Revelation 15

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Posted on CCPC's website 2025

The study Index page.

     Again. This study is verse by verse, IMAGE by Image, IDEA by Idea, and concept by concept. Which means it is a Marathon.
     We are using sources that John the Apostle and those mentioned as the recipients of the letter, the Seven Churches and other First Century Christians, the majority of which were Jews, would / should / could have been familiar with. We will also reference newer translations and versions of the book, beginning with the 1560 Geneva Bible (the bulk source for the 1611 KJV, which we also use) all the way up to much more current publications, and examinations of the text from various scholars, as well as beginning the analysis of the text from the Greek.
     It should be said here, as we are beginning with the Greek, we are going in remembering that John was writing in an 'apocalyptic' style. It seems many translations have forgotten that and 'moderated' the language.

This is a very short chapter, eight verses, but there is A LOT of action, and meaning here. And it gets deep in a hurry. So hang on, we'll get through it.

1
     Once again, there is no pause. John looks and sees another sign in heaven...
      "mega kai thaumaston" (great and wonderful / marvelous) seven angels having "plegas hepta" (plagues / afflictions seven) - (text break) "tes eschatas" (the last), "hoti en autais" (because in them) "etelesthe ho thymos" (finishes the passionate wrath) "tou Theou" (of GOD).
     We've got a great and wonderful note coming up in verse 3.

2
     Now John sees something else...
      "hos thalassan hyalinen" (something like a sea of glass) "memigmenen pyri" (mixed with fire), and those who "nikontas" (conquered / were victorious over) the beast / its image / and the "arithmos" (number) of the "onoma" (name) of it, were "hestotas" (standing) on the sea of glass, having the "kitharas" (harps / lyres) of God.
     In this passage, John lists the ways the believers had defeated the Beast. Including whatever numerology is derived from its name, and there are a number of systems (not a pun, sorry) for assigning numbers to letters. Which you can pursue at your leisure beginning with the link below, and there are innumerable others.... (still not a pun). The problem is that all we know about the name(s) of the beast is that it (they) were ... unpleasant, and added up to either 666, or some derivative thereof, under whatever nonnumerical system was in play at the time.

3
     And "adousin" (are singing) the "oden Mouseos" (song of Moses), the "doulou tou Theou" (slave / servant of God), and the song of the "Arniou" (Lamb), saying: "Megala kai thaumasta" (Great and marvelous / wonderful) the "erga sou" (works of You), Lord God Almighty, "dikaiai kai alethinai hai hodoi sou" (innocent /holy (righteous) and true) are the "hodoi" (way / path / means) of you, "ho Basileus ton ethnon" (oh, Sovereign of the nations).

     You'll find the Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32. But then there is another possible Song of Moses in an Apocryphal book called the Assumption or Testament of Moses (which contains the legend referred to by Jude in his book and was known at that time), that poem about the coming Kingdom of GOD and the trembling of the Earth (which sounds familiar now doesn't it?) begins at verse 10, see quoted passage and link below.
     As for the Song of the Lamb, see Psalm 22.
     The words "mega kai thaumasta" (and forms thereof) are only used together twice in the entire NT. Verse one and three were it. And the third word "thaumastos" (wonderful / marvelous / astonishing) is only used six times, ALWAYS in describing the work, or presence, of God.

4
     Who is "ou" (absolute negative) "me" (negative) "phobethe" (fearful awe) of you, "Kyrie" (oh, Lord), and "doxasei" (will honor / glorify) the "onoma sou" (name of You)? "Hoti monos hosios" (you alone (solitary / singular) hallowed (beloved of God)). For all the "ethne" (foreign nations (gentiles)) "hexousin" (will arrive) and "proskynesousin" (will fall down and worship) before You because of the "dikaiomata" (deeds) you "ephanerothesan" (have made known / made clear).

     The double negative in the Greek re-enforces the statement making it an absolute, universal negative, which could be read here as: "Is there ANYBODY who isn't Terrified of YOU?" The second statement there reaffirms that while others may worship other things / gods, there is only One True GOD... who everybody is afraid of.

5 and 6
     And again, John looks and....
     ... enoige (opened up) "naos" (sanctuary / shrine) of the "skenes tou martyriou" (temple of the testimony (what is implied is the Holy of Holies)) in "ourano" (heaven). And comes out "hepta angeloi" (seven angels) having the seven "plegas" (plagues / wounds (calamity)) of the temple, having been clothed in "linon katharon lampron" (linen clean radient), "periezosmenoi" (wrapped around) their "stethos" (chest / breast) a "zone" (sash / belt) "chrusous" (golden).
     Somehow the 1611 has the idea that the angels are wearing 'girdles (what we'd now call a corset or tight vest)' on their chests. The root of the Greek word gives us the Stethoscope.
     NOTE: the seven angels exit the temple already possessing the seven plagues, or wounds, of the Temple. Some academics have gone into ecstasy writing and talking about how these are indicative of the seven wounds Christ received at the Crucifixion. Those being, from the top down: the crown of thorns piercing His scalp (which was more than one injury), the flogging of His back (ditto), nails through both wrists, and both heels, and the spear to His side. There is no textual evidence to support that conclusion. But then again, it can't be totally dismissed. And, in the end... it doesn't matter either way. When the angels use their plagues, you may come to your own conclusions.

7
     One of the four beasts gives the seven angels "hepta phialas chrysas" (seven 'shallow' bowls of gold) gemousas (brimming full) of "thymou" (passionate wrath) "tou Theou" of GOD), the One "zao / zontos" (alive / living) to the "aionas ton aionon" (word is repeated: perpetuity into perpetuity (the root word means, essentially: eternity)).
     The term was used before. "thumos / thymou" includes the idea of a righteous indignation that leads to a fierce outburst of passionate wrath. The expression: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more" is in that ball park. The text also doesn't say which of the four beasts had the bowls behind his back, or took off while everybody was looking elsewhere to run to the prop room to sign out the bowls. Like many things in the drama, they just appear.

8
     And "egemisthe" (completely filled (full and running over)) was the temple with "kapnou ek tes doxes" (smoke from the glory) of God, and from the "dynameos autou" (power of Him); and "oudeis edynato eiselthein" (none had the power to enter) the temple until "telesthosin" (were completed) the seven plagues of the seven angels.
     And with the end of that verse we come to the high point of Revelation. Unless you are on Earth, in which case it's all down hill from here.

End 15

Selected Sources for this chapter:
The Assumption (Ascension) of Moses, also known as The Testament of Moses http://wesley.nnu.edu/index.php?id=2124
Also see: https://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/testmoses.html

"And then His kingdom shall appear throughout all His creation,
And then Satan shall be no more,
And sorrow shall depart with him.....
And the earth shall tremble: to its confines shall it be shaken:
And the high mountains shall be made low
And the hills shall be shaken and fall.
And the horns of the sun shall be broken and he shall be turned into darkness;
And the moon shall not give her light, and be turned wholly into blood.
And the circle of the stars shall be disturbed."
The Testament Of Moses https://www.pseudepigrapha.com/pseudepigrapha/assumptionofmoses.html

Sources used throughout entire study:
Bible Hub Interlinear pages: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/revelation/1.htm

the Geneva Bible downloadable https://archive.org/details/TheGenevaBible1560

the 1611 KJV https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/

The study Index page.

NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.

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