“After these things” implies an interval of time between
verse 4 and verse 5. Though their theme is the same,
vindicating God’s holiness as the cause of the Tribulation
judgments, their emphasis is different.
“The temple,” refers to the Holy of Holies. Within the
earthly counterpart of the Holy of Holies was the ark over
which the Shekinah glory, representing God’s presence,
hovered.
“The tabernacle of the testimony,” the whole tabernacle was
a testimony and witness to the grace plan of God in Jesus
Christ. However, of special importance here is the witness
of the Ark of the Covenant. The ark stood for the divine
presence of God. It is here the glory of God’s presence
hovered over the mercy seat of the ark and from whence God
would commune with Israel. The ark stood for God’s
faithfulness. It contained the law or the tables of stone,
which represented the whole law, Aaron’s rod that budded,
which portrayed resurrection and God’s choice of leaders and
a pot of manna, which portrayed the person of Christ and
God’s daily provision.
The ark represented God’s holiness, grace, and love through
the tables of stone within, the cherubim above and on either
side of the top of the ark, and by the mercy seat, which
formed a lid for the ark. The tables of stone declared the
perfect holiness of God and demonstrated the sinfulness of
man since no man is able to keep the law. The law declared
man a sinner and cut off from God. The sprinkling of blood
by the high priest on the mercy seat revealed that the
shedding of blood could only satisfy God’s holiness. This
foreshadowed the person and work of Christ on the cross as
did the whole ritual of the tabernacle, priesthood, and the
sacrifices.
John saw that the temple in heaven “was opened.” In front of
the Holy of Holies was a large curtain, a veil, which
separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The high
priest could only go into the Holy of Holies only once a
year and then only after proper sacrifices. He went in with
blood to sprinkle over the mercy seat signifying the way
into God’s presence was not yet open (Hebrews 9:7-8). When
Christ died on the cross one of the things accomplished was
the tearing of that veil in the temple from top to bottom,
signifying the way had been opened and the work complete
(Mark 15:38). It signified the barrier, those things that
separate man from God, had been removed, sin, the penalty of
sin or death, and man’s absence of spiritual life and
righteousness.
Today we can have access into the very presence of God
through the person and work of Jesus Christ (Ephesians
2:4-6, 11-18; 3:12). However, today and also in the
Tribulation, Jesus Christ now forms a new barrier, a new
veil, one that excludes from God’s presence all who reject
Christ (John 14:6; 3:3, 16). Upon these, the judgment of God
must fall because of their failure to trust in Christ (John
3:13, 36).
This opening of the temple in Revelation 15:5 symbolizes the
parting of the veil, but in reverse order. Here, rather than
access to God, it symbolizes the outpouring of God’s perfect
justice and wrath for rejection of Christ. Here the veil is
pulled back, not to let man in, but to pour out God’s
justice.
“And the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of
the temple.” As the ministers and agents of God’s holy
justice, these angels proceed from the presence of God
acting on behalf of God’s holiness, righteousness, and
justice. That they are “clothed in pure white linen” refers
to the nature of their commission as representatives of
God’s holiness. Pure white portrays righteousness and
reminds us, “God is light and in Him is not darkness at all”
(1 John 1:5). “Linen,” as in the garment of the wife of the
Lamb (Revelation 19:8), symbolizes righteousness. They have
been clothed with this linen as a symbol of their commission
and work in the outpouring of the righteous acts of
judgment.
“Girded around their chests with golden sashes” symbolizes
the glory of God and girding was an act of preparation. What
they are seen doing here is preparatory for bringing glory
to God and will cause all creatures to fall on their knees
and acknowledge the sovereignty and perfect holiness of God.
The “four living creatures” are undoubtedly cherubim who
manifest and protect certain aspects of God’s glory and
essence, especially His holiness. They are seen here engaged
in this role by distributing the bowls to the seven angels.
Previously these seven angels were given the responsibility
for these last plagues. The giving of the seven bowls sets
forth their authorization to use the plagues and describes
the nature of what the plagues would be like, like a bowl
which is overturned causing the contents to be poured out
all at once or suddenly. “Full of the wrath of God”
emphasizes and stresses the full devastating character of
each bowl.
“Who lives for ever and ever,” is a solemn reminder that
God, as the eternal One, is first a long-suffering God. For
centuries, God has withheld his judgment in grace (2 Peter
3:8-9). At this point, not only will God’s period of grace
be over, but also once God pours out His justice in divine
wrath it will have eternal ramifications. Through the Lord
Jesus Christ, man has the opportunity and the means to come
to God and be with Him eternally, but if he rejects God’s
grace in Jesus Christ, he must eternally face God’s wrath.
“And the temple was filled with smoke.” The “temple” of
course is the heavenly temple, the very abode of God, the
Holy of Holies of God’s presence. The smoke represents the
holiness of God; here it is acting in divine justice against
sin. This smoke proceeds from two sources: (a) “From the
glory of God.” “Glory” stands for God’s divine essence and
particularly God’s righteousness and justice. Together they
form the holiness of God. (b) “And from his power.” This
refers to God’s sovereign omnipotence, His inherent and
sovereign power to execute and carry out the demands of His
holy character.
“And no one was able to enter the temple until the seven
plagues of the seven angels were finished” The smoke, which
points to the awesome holiness of God, will make access into
the presence of God impossible. This strongly stresses the
principle of Habakkuk 1:13, “Your eyes are too pure to
approve evil and You cannot look on wickedness with favor .”
It also reminds us of Romans 3:23, “all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God.” The smoke illustrates the truth
of God’s righteousness; He is unable and unwilling to have
fellowship with sin. Further, the seven golden bowls
proceeding from God illustrate the concept of God’s justice
acting to judge sin in the world.
Note that this smoke continues until the plagues are
finished, until God’s holy character is satisfied and God
deals with sin. This teaches us that God will so completely
turn to anger and justice in these final moments that all
else seems to cease. Absolute and undiluted wrath will be
the business of these final days.
