1 And [kai] I saw [eido] another [allos] sign [semeion] in [en] heaven, [ouranos] great [megas] and [kai] marvellous, [thaumastos] seven [hepta] angels [aggelos] having [echo] the seven [hepta] last [eschatos] plagues; [plege] for [hoti] in [en] them [autos] is filled up [teleo] the wrath [thumos] of God. [theos] KJV-Interlinear
1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished. NASB
This is the third sign that John will see in this book. The first sign was of the woman, Gods plan. The second sign was of the dragon, Satan’s plan, and now the third sign, which is of the final events of judgment against all evil. And really that is the summation of human history. Good versus evil, God versus Satan, truth versus lies, the capable versus the incapable.
The seven bowl judgments which are up coming, will unfold in rapid succession, and all of mans plans, all of Satan’s plans will evaporate into oblivion, for they are not able to hold up against truth.
Great and marvelous, is a phrase that indicates the phenomenal importance of this sign. Not that these events of judgment are going to be good for people, but that they are going to be good in the sense that justice is going to be served and the end to evil is now very close.
With the end of evil, comes an end of suffering, in the sense of that which Satan has brought to the world since the time of Adam.
The sign is of seven angels. Again, the number seven is that which represents a completed task. Nothing more is needed when they are finished.
They will be carrying seven plagues, or the seven bowl judgments which we will be studying in the following chapter.
In the beginning of this book, we had seven seals, which bound a scroll, or the written record of these events.
After the seven seals, came the seven trumpets, which symbolizes the full and complete series of warnings from God, to all of humanity, that what people need to be worrying about, is God and what He can do, or of what He can withhold.
After the warning, then comes judgment for all who have ignored them, for all who will be indifferent toward God and truth.
Most people in this world have worries of one type or another.
Kids worry about school or their friends, of being liked or not liked, of having this thing or that thing, of being popular, or of keeping up and not being ostracized.
Adults worry about work or paying bills. Adults worry about their social life, their personal life, their retirement, or the next vacation. Adults worry about things they have or things they anticipate, or of things they want or need in life.
Not too many worry about the future of humanity. It just seems kind of distant and surreal. After all, who can control human history anyway? Too many more important things closer to home (ones personal life) than to have to worry about nations or politics, or someone on the other side of the world.
But it is that very indifference that gets everyone into trouble.
You cannot control the world, but you can direct your own future, now, but only if you care enough to try.
This book gives us a picture of where humanity on the whole, is going – into the toilet of destruction. And humanity in general is going there because they have rejected God, Christ, doctrine, and everything that is important in life. And instead have pursued the things of this world.
But unfortunately what most people do not get, is that when truth is rejected, their opinions and attitudes and standards in life, turn into degeneracy and corruption and pure evil.
And when we get to verse eight, we will see how Heaven is closed during the judgment period. Why? Because only evil exists and there will not be anyone who will repent. God will have already squeezed out the believers in the world, and all that will be left remaining, will be a huge population of people who will vehemently refuse to believe in Christ. And all that will be in them, is hate.
When doctrine is rejected, then you are only left with lies and eventually hate. All of the do-gooder opinions, sweetness, coexistence, popular sayings and so forth, are catalysts for corruption and worse.
And because the vast majority of people think this way, then that is why this book of Revelation is going to happen.
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