Read with Me
Revelation 15:5-8 (HCSB)
After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony —was opened. Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests. One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from His power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Listen with Me
Some are confused with the mention of a temple in heaven, especially one that is called the “tabernacle of testimony”, precisely the name used for the tabernacle which Moses built at God’s command.
But remember that everything in Revelation is symbolic, not literal. The tabernacle, and later the temple, were places where God’s presence was manifested in the physical realm. And that is what this “heavenly tabernacle” represents as well. God’s powerful presence, which usually operates behind the scenes, was now going to be made manifest in the material dimension just as it was when God visited the Egyptians with the ten plagues, and as it was with the Israelites during their years in the wilderness.
It is from God’s divine presence that these final judgments against Rome and its leaders will come. The angels who emerge from the heavenly tabernacle are dressed as priests (Exodus 28:4, 39), those who act as intermediaries between God and mankind. But instead of bringing prayers and intercessions from the people to God, these “priests” will convey God’s judgments and wrath to the people from His presence.
The manifestation of God’s glory in the heavenly tabernacle corresponds to the same manifestation that was experienced at the dedication of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34-35) and at the dedication of the temple (1 King’s 8:10-11). Now that the extension of grace had been received and rejected, now that the hearts of those persecuting God’s people had been hardened, God’s judgment was set. No intercessions for those who were about to experience God’s unfolding wrath would be received to lessen the blows about to fall. God would be present to His people, but the door for God’s enemies to escape His judgment had been closed.
Pray with Me
Father, in a different context, the writer of Hebrews (10: 31) wrote that “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!” And that is what we see unfolding here. Even though You promised to protect Your faithful people from Your wrath and acts of judgment under the blood of Jesus, just as You did in Egypt (Exodus 12:12-13), it was still going to be a horrifying time as the society around them began to unravel and fall apart. But they could rest secure in the fact that You saw, You heard, and now You were about to take decisive action that would punish the persecutors and provide relief for Your besieged people. Thank You, Lord, that even today Your arm is not shortened, nor Your strength weakened. You still see, You still hear, and when the time is ripe, You still act on behalf of Your people. Amen.