Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Revelation
Book: Revelation
Chapter: 15
Overview:
A song of praise is sung
By the
Church.
(1-4) Seven angels
with the
Seven plagues; and to them one of the
Living creatures
gives
Seven golden vials full of the wrath of
God.
(5-8)
1-4 Seven angels appeared in
Heaven; prepared to finish the
Destruction of
Antichrist. As the
Measure of
Babylon's sins was
filled up, it finds the full
Measure of Divine wrath. While
believers stand in this world, in times of trouble, as upon a
Sea of Glass mingled with
Fire, they may look forward to their
final deliverance, while new mercies
Call forth new hymns of
praise. The more we know of
God's wonderful
Works, the more we
shall praise his greatness as the
Lord God Almighty, the Creator
and Ruler of all worlds; but his title of
Emmanuel, the
King of
saints, will make him dear to us. Who that considers the power
of
God's wrath, the value of his favour, or the
Glory of his
Holiness, would refuse to fear and honour him alone? His praise
is above
Heaven and
Earth.
5-8 In the judgments
God executes upon
Antichrist and his
followers, he fulfils the prophecies and promises of his
Word.
These angels are prepared for their work, clothed with pure and
White Linen, their breasts girded with golden girdles,
representing the
Holiness, and
Righteousness, and excellence of
these dealings with men. They are ministers of Divine
Justice,
and do every thing in a pure and holy manner. They were armed
with the wrath of
God against his enemies. Even the meanest
Creature, when armed with the
Anger of
God, will be too hard for
any
Man in the world. The angels received the vials from one of
the four
Living creatures, one of the ministers of the true
Church, as in answer to the prayers of the ministers and people
of
God.
Antichrist could not be destroyed without a great shock
to all the world, and even the people of
God would be in trouble
and confusion while the great work was doing. The greatest
deliverances of the
Church are brought about
By awful and
astonishing steps of
Providence; and the happy state of the true
Church will not begin till obstinate enemies shall be destroyed,
and lukewarm or formal Christians are purified. Then, whatever
is against
Scripture being purged away, the whole
Church shall
be spiritual, and the whole being brought to purity, unity, and
spirituality, shall be firmly established.