Revelation 15:1

CHAPTER XV.

The seven angels with the seven last plagues, 1.

The sea of glass, and those who had a victory over the beast, 2.

The song of Moses and the Lamb, 3, 4.

The temple in heaven opened, 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, 6-8.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV.

Verse Revelation 15:1. Seven angels having the seven last plagues] Under the emblems of harvest and vintage God's judgments on the enemies of his Church have already been pointed out: but these are farther signified by the seven vials, which are called the seven last plagues of God. The seven last plagues appear to fall under the seventh and last trumpet. As the seventh seal contained the seven trumpets, so the seventh trumpet contains the seven vials. And as seven angels sounded the seven trumpets, so seven angels are appointed to pour out the seven vials, angels being always the ministers of Providence. This chapter contains the opening vision which is preparatory to the pouring out of the vials.

The Targum of Jonathan on Isaiah 51:17, Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury, uses the same words employed by the evangelist here: "Jerusalem, thou hast received from the face of the Lord the cup of his wrath; ית פילי כסא דלוטא yath pailey casa dilvata, "the PHIALS of the cup of malediction " find again on Isaiah 51:22: I will take out of thy hand the cup of malediction; ית פילי כסא דחמתי yath PAILEY casa dechemti, "the PHIALS of the cup of my indignation."