Revelation
Chapter
15
{Angelic
Execution Squad - 7 last 'Bowl Judgments' - God's Discipline of Mankind}
1~~Then
I saw another sign {semeion}
in
{the third} heaven,
{both}
great and awesome/noteworthy/astonishing {thaumastos},
seven
angels
{pur sui vant angelic messengers - the high-ranking angelic
execution squad sent by God the Father to administer divine
justice in the Tribulation. This also is in answer to the imprecatory
prayers of the Tribulational Martyrs - no evil ever goes unpunished
by God.}
who
have seven plagues/disasters {plege},
the
last ones {the terminating ones of history} . . .
because,
in them,
the
wrath of God has been completed.
{Note: Semeion is the Greek word used for something that occurs outside of nature. Paul tells us that the Greeks are searching for knowledge and the Jews are always seeking for signs. So, when we see a sign mentioned, RBT says this indicates a passage pertaining the Jews follows. There are Seven Signs Covered in Revelation Starting with Revelation 12:3.}
{Note: RBT says that first we are introduced to the fact that these seven angels carry plagues with them. In the following chapters, these plagues are said to be in 'bowls'. So this is a picture of an execution squad of seven angels who hold 'hand-grenade' type devices filled with the wrath of God.}
2~~Then
I saw something like a sea of glass
{represents the status of the Tribulational martyrs in their interim
state of tranquility}
which
had been mixed with fire
{The imprecatory prayers of Revelation 6:9-11 praying for divine
judgment}
even
those who had been victorious over the beast
{dictator of the revived Roman empire},
both
over {ek} his image {the abomination of desolation},
and
over {ek} the number of his name
{the reference to tyranny through use of a computerized economic
system - a PIN number of 666},
and
they stood on the sea of glass,
holding
harps from God
{a harp represents great happiness}.
{Note: The phrase 'over his mark' does not appear in the original text here - it was used earlier, just not here. SideNote: ek was used in a legitimate but unusually way in this verse per RBT.}
{Note: Playing a harp is a symbol of happiness in the bible. Just as hanging a harp on a willow tree - NOT playing - is the symbol of unhappiness - see Psalm 137.}
3-4~~And
they
{the Tribulation martyrs in their interim resurrection
bodies waiting for the 2nd Advent and their permanent
resurrection bodies}
sing
the hymn/song of Moses
the
servant/slave {doulos} of God
{see Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 22},
and
the hymn/song of the Lamb
{singing of the 1st Advent of Christ and His strategic victory},
singing/saying
{lego},
"Great
{megas}
and
awesome/noteworthy/astonishing {thaumastos} . . .
{are}
Your 'divine good production'/deeds/works
{ergon - here the divine good production of our Lord Jesus Christ},
O
Lord
{Jesus
Christ with emphasis on His 3rd Royal Patent - King of Kings}, the
God {Jesus Christ with emphasis on His 1st Royal Patent -
Sovereign Eternal God},
the
'Omnipotent One'/Almighty {pantokrator}
{emphasis of the Power of God's Plan for the believer}.
Your
Ways
{hodoi - plural of hodos - divine modus operandi in the plan of
God - being in fellowship and guided by God the Holy Spirit} . . .
{are} righteous(es)
{dikaiai - plural of dikaios- many categories of righteousness in the
plan/Ways of God}
and
true(s)
{alethinai - plural of alethinos - many categories of Truths or Bible
doctrines},
O
King {basileus}
of
the nations {ethnon plural of ethnos}. 4~~
Who
will 'absolutely not' {ouk me - very strong double negative here}
fear/'have
respect for {the authority of}' You, O Lord?
And,
who will glorify Your Person/Name?
Because
only You are virtuous/holy
{hosios - perfect virtue - perfect justice and righteousness}.
Because
all nations will come
{to Jerusalem: the predictive future anticipates the
Millennial reign of Christ after the 2nd Advent},
and
they will worship before You.
Because
Your righteous/judicious {dikaioma} acts
{Lord's judgments at the 2nd Advent - Satan's imprisonment and
judgment of all unbelievers}
have
been revealed/'made manifest' {phaneroo}."
{Note: RBT says the Characteristics of God fall into three categories: His spirituality, His Infiniteness, and His Perfection. His spirituality has two areas - His life and His Personalities. His infiniteness includes His 'Always existing self', His self-awareness, His immutability, omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, and the unity of His attributes - though they are found in His/Their multiple Personalities. Lastly, in His perfection are all the characteristics in which He is perfect - perfect love, righteousness, justice to name just three, which make up His Integrity.}
5~~Then
after these things
I
'concentrated on'/looked,
and
the temple {naos}
-
the tabernacle {skene} which serves as a testimony in heaven -
was
opened.
{Note: The tabernacle was on the earth until its destruction in 67 AD. From here we learn that the tabernacle is now in heaven. It will remain there until a new tabernacle is built on earth during the Millennial reign of Christ. The temple in heaven contains the tabernacle that memorializes Jesus Christ and His 1st Advent. It also apparently has a section for the housing of the elect angelic forces. Now we will see that the 'execution squad' comes out of the temple and fulfills their mission at the end of the Tribulation. Their missions will be described in detail in Chapters 16, 17, 18 and 19.}
6~~Then
the seven angels {pur sui vant angelic messengers}
who
have the seven plagues
came
out of the temple,
and
they were 'dressed in a uniform'
made
of pure {katharos -pure, without fault, sinless}
and
brilliant/shinning/transparent {lampros} linen
{this is equivalent to human winner believers who are awarded the
shining resurrection bodies and the Uniform of Glory - bible
doctrine is the Mind of Christ. The more light you have the
brighter your Uniform will shine. Jesus Christ will of course Shine
infinitely more than any creature},
also
they were wearing a golden baldric slung across their chests.
{Note: The golden baldric was one of the highest military awards that could be earned in the Roman Army (and the bible must be interpreted considering the day in which it was written). So, these seven angels are very high ranking in the angelic order and have been awarded high honors in the angelic conflict.}
{Chain
of Command Revealed - From God to the 'Four Living Creatures' to the
Execution Squad - Drinking Goblet Judgments - Chapter 15:7 through
Chapter 16 with an Addendum in Chapter 17 and 18}
7~~Then
one of the four
'living
creatures'/'high-ranking angelic heralds'
{see Revelation 4:7 also. Now we see these are very, very high
ranking - like Military G4 angels}
gave
to the seven angels
seven
golden bowls/vials/'drinking goblets'
{phiale - in context here like 'hand grenades'}
which
have been filled with the wrath of God
{anthropopathism for the divine justice of God to be administered
against great evil}
Who
lives forever and ever {aion aion - eternal life}.
{Note: Revelation 21:9 tells us that the seven angels hold seven bowls. In those bowls are the seven plagues - the seven divine discipline judgments of God on the unbelievers on earth in these final days.}
8~~Then
the temple was filled with smoke
from
the source of the glory {essence} of God {doxa Theos},
and
from His power {Omnipotence of God}.
Furthermore,
no one was able/'had the power' {dunamai}
to
enter the temple {heavenly temple here}
until
the seven plagues
administered
by the seven angels
had
been completed.
{Note: When God is administering divine justice, no creature is permitted to be in His presence. Through-out the bible, 'smoke' was seen when the concentrated essence of God was in a room or temple. God is Spirit and no man can see Him. See Isaiah 6:3-4, Exodus 18:18, Psalm 18:8}
{Note: In abnormal times, normal activities end. So during the last days of the Tribulation, creatures had to rely on the doctrine already resident in their souls. The normal activities of prayer, and worship and bible study were halted.}
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