1. THE SIGN IN HEAVEN (V-1)

1. This scene takes place in heaven. It is great and marvelous.

2. This wonderful and marvelous sign includes all that is in this chapter.

3. John saw seven angels having the seven LAST plagues – those are definitely the last plagues. In these plagues is FILLED UP (completed) the wrath of God. This means the end of the Great Tribulation because it is called the “Great day of His wrath” – Revelation 6:17

2. THE VICTORS (Vs 2-4)

1. Those who were put to death for not receiving the mark of the Beast are said to have “Gotten the victory over the beast” – V-2. See also Revelation 12:11

2. Not a literal sea of glass but “As it were a sea of glass.” The sea of glass represents the multitude of the redeemned, and the fire (“Mingled with fire”) represents the trials they endured in life – See I Peter 1:7.

3. These sang praises to God for delivering them from their enemies and for His holiness. “For only Thou art holy” (V-4). Too bad the over-pious, self-righteous sinless prefectionists all about us can’t see this. All who gets to heaven will acknowledge that ONLY GOD IS HOLY

4. After those plagues are finished, and the destruction of the Beast, all nations will worship God – this will be during the Millennium.
 

3. THE TEMPLE OF THE TABERNACLE IN HEAVEN (Vs 5-8)

1. This is the innermost part of the temple – the dwelling place of God.

2. “And the temple was filled with smoke” – In the past God has manifested His presence in the temple in a cloud. Moses could not enter the tabemacle because of the cloud – Exodus 40:34-35. The priests, when Solomon’s Temple was dedicated, could not minister because of the cloud. Now, with the divine wrath ready to be poured out, the Temple was filled with smoke and no one could enter until the plagues were ended.

The picture here is this:

(1) The righteous and holy God in His Temple.

(2) God sends His angels out with the fullness of His wrath to pour it out on the inhabitants of the earth.

(3) No one allowed to enter the Temple (access to God) to plead for mercy until the wrath of God is all spent.

(4) When God moves in wrath and judgment the door of mercy is closed. What a warning this should be to all of those who are putting off the matter of their salvation until a later time.  Remember the “Foolish virgins” who came up late “And the door was shut.”  Yes, the day is coming when the door to the mercy of God will be shut forever for those who reject His Son, Jesus Christ.