Revelation 15:8 Komentář

Hitherto, according to the judgment of very eminent expositors, God had represented to his servant, John, I. The state of the church under the pagan powers, in the six seals opened; and then, II. The state of the church under the papal powers, in the vision of the six trumpets that began to sound upon the opening of the seventh seal: and then is inserted. III. A more general and brief account of the past, present, and future state of the church, in the little book, etc. He now proceeds, IV. To show him how antichrist should be destroyed, by what steps that destruction should be accomplished, in the vision of the seven vials. This chapter contains an awful introduction or preparation for the pouring out of the vials, in which we have, 1. A sight of those angels in heaven who were to have the execution of this great work, and with what acclamations of joy the heavenly hosts applauded the great design (Rev 15:1-4). 2. A sight of these angels coming out of heaven to receive those vials which they were to pour out, and the great commotions this caused in the world (Rev 15:5, etc.).

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 15 This chapter is a preparation to the pouring out of the seven vials, and contains a vision of the seven angels in heaven that should do this work, of a chorus of harpers on this occasion, and of the same seven angels coming out of the temple, and receiving the vials, in order to execute their commission. The vision of the seven angels, having the seven last plagues, so called because filled up with the wrath of God, is said to be a sign, great and marvellous, Rev 15:1 a sea of glass, mingled with fire, is seen, with persons standing on it, described by the victory they had got over the beast, his image, mark, and number of his name; by having the harps of God in their hands, and by the song they sung, called the song of Moses, and of the Lamb; in which they ascribe to Christ deity, dominion over the saints, omnipotence, justice, truth, and holiness; give him glory, celebrate his works, commend his ways, and suggest that he ought to be the object of the fear and worship of all, Rev 15:2. Next the temple in heaven is seen opened, out of which come the seven angels, described by the place they came from, the temple; by what they had, the seven plagues; by their habit, clothed in pure white linen; and by their golden girdles about their breasts, Rev 15:5 to whom one of the four living creatures, made mention of in Rev 4:6 delivers to them seven golden vials full of divine wrath, upon which the temple is filled with smoke from the Lord; so that it was not possible for anyone to enter into it, until these seven plagues were ended, Rev 15:7.

And the temple was filled with smoke,.... Not with the smoke of false doctrine and superstition; that comes out of the bottomless pit, this from God, Rev 9:2 and besides, Gospel churches will grow purer and purer, while the seven angels are pouring out the vials: but rather this may be understood of judicial blindness and hardness of heart, upon the antichristian party, which will come upon them from God in righteous judgment; so that they will not be reformed by the plagues, and vials of wrath, nor repent of their sins; but blaspheme God, who has power over the plagues, and so shall not be able to enter into the temple: or else this may design God's powerful and gracious presence in his church, in allusion to the cloud which filled the tabernacle, so that Moses could not enter; and which filled the temple, so that the priests could not minister, Exo 40:34 since this is said to be from the glory of God, and from his power; whose presence is the glory in the midst of his church, and a covert, a protection and defence, to the saints, so that none can come into the temple to hurt them: see Isa 4:5 or rather this intends "the smoke of the anger of God", as the Ethiopic version renders it, and which is intolerable; and it may have respect not only to the wrath of God, which is insupportable, but to that great affliction which will befall the saints in those times, through the last struggle of the beast; called the earthquake, and the hour of temptation, and a time of trouble, as never the like was, and which will be shortened for the elect's sake: and no man was able to enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. None of the anti-Christian party will attempt to enter in, because of their blindness and obduracy; nor can they get in to do any mischief, because the glorious and powerful presence of God is a defence against them: and this may also have some respect to the darkness of God's judgments, which will not be clearly manifest until these seven plagues are accomplished; till that time God's judgments on antichrist will remain a great deep, and be unsearchable; there will be no entering into the temple, so as fully to understand them, which is meant by going into the sanctuary of God, Psa 73:17 and this makes the interpretation of the pouring out of these vials, in the next chapter, very difficult. Next: Revelation Chapter 16

And the temple, he says, was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power. The smoke is an emblem of divine wrath. For it is written, "smoke went up in his anger." (Ps. 18:8) The smoke, however, is suggestive of fire, yet also the smoke which the prophet Isaiah saw, where he says, "and the joist shook because of the voice with which the Seraphim cried out 'holy,' and the house was filled with smoke." (Isa. 6:4) He revealed the wrath of God against Jerusalem. And the phrase smoke from the glory of God and from his power has a certain figurative meaning, as if one would say: "it was filled with smoke from the wrath of God," for God is power and glory itself; and who could endure his wrath? And no one, he says, could enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled; for who will withstand the wrath of God, or live after being subject to it? For if no one stood in the place of the Lord, according to what is written (Jer. 23:18), then indeed he would spare not to bring down the wrath of God. And I heard, so he says, a command issuing forth, that the seven bowls of the divine wrath be poured out upon the earth.

The smoke indicates that no one can penetrate the secrets of the judgments of God. Rather, the minds of mortals grow dark and tremble at the thought of the plagues that are inflicted, which he now begins to narrate, and he says that the smoke will remain in the temple until the plagues are completely ended. Rightly, then, there follows, “No one could enter the temple,” that is, that innermost secret, “until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.” Therefore, also the psalm says, “It seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God and I understood their ends.” Another interpretation might be that in the smoke we are to understand confession, as is often the case. As smoke precedes fire, so the confession of sins precedes the flame of faith and of love. And the psalm indicates such things when it says, “Who looks on the earth and makes it to tremble, who touches the mountains and they smoke.” “And the Lord looked at Peter,” and he washed away his confession in tears, because when he denied, he was reduced to a fearful trembling. And so this is the meaning: No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues were ended, that is, no one shall ever be able to say, “I will walk in the innocence of my heart in the midst of your house,” and “the king brought me into his chambers,” except he who shall have taken care to efface by confession all iniquitous behavior that he has previously committed. “The thought of man will confess you,” behold, the smoke, “and the remainder of his thoughts will celebrate solemn feasts for you,” as a certain praise for the righteousness that has been obtained. And so, until all the plagues are ended, the church remains in the lament of confession, both in those who, as we said, pay the fruitful penalty for previous faults and in those who it will become clear are approved by a better worship.

From the smoke we learn of the frightful, terrible and tormenting character of the wrath of God. We are taught that the temple is filled with this wrath, which comes at the time of judgment against those who are worthy of it, and especially against those who obey the antichrist and do the works of apostasy.

And the temple was filled with smoke, etc. The Church, about to preach to the nations, first warms itself with the fire of charity, emitting the smoke of pious confession, giving thanks to God for His indescribable gift.

And no one was able to enter the temple, etc. No one can be incorporated into the members of the Church unless he hears the mysteries of faith from the preachers and learns that Jesus is appointed by God as the judge of the living and the dead. But if you interpret the smoke as the hidden secrets of God's judgments, these remain impenetrable and closed to mortals until, with the plagues of the present age finished, the Lord comes, who will both illuminate what is hidden in darkness (I Cor. IV), and reveal how much benefit or justice the advent of the Antichrist brings either for proving the faith of the Church or for blinding the Jews who did not accept the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.

The seven angels with the seven last plagues, Rev 15:1. The sea of glass, and those who had a victory over the beast, Rev 15:2. The song of Moses and the Lamb, Rev 15:3, Rev 15:4. The temple in heaven opened, Rev 15:5. Seven angels come out of the temple, who receive from one of the four living creatures seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, Rev 15:6-8.

The temple was filled with smoke - So was the tabernacle when consecrated by Moses, Exo 40:34, Exo 40:35, and the temple when consecrated by Solomon, Kg1 8:10, Kg1 8:11; Ch2 5:14. See Isa 6:4. This account seems at least partly copied from those above. When the high priest entered into the holy of holies, and the ordinary priest into the holy place, they always carried with them a great deal of smoking incense, which filled those places with smoke and darkness, which prevented them from considering too attentively the parts and ornaments of those holy places, and thus served to produce an air of majesty in the temple, which none dared to approach without the deepest reverence. To this Calmet thinks the allusion may be here.

THE LAST SEVEN VIALS OF PLAGUES: SONG OF THE VICTORS OVER THE BEAST. (Rev 15:1-8) the seven last plagues--Greek, "seven plagues which are the last." is filled up--literally, "was finished," or "consummated": the prophetical past for the future, the future being to God as though it were past, so sure of accomplishment is His word. This verse is the summary of the vision that follows: the angels do not actually receive the vials till Rev 15:7; but here, in Rev 15:1, by anticipation they are spoken of as having them. There are no more plagues after these until the Lord's coming in judgment. The destruction of Babylon (Rev 18:2) is the last: then in Rev 19:11-16 He appears.

temple . . . filled-- (Isa 6:4); compare Exo 40:34; Ch2 5:14, as to the earthly temple, of which this is the antitype. the glory of God and . . . power--then fully manifested. no man was able to enter . . . the temple--because of God's presence in His manifested glory and power during the execution of these judgments. Next: Revelation Chapter 16