Revelation 15, we're going to
finish this chapter today talking about preparation for final judgment. Preparation for final judgment.
Now I've told you the story of how I really began to study the
Bible, read the Bible and study it. And even before I was a believer. And I didn't come at it with
a good attitude. And I began reading the Bible,
and I'd see things in the Bible that were just against my grain.
And of course, we know that the Bible does not fit with our natural
way of thinking. the truths of God's word from
Genesis to Revelation, and even the gospel message. The word
gospel means good news, but I can remember when I first heard it
with the physical ear, it wasn't good news to me. It was an offensive
message because it allowed me no room to glory. It gave me
nothing to stand on that came from me, and that was offensive
to me. So when I began to read the Bible,
I found things in the Bible that I thought to myself, and this
is coming from my own unbelieving point of view when I first started
that, that if people really understood what was in this book, they'd
throw it away. They wouldn't want anything to do with it.
And you remember I used to quote, back then my favorite author
was Mark Twain, and of course Mark Twain was an atheist. And
he made the statement, he said, it's not the parts of the Bible
that I don't understand that bother me, it's the parts of
the Bible that I do understand that bother me. And that's the
way I was. And I got reminded of this when
I was studying on this lesson this week. Because the first
three verses of this chapter is a celebration, a celebration
in worship. Look at it. Look at verse, just
read them. We've already studied these,
but I'm going to pick up here in verse 5 in just a moment.
He says, I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous,
seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them is
filled up the wrath of God. Now what he's talking about is
the ministers of Christ bringing about the finished work of God's
judgment. That's why it's seven. Seven
is the number of the finished work. This is it. We're at the
end of all things here. There's nothing after this, there's
nothing more to come except judgment. That's why we call this preparation
for final judgment. And it's filled up the wrath
of God, the cup of God's wrath. You remember when Christ was
in the garden of Gethsemane, he said, if it be possible, let
this cup pass from me, talking about the wrath of God, and there
what he's doing, he's not denying his deity, and he's not reluctant
to go to the cross, he's going through the human experience
of suffering the wrath of God. You remember it says he sweat
great drops of blood there. We can't even imagine the type
of suffering that he was going through. But he was human without
sin. He's God in human flesh. That's
what the scripture says. And in his humanity, he was beginning
to suffer the pain and the sorrow, the derision of all of that.
And so here he talks about a cup of God's wrath that's filled
up. In other words, it's ready to explode. It's ready to pour
over. It's ready to be brought out
here. He says in verse two, I saw as
it were a sea of glass mingled with fire. That sea of glass
mingled with fire. A sea of glass means calm, means
smooth. Mingled with fire. But it's calm
and smooth, not without judgment. There is judgment. And he says,
it's a sea of glass mingled with fire and them that had gotten
the victory over the beast. The beast is Antichrist, Satan's
minion. And he says, over his image,
his image is how people view that beast, and over his mark,
remember, over the number of his name, that's the 666, that's
the false doctrine of the world. That's the false gospels of false
religion. Salvation by the works of men. Salvation by the wills of men
and not by the sovereign grace of God through the blood and
righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the only way that
you're going to get victory over the beast and his image and over
the mark is to believe the true gospel wherein Christ is revealed
both in his person and his finished work of righteousness. When the
Holy Spirit brings a sinner in the new birth to believe the
gospel and be submitted to Christ as his or her only righteousness
before God, that's when you get victory over the beast. And he
says, they stand on this sea of glass. They're on a smooth
sea, a firm foundation. Not the rough, dangerous, deadly
sea of the world. But this has all been smoothed
out. In other words, we sing that song, how firm a foundation,
ye saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent
word. And that word leads us to Christ.
Having the harps of God, that's worship. And verse 3 says they
sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.
We talked about that. You see, the song of Moses and
the song of the Lamb virtually is the same thing. It's the song
that sings, worthy is the Lamb that was slain. You see, our
worthiness is not in ourselves. Our qualification for the presence
of God is not in ourselves. It's all in Christ, the Lamb
that was slain. And that's what Moses sang about,
saying, great and marvelous are thy works. Now here's the celebration.
Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty. Just and true
are thy ways, thou King of saints. And a saint, as you know, is
one is a sinner saved by the grace of God, washed in the blood
of Christ, clothed in his righteousness. Now there's a celebration. And
what's coming? The wrath of God against all
the world of unbelief, of darkness. How in the world can we celebrate
that? Well now listen to me. And that's
what I was talking about things being offensive to the natural
man. We don't celebrate the eternal damnation of anybody. And one
of the main reasons we don't is because we know that if it
weren't for the grace of God, we would be right with them. I know the only reason that I'm
saved. It's not because I'm better than
anybody else. It's not because I... I'm going
to talk about this in the message today. It's not because I rose
above the crowd of unbelievers and distinguished myself by making
the right decision. That's not the reason. Did I
make the right decision? Yes, but only by the grace of
God. Only by His power and His goodness. Only by His sovereign will. So
I know that whenever I read about people perishing under the wrath
of God, you know the old saying, there but for the grace of God
go I. You know that's not in the Bible,
it's true. It was a statement made by one
of the pilgrims. But that's true. Paul said it this way, by the
grace of God, I am what I am. It's mercy. It's grace. But what
do we celebrate? Well, look at verse four. Who
shall not fear thee? That's fear of God. That's worship
of God. Oh, Lord. and glorify thy name."
This is the revelation of God, both in the salvation of his
people by his grace and in the damnation of those who perish
in unbelief. And he says, for thou art holy,
only art holy. You see, this distinguishes God. For all nations shall come and
worship before thee." Now what he's talking about here, we know
that all of God's elect out of every nation will worship Him
in Christ and be accepted of Him in Christ. But there's coming
a time when every knee is going to bow. Every tongue is going
to confess. And for the unbeliever, that's
going to be a forced confession, acknowledging that God is doing
what is right. But it won't bring that unbeliever
to repentance in this day of wrath. And then He says, for
thy judgments are made manifest. So it's all about His judgment.
Mark, you taught this last week, part one. And that's how God
makes Himself known in judgment. Anytime God mentions mercy, He
always mentions it in the context of judgment. Now, the judgment
of God, the cup of God's wrath for God's people, God's children,
God's elect, the believer, was poured out upon Christ on the
cross. So even in mercy and in salvation,
there's the establishment of justice, which is righteousness
for the people of God. So we don't have to fear the
wrath. If you're in Christ, you don't have to fear the wrath
of God. If you're in Christ, you have a righteousness that
answers the demands of God's law and justice. But for the
unbeliever, God will make himself known. Thy judgments are manifest. That means made known. In other
words, the unbeliever who's living his or her life on this earth
going around with a false peace thinking that they're blessed
it will be made known the reality then in verse 5 says and after
that I looked and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony in heaven was open now you know what that verse
is saying first of all the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony
in heaven you know what that's referring to that's referring
to the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant, the testimony,
that's what that is. That's a direct reference to
the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. You remember in the
Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. And what was the tabernacle?
It's the dwelling place of God. Not that God is contained or
limited to that location. You can't contain God. Remember
Christ told the woman at the well, you know, you say God's
in this temple and then we say. You can't contain God in any
one place. He's omnipresent, which means
he's everywhere. But the manifestation making
known of His glory resided in that Old Testament tabernacle
above the mercy seat in the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of
Holies. And you remember what had to happen? On the Day of
Atonement, one time a year, to be accepted with God, the high
priest had to slay the lamb, shed the blood of the lamb, and
the high priest had to take the blood into the Holy of Holies
and sprinkle that blood on the mercy seat. That was all a picture
of how God saves sinners through the blood of Christ. Christ is
our high priest, Christ is our altar, Christ is our lamb. So
all of that. Well now this word tabernacle
here has the same root word as the word dwelt in John 1.14. Remember what John 1.14 says? It says the word was made flesh
and dwelt or tabernacled among us. That's Christ. Where are
you going to find the manifestation of the glory of God? In the Lord
Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4,
6, he said it's the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. He wrote in Colossians chapter
2 and verse 9, For in Him, in Christ, dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
for in Christ dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
In this person who is God in human flesh, Emmanuel, God with
us, we see the glory of God. This verse here, verse 5, is
talking about Christ and the work that He accomplished as
the substitute and surety of his people in shedding his blood
and in the establishment of righteousness and here's what he's saying here
he's saying listen when this preparation for final judgment
here is the standard of judgment right here everything is judged
by God as to how one relates to Jesus Christ crucified and
raised from the dead That's what this is about. The testimony
in heaven was open. This is talking about the person
and work of Christ. So that when judgment comes,
what really matters? Doesn't matter how much money
you have or how little money you have. Doesn't matter how
much religion you've involved yourself in. Doesn't matter what
you own. Doesn't matter what your self-worth is, it matters
how do you stand with Christ, the crucified Lord of glory,
as your righteousness or not. That's what it meant. Act 1731,
how many times you hear me quote that? God has appointed a day
in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man
whom he hath ordained, in that he hath given assurance unto
all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Those, and
remember he said this back over in Revelation 14. Go back, just
cross the page there in verse 13. He says, I heard a voice
from heaven saying unto me, right, blessed are the dead which die
in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, sayeth the spirit that they
may rest from their labors and their works do follow them. Their
works do not save them. Their works do not earn God's
reward for them. Their works testify of the grace
of God and their standing in Christ. Evidence, that's what
it's talking about. But the point is, blessed are
those who die in the Lord. You see, there's no, we were
talking about our sister Betty Shepard. She died, but she died
in the Lord. And that's the key. When I stand
before God, upon whose merits will I stand there? Am I going
to be like those false preachers and believers, false believers
in Matthew 7 who say, Lord, Lord, haven't we preached in your name?
Lord, I was a preacher. Is that my merit before God?
Lord, I've done many wonderful works. I cast out demons. I did
this. Is that my righteousness before
God? If it is, then nothing but wrath. But if I stand in Christ and
look at it, verse 6, he says the seven angels, now that's
ministers, you know the word angel there sometimes in the
context it can refer to an angelic being or it can refer to a servant
or a minister. Messenger is what the word literally
means. Seven because what's being being
preached out here is the final end, finishing of all of God's
revelation. So these seven messengers came
out of the temple. They came out from Christ. Having
the seven plagues. Now anytime you see plagues,
it kind of reminds you back in Exodus, doesn't it? The ten plagues
on Egypt and later on we're going to see some of the plagues mentioned.
are really a direct reference to some of the certain ones of
those ten plagues, like the plague of frogs, we'll see that, and
others. There were ten plagues back in
Egypt. Ten was the number of judgment,
the number of law, the Ten Commandments, for example. But here there's
seven. Why is it seven? Because seven
is the number of finality. Seven is the number of a finished
work. What he's giving them, he's saying
here, this, these plagues, this is it. It's over. There's no
more, no more hope for anybody. This is the end, the seven angels.
And they came out of the temple. They came out of the temple of
God's glory in Christ And they had the seven plagues. Now these
seven messengers, look at it, it says they were clothed in
pure and white linen. Anytime you see that, what's
it talking about? The righteousness of Christ imputed
to us. In other words, their clothing,
this is symbolic, this is a metaphor, they stand in Christ. Again,
it's all about Christ and His finished work. And this righteousness,
this entire merit, remember, of his whole work of redemption
that is charged, accounted, reckoned to the account of every one of
his people. You know, the first mention of
this metaphor is back in Genesis 3.21, when Adam and Eve, remember,
after they fell and they realized their nakedness, and they were
ashamed, and what'd they do? They did their own thing. They
did the only thing man can do, and it doesn't glorify God, it
just covers over the problem. They sewed fig leaf aprons together. That's a metaphor of man's works. trying to hide his shame, trying
to hide his nakedness. What do men and women by nature
try to hide behind? They try to hide behind all kinds
of things, but one of the main things they try to hide behind
is false religion. Oh, I'll join the church. I'll
get baptized. You see, if you, and somebody
says, well, is there anything wrong with joining the church?
Let me tell you something. I was talking to somebody a couple
of weeks ago about this. Whenever God brings a sinner
to a saving knowledge of Christ in the gospel, that sinner joins
the church, the true church of the living God. Now, somebody
says, well, you've got to come down, you've got to present yourself,
we've got to vote. It's not scriptural, but I mean, there's nothing wrong.
You need to unite with a local body of believers. You do. But
all this voting and all this putting your name on the road
and all that. Listen, if God brings you to
a saving knowledge of Christ, your name's already written on
the road. It's called the Lamb's Book of Life. And your name was
written there before the foundation of the world. Revelation 13 tells
us. and other passages. But here,
when he talks about this, this white linen, back there, Adam
and Eve, they're putting on their fig leaf aprons, all right, trying
to hide behind their works, and what does God do? In Genesis
3.21, God takes an animal. He kills the animal, sheds blood,
because without the shedding of blood, there's no forgiveness.
Justice has to be satisfied. And he kills that animal and
he makes them coats of skin. He takes the fig leaf aprons
off and puts on the coats of skin. That's a symbol of a sinner
who is righteous not by his own works, fig leaf aprons, but by
the work of God in Christ, the Lamb. His righteousness imputed. And so that's the theme of the
scripture. How God can be just and justify the ungodly. That's
the issue here. Look at verse 6, he says, having
their breast girded with golden girdles. Now that's talking about
like they're ready for service. You know how they wore robes
back then and they would gird them up and put a belt around
so that they could run, they could walk, they could shift
and all that? And the golden girdle means,
gold is a metaphor for a symbol of deity. So their readiness
is the work of God. And they're ready to do the Lord's
work. Now look at verse 7. He says, one of the four beasts.
Now the word beast there is living creature. And it's a different
word than used for the beast of Satan. You remember the two
beasts that are the minions of Satan? The beast that comes out
of the sea, the beast that comes out of the land, from the land. Those are wild, untamed beasts.
That's a picture of anti-Christ and anti-religion. But these
beasts here are not like that. They're living creatures. That's
what he's talking about. They have life. They're not dead
spiritually. And you remember back in, where
was it in Revelation? Let me see if I can find it here. Yeah, back in Revelation 4, we
saw these four beasts, these four ministers. That's what they
are. Four living creatures. And they
were, each of the four testified in some particular aspect of
the person and work of Christ. There was a lion that symbolizes
Christ's kingly office in his work. That's the main theme of
the Gospel of Matthew. The lion of the tribe of Judah,
the king of kings. And then one was a calf or a
young ox that symbolized the work and the office of Christ
as the servant of the Lord. And that's what the main theme
of the book of Mark was. And then you had the one who
had the face of a man, symbolizing the humanity, the perfect sinless
humanity of Christ. And that was the theme of the
book of the gospel of Luke, the son of man, the messianic title. And then you had the flying eagle,
which symbolized his deity, and that's the main theme of the
book of John. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So he had all
this. But here we see only one of the
four beasts, probably the lion, because it's the king of kings
coming in power to judge. So here he says, one of the four
beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials. Now sometimes
in other translations these are called bowls. The seven vials,
the seven bowls, full of the wrath of God. Seven, because
this is the end, the finishing. The wrath of God who liveth forever
and ever, the living God. In other words, this is not some
kind of a just symbolic wrath of a dead God or an idol. This
is the true and living God making himself known in judgment. And he says in verse 8, look
at verse 8, he says, and the temple was filled with smoke
from the glory of God. Oftentimes in the Bible you'll
see the symbol of smoke. And it's kind of interesting,
you know, what happens when, you know, if you're in a building
or a house that catches on fire, they say that normally people
don't die by getting burned up, they die by smoke inhalation. You can't see, you can't breathe,
and that's what it's talking about here, the consuming smoke
of the glory of God. That's why It's necessary for
the true people of God to see the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ. You see, He took all the smoke
for us, you might say. And so it's from the glory of
God and from His power, His power to exercise judgment. And it
says, and no man was able to enter into the temple till the
seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. We know that
when Christ Himself consumed the wrath of God in our stead,
we were able to enter the temple of God. But I've got this in
your lesson here. I believe what this is referring to here, this
entering into the temple for understanding the judgments of
God, is what the psalmist wrote in Psalm 73 and verse 17. You
remember he... He, in his human frustration,
he talked about, I can't understand why the heathen prosper, why
they're getting what they, you know, it just seems to me like,
you know, that the people of God ought to, this is human reasoning
now. It seems to me that the people
of God, we who are in the grace of God, who know Christ and love
Him and His truth, we ought to be prospering sumptuously. And of course, you have false
preachers all up and down this country preaching, this world
preaching the health and wealth gospel. I tell people it's not
God's will that any of you suffer or any of you be poor. That's
a false gospel. You know that. So the psalmist
said, well, why do the heathen prosper and why I don't? Lord,
I'm preaching your gospel. Shouldn't I be prospering greatly
over the heathen? And the psalmist in Psalm 73
verse 17, he says, well, I didn't understand these things until
I went into the sanctuary of God. Then understood I their
end. You know, men and women by nature
don't understand God's judgment and wrath against sin. But when
they see all things come about in the light of God's glory in
Christ, reality is going to set in, isn't it? Reality is going
to hit. And then we're really going to
understand who is blessed and who is cursed. And the key to
that whole thing, blessing or cursing, is how do I stand with
the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I in him, washed in his blood,
clothed in his righteousness? All right.