1 Then I saw another great and mar velous sign in the heavens: seven angels brought seven plagues which are the last, for with these the wrath of God will end.
2 There was a sea of crystal mingled with fire, and the conquerors of the beast, of its name and the mark of its name stood by it.
They had been given the celestial harps
3 and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:
Great and marvelous are your works,
O Lord,
God and Master of the universe.
Justice and truth guide your steps,
O King of the nations.
4 Lord, who will not give honor and glory to your Name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come and bow before you,
for they have now seen your judgments.
The seven cups
5 Then the sanctuary of the Tent of Divine Declarations was opened,
6 and the seven angels bringing the seven plagues came out of the Sanctuary, clothed in pure and bright linen, with their waists girded with golden belts.
7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden cups full of the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever.
8 Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke that wraps God’s glory and power, so that no one could enter until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
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Comments Revelation, Chapter 15
• 15.5 Here we return to the awaited fall of Rome to see its re ligious meaning in a more de vel oped form. The seven bowls com bine images from the plagues of Egypt and various prophetic texts.
The Tent of Divine Declarations reminds us of the Tent (called: tent of meeting) that was Israel’s sanctuary in the desert.
Armageddon (or the Hills of Megiddo, 16:16) recalled a famous defeat in Jewish history (2 K 23:29) and it is a symbol to predict the defeat of those who are assembled there. With this, John announces the inevi table judgment of God and the hour for de struction of the anti-Christian civilization ruling the world.