“I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed.” Here is an interlude between judgements and also a telling of what is coming. The telling of the judgments coming upon the earth and the inhabitants of it, has paused. Yet it is also told that seven more judgements, horrible judgements, shall come upon the inhabitants of the earth. These are judgments that come to those who have rebelled against God. The rebellion, the outright defiance against God shall receive seven final judgments that are her referred to as “plagues.” Interesting is the word used here for plagues means a blow, a wound, a public calamity. What is coming is God striking down the rebellion of man. Those who raise their fist to God shall be struck down by these judgments. They have placed the mark of their allegiance to Satan and the Antichrist in their right hand and in their foreheads. They totally belong to the devil. These who were created to be loved and cared for by God, but instead have rejected him and aligned themselves with the world and the devil and so will receive the crushing reality, the blows of punishment that they have so earnestly begged for as they rejected Jesus. What is coming is a wound, a calamity, upon unrepentant and ever rebellious sinners. The hot, arid desert of the Great Tribulation is coming to an end, but not before the final last plagues that will destroy the united against God communities of the unredeemed.
“And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God.” This sea of glass that is glowing from the light of a fire has been compared to the Red Sea. The triumphant song that is listed called the song of Moses and of the Lamb. Therefore comparing this sea, glowing red from the fire seems like a worthy comparison. The Lord saved the Israelites by bringing them safely through the Red Sea, and then closed the Red Sea on the Egyptians as they tried to also cross. Remembering this brings depth to the happenings of the book of Revelation. God had saved his people from an evil world system by leading them through a supernaturally parted Red Sea that separated them from the evil that pursued them and wanted to consume them. The book of Revelation tells of the end times. It tells of when the Lord finally brings home all of His saints. His saints endure the persecution of the end times. They are brought from earth to heaven and they are standing beside a sea that is glowing red. The Lord God rescued the Israelites and He also has rescued His saints saved by the Blood of the Lamb.
As the Israelites were on the other side of the Red Sea, so stand the saints who stand beside a red sea of glass. They are victorious over: 1) the Beast 2) the image of the beast 3) the number of the beast. The Beast is the Antichrist, the “son” of the devil. The image of the beast is the image that is placed in the temple and calls for the worship of the world. The number of the beast is the mark of the beast that demands worship and obedience or the loss of earthly life. Those standing by the sea of glass are those who did not submit to these three but were faithful to God. They did not count their lives here on earth something to grasp on to but joyously remained faithful to God even to their earthly execution.
“They held harps given them by God…” These are likely not the big harps we now think of, but rather stringed instruments that can be held and played. Family, in heaven we will not read the bible because we will be with the Lord. We will not need faith or hope because we will be with the Lord. What will remain is the love of God. What we did here on earth that will remain will be the worshipping of God. He will give us harps to express that worship. So, of all the ministries here on earth, musical worship and the praising of God from our lips, remains. We will sing to the Lord as our hearts overflow with love and gratitude.
“and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” The unity of the Law and the Gospel are in open display. As God delivered Israel so has He delivered the body of Christ. The song of victory that God provides to Israel and to the church are the same song. Both praise God for who He is and both sing of the greatness of His very being. Both praise God for being faithful to those who hold onto His promises. Both believe and proclaim how He is God and none other is. Both in love, admiration and thankfulness cannot stop thanking and praising Him for being the complete and the sole source of salvation. The Law and the Gospel are one. Israel and the Church are all one that have been saved by God alone. Praise God! His Word is true and He is faithful. We are saved by Him and not by anyone, including ourselves. These verse show a celebration that we all shall take part in. Let us remind each other and look for the day that is surely coming! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown You, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.