revelation 14 we have the three angels’ messages. Then it jumps to the coming of Christ. Now we go back to fill in the time between the three angels’ messages and the coming of Christ. What happens after the three angels’ messages have been given? That is the question, and chapter 15 gives the answer.
In Revelation 14 we have the three angels’ messages. Then it jumps to the coming of Christ. Now we go back to fill in the time between the three angels’ messages and the coming of Christ. What happens after the three angels’ messages have been given? That is the question, and chapter 15 gives the answer.
The three angels’ messages were given to call all mankind back to the worship of God. To call mankind to come out of the false religions and churches of the world which do not teach the Sabbath and teachings of God. But the world refused. Because they refused, God now pours out His seven last plagues.
The Bible is full of and/or, this/that, one extreme to the other extreme. In verses 1-4 we see that extremism. The last seven plagues are to be poured out on the wicked. The other extreme are the saints and eternal happiness. And why these extremes? Because light and darkness cannot dwell together. They can’t even dwell close together. There is no grey area. That is why we are commanded to get out and get away from the wicked world and churches. That way we will not be contaminated with sin.
Why are they the saints? Because they “had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.” In other words, they came out of all the churches that are in the world today and stood alone for the teachings of Jesus. That includes coming out of the Sabbath keeping churches that are no longer of God.
Now we go back in time to see the angels coming out of the temple of God. Why are they coming out of the temple of God? It is in that temple where “the Testimony was opened.”
Verse 5. That Testimony holds the Ten Commandments and the command to keep the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday) holy. That is the command which the world has forsaken and fought against. It is from there the angels come with the wrath and destruction of God on those who have broken His law.
Verse 8, “And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.”
Why could no one enter the temple? We have an example of this in the Old Testament. You will find this in 2 Chronicles 7:1-2. “When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it.” The concept here is much the same. As in the Old Testament, the worshipers came to the temple to have their sins forgiven, symbolically. In reality, the only way we can have our sins forgiven is by entering into the temple of heaven where Jesus is our High Priest. Only by coming into His presence in prayer and confession can we have our sins forgiven.
However, at this time, no prayers will be accepted. All mankind has had an opportunity to forsake their sins and accept the gospel of Jesus to be perfect, stop sinning and to keep the Ten Commandments to “get” your eternal life. Those who have rejected it are now forever sealed and doomed. The temple is closed for cleaning and renovations. No more sins will be accepted.
That is why the plagues will be “poured full strength into the cup of His wrath.” Rev. 14:10. You see, prior to this, throughout history, God has always poured out his wrath mixed with mercy and grace. We have lived under the grace of God for over six thousand years. That grace is coming to an end. When we study the Old Testament temple we find that the “mercy seat” of God was right above the Ark of the Testimony. God has always been merciful. Now, His mercy ends. “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins have deserved.” Ezra 9:13.
But that is not the case at the end of time. Time has run out for the sinner. The sinner has rejected all the grace of God by hanging on to his own stubborn will and the stubborn will of the churches. Now he must face the full fury of God with no restraint. Grace has run out for the human race.