Title of tonight's message is the Fragrance of Wrath and
Worship. As you're turning to Revelation
15, imagine that you're flying as a passenger in an aeroplane.
The engines begin to fail. It's the the absolute worst
nightmare and experience. Even flying and experiencing
turbulence can be a little frightening.
The pilot radios in desperately. Pilot to tower, Pilot to tower,
400 kilometres from land, 200 metres above the water.
Please advise. After a pause, the reply comes
back. Tower to pilot, tower to pilot.
Repeat after me, our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy
name. When all hope seems gone, what
is left but to cry out to God? And Revelation 15 brings us to
such a moment. It is.
Many commentators have called this closing time for human
history as we know it. God's patience, which has been
stretched out for hundreds of centuries, finally reaches its
conclusion. As we read here, 7 angels
prepared to pour out the final bowls of God's wrath.
And yet even here in the darkest hour, as we read, and it extends
on into chapter 16 as well, even here in this darkest hour, there
is light, a glimmer of hope, a glimmer of of God's mercy.
There is a song of the redeemed that is mentioned, people
worshipping God, praising him for his justice, for his
deliverance and his glory. So this is where we find
ourselves. Like I say Revelation 15 and
into 16, which Dad and mum returned today.
So Dad will be preaching on Sunday morning out of Revelation
16. But we've arrived at the grand
finale as we're coming to the conclusion of the Book of
Revelation. We're about to read of of seven
plagues. Many connect these to the 7th
trumpet of Chapter 11 that we covered, which is part of the
7th seal and these are now known as the seven bowls of judgement
to fall upon the world during this time of great tribulation.
Effectively it's time to say our Father who art in heaven.
Therein lies the problem, you see, the people dwelling on
earth that this future time is pointed to here have refused to
do that again and again and again.
It's the same now for many people that refuse to
acknowledge God as creator for who he is.
And it will continue on into then even after all the
devastation, after all of the the judgements that have come to
date and everything that's happened as we've been reading.
And so as a result, they will die as they have lived, bitter
in spirit against God, with hardened hearts.
They refuse to acknowledge Jesus.
We read of them instead embracing Antichrist and and
bearing the mark of the beast in Revelation 13.
And, and this is the the culmination of why this
judgement that we're about to read of is coming way back in
1869, a French chemist by the name of Marcellan Berthelot
wrote within 100 years of physical and chemical science,
men will know what the atom is. It is my belief when science
reaches this stage, God will come down to earth with his big
ring of keys and will say to humanity, gentlemen, it is
closing time. Closing time effectively is what
we're about to get into tonight. In our passage, the world has
resisted and rejected Jesus again and again and again for so
long. And now that time is over.
In his love and in his mercy, God has afforded grace for so
long, delaying his judgement. And today in the world in which
we live, there is grace, isn't there?
God hasn't yet judged in a way that that really justice
demands. And even during the tribulation
period, as we've been reading through, judgements have been
poured out, but not in the totality that we're about to
read of. There's still even been
provision for people to be saved in this tribulation period with
144,012 thousand of the 12 tribes, the two witnesses, the
Angel that we learnt of on Sunday morning.
And yet still people won't believe and yet still people
will reject God, his love and His mercy and His mercy rather.
But God is also just and his justice will need to be meted
out and delivered. And this is what we're about to
read of as these judgements come through.
God must bring his judgement upon those who reject him.
There was a sifting at the end of chapter 14 that we didn't
cover on Sunday and you can read of it.
And and now we're dealing with the consequences, the flow on
with that when it comes to people rejecting Jesus as the
Christ. Sometimes our hearts can break
as a consequence of that. When we think of our loved ones
not yet knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour and of how it is
that they seem to steal themselves to resist the wooing
of the Holy Spirit, we wonder what, what should we do?
And we don't know where their hearts are AT.
And so here's what we need to do.
We need to never give up on praying for them.
God alone knows where their hearts are AT.
We continue to pray we share the love of Jesus with them because
as we read these events, man, our hearts break for what
potentially lies ahead. But I want to remind you of a
fellow called Saul in the book of Acts who at the time in in in
that as we read in Acts, if ever people thought someone would
never give their heart surrender their life to Jesus.
It was Saul of Tassus. And yet that's exactly what
happened. It's, it's akin, I think today
of hearing someone like a Richard Dawkins getting saved
leading a Bible study and Lady Gaga's leading worship because
she's also gotten saved. That that's how sort of wow.
It's, it's like incomprehensible.
It's not impossible, but incomprehensible for us,
implausible. So don't give up.
Here's why. Because eventually, judgement is
coming, and we see it in Revelation 15.
And one last little story before we get in and read it said that
the great composer Johann Sebastian Buck loved to nap.
His children developed a surefire way to wake him up from
this. They would move over to his
piano, play a composition and deliberately leave the last
chord or last note unresolved, unplayed, and he would wake up
even in his subconscious. He he could not just lie there
and leave it unresolved. That would just irk and irritate
at him. He would move over to the piano,
having arisen from his slumber and play that final chord.
Revelation 15 into 16 is is the final chord.
So let's consider this chapter under 3 headings.
The wrath of God is complete. We'll see that in verse one, the
worship of the redeemed in verses 2 through to 4, and then
lastly verses 5 through to 8, the weight of God's glory.
Verse one, then I saw another sign in heaven, great and
marvellous, 7 angels having the seven last plagues, for in them
the wrath of God is complete. If you're the note taking type,
circle that word complete. Maybe lean over to your
neighbour's Bible and circle it for them as well.
John sees another great and marvellous sign.
We've read 7 angels, the seven last plagues and in them he says
the wrath of God is complete. Or maybe your translation has
finished, finalised, resolved. Now the wrath of God is not like
human revenge. And we're familiar with
Hollywood films and, and stories, you know, called like
the wrath of man, where someone is wronged and, and they execute
vengeance and, and judgement in brutal fashion typically.
And, you know, we find ourselves maybe almost cheering them on
to, you know, have their vindication against the
perpetrators of the crime. God's wrath as we see it
described in the Bible is is holy, it is good, it is proper,
and it is a just response to the evil of sin.
Romans chapter 1 is clear on that verse 18 in particular, and
from Adam and Eve onward in the Garden of Gethsemane in the book
of Genesis, sin has invited judgement.
There was death, yes to relationship that followed out
of Adam and Eve's sin. They no longer had that the
communion that they once experienced with the holy
righteous God. And yet God delayed immediate
destruction. And that was the lie that Satan
sold to them. You won't surely die in the day
that you eat thereof. And God clothed them.
Yes, God promised a Redeemer to them.
He extended mercy and that has been ongoing and and Roth has
been delayed in the full sense in the totality and in the
completion in in the finished aspect of it upon a God
rejecting Christ rejecting world.
It's been delayed, but not denied.
Revelation 15 shows us its completion, its finality.
We've read of God's wrath before through the Scriptures.
I spoke of Adam and Eve. I I think of the likes of Cain
in the book of Genesis. I think of the flood in the book
of Genesis. I think of Sodom and Gomorrah in
the book of Genesis and, and on through out into the New
Testament, the likes of even Ananias and Sapphira and on
through and and Herod. Who can forget when he glorified
himself and he was struck down dead with worms that had been
eaten his stomach as a judgement from God upon him?
And all of those things speak, providing a glimpse of the wrath
of God, but not the totality, not the completion of it.
This is the completion of it. And yet still, whilst God's
wrath is evident, mercy is evident throughout history and
and what the Bible tells us is that God is slow to anger and He
is abounding in mercy and steadfast love.
Psalm 103 verse 8, you know, the flood, Sodom, even the
Canaanites previews of wrath, but always after long patience
that God afforded before judgement came down,
opportunities for repentance and and mercy to be received.
And even during the great tribulation period again, as
we've been reading, God sends the 144,000, the two witnesses,
the Angel proclaiming the everlasting gospel, and yet
still many refuse. So there's a sobering reality in
this as we read of the wrath that now it it's going to come
and it's the real thing, a say real thing.
There was in Saint Louis in 1991, a false emergency
broadcast announcing a nuclear attack that caused great panic
amongst the populace. People heard this on the radio,
began to to rush to loved ones thinking maybe the apocalypse
was breaking out and waiting for the end, only to discover that
it was a hoax, that the disc jockey had played a prank over
the radio airwaves. We're here, Revelation 15.
One day God will say enough is enough.
It will not be a hoax. It will not be a a prank, but
the bowls will be poured out. The angels will be called the
the wrath will be complete. You know, as if God has has
said, I have waited thousands of years, humanly speaking, and
now, and now it's time. It might be tempting for some in
today's world in which we live to mistake God's patience for
permission to think, well, you know, I did that.
I said this, or I'm involved in this particular lifestyle and
God's not judged me. Nothing's happened, nothing's
gone wrong yet. But God's delay in his mercy is
an affordance of time for repentance.
But His mercy will at some point in time need to give way to
wrath, to justice being poured out.
And so for you and I as believers tonight, I think this
should again stir up within our heart, moving us to urgency and
prayer and evangelism for those that that we love, that we know
who around us may be hardening their hearts to the things of
the Lord. And again, us not giving up but
but praying in hopes that they'll be like a soul
converting to appalled while there's still time in God's
grace and his mercy. For one day soon God's wrath
will be poured out and it will be complete.
It'll be finished. It'll be total.
Verse 2 I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
And those who have the victory over the beast, over his image
and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on
the sea of glass, having hearts of God.
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, Great, marvellous are your works, Lord
God Almighty, just and true are your ways, O King of the Saints,
who shall not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name.
For you alone are holy, for all nations shall come and worship
before you. For your judgements have been
manifested or revealed. In this picture as we read John,
what he's seeing in contrast to the wrath we're introduced to in
verse one and that we'll come back to in verse 5, John sees
now those who have experienced victory over the beast,
conquered the beast, and they're they're standing by sea of
glass. He describes it, or a sea of
crystal. Maybe yours has mingled with
fire, holding harps, singing the song of Moses and the song of
the Lamb. Who are they?
These are tribulation martyrs who refuse the mark of the
beast. 666 And as a consequence of doing so, they'll have chosen
death rather than denial of Jesus Christ.
Again, the church has been raptured out, yes, and those
left behind, Those unsaved, now many have become saved followers
of Jesus. Maybe they've remembered our
witness, our words, the declarations that we made, that
Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour, that we we've spoken of
these events, these moments, these times in Revelation, and
that's their all too familiar reality.
Now again, they've had the two witnesses, the 144,000, the
Angel of chapter 14 and and they've given their lives in
surrender to Jesus as the Christ, not Antichrist.
We're not only saved, but they're victorious.
We read of they didn't win by avoiding suffering.
They experienced victory by remaining faithful even unto
death. And their song says that they
sing the song of Moses. What is that?
That was the song that Moses led the people of Israel in post,
their deliverance at the Red Sea.
We see that in Exodus 15 specifically, also recorded for
us in Deuteronomy. God destroyed Pharaoh, the
armies of Egypt delivered his people.
The Israelites says that they're singing also the song of the
lamb, celebrating the greater deliverance through Jesus
Christ. You know, at the cross, our
greater Pharaoh, sin and Satan was defeated by Jesus.
And together these songs proclaim that salvation is all
God's work, nothing of man. And so they can't help but
spring forth and praise and honour.
Just as Israel had to walk by faith through the Red Sea,
through the parted waters to receive their salvation, it is
by faith that we walk and receive the salvation that comes
through Jesus Christ. And and that's their song,
that's their experience, what they're going through.
And the content of the song is given for us in verses 3 and 4.
Great and marvellous are your works, they declare.
Speaking of all creation, no doubt, but I think especially
his masterpiece, the great work of God in redeeming sinners.
Great and marvellous are your works, just and true are your
ways. And even in particular what
they're about to, to witness and experience and see the
judgements of God they declare as being righteous and fair.
Just and true are your ways. Notice there's no criticism of
his judgements coming forth in their song.
You know they're not singing. Great and marvellous are your
works, Lord. But boy, these judgements are a
little harsh right now. Can you just ease back on some
of the, the bowls that are about to be poured out?
There's none of that. No, they, they declared just and
true, right on, as if it could not be executed any better.
Or we praise you, Lord God. All nations, they say, will come
and worship. You know, I can't help but think
of the scripture that says one day soon every knee will bow,
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
You know that promise of every nation, every tribe, every
tongue, coming and worshipping he who alone is worthy to
receive it. Consider the following.
The song of Moses was sung at the Red Sea.
This song is sung at the the Crystal Oil Glass Sea.
The song of Moses is a song of triumph over Pharaoh.
This song is a song of triumph over the beast, over Antichrist.
Moses is how God brought these people out.
This song is about how God the Lamb brought his people in.
Moses song is actually the first recognised song in scripture.
Yes, some think of Adam's words over his wife Eve as being a
song or a poem, but this is actually declared as such, the
song of Moses. And this is the last song,
basically, again, the song of redemption, of deliverance, of
triumph and of victory that is declared here, a song birthed
out of the gospel story. Passover is, we know it, a
picture of Jesus. We're going to have some
communion tonight. And and it derives out of that
Passover celebration that had been instructed for the
Israelites. And the Passover Lamb ultimately
points to Jesus, the Lamb who was slain before the very
foundations of the earth. Jesus, the Lamb, who John
declared had come to take away the sins of the world.
Now although you and I in this I believe, aren't mentioned here,
we won't face the great tribulation singular.
We do encounter tribulations, plural in this world in which we
live, personal trials, persecution, sufferings.
John 1633 says that one to Timothy 312 tells us that as
well. And these experiences, they're
they're never easy. And maybe tonight you're sitting
here and and you're you're burdened by such persecution or
or or suffering or exclusion or criticism or harassment or maybe
you have been at some point and so you have reason to be
encouraged out of this tonight. Why?
How so? And turn with me in your Bible
back to the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5 verses 1011 and 12.
Jesus words there. And maybe you know it straight
away as the Beatitudes. Matthew 5 verse 10 says blessed.
And that literally means again, Oh how happy.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness
sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven blessed.
Verse 11. Oh, how happy are you when they
revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you
falsely for my sake. Rejoice verse 12 and be
exceedingly glad. For great is your reward in
heaven. For so they persecuted the
prophets who were before you. You can turn back to Revelation
now again, blessed, blessed twice is mentioned happy, happy.
And I think that attitude is, is something to remind ourselves of
in in the day and age in which we live.
As there's increasing, I think even in Australia, we're going
to find it more and more as the days draw close to what we're
reading in Revelation that that persecution, it's never been an
experience. I think really of ours in
Australia, that it will become a part of our experience as
Christians and as believers, as more, as a more Antichrist
sentiment reveals itself in society, in the world in which
we live. These Saints certainly knew that
and experienced that. And So what do you do when,
when, when that happens, when that takes place, when injustice
or tragedy strikes, when that persecution comes, when
injustice is committed against us?
Well, I think that these martyrs show us, sing, worship, give
glory unto God, not because circumstances are good, but
because God is good. He's worthy to receive our
praise. And so can the world hear us
worshipping God through our suffering like a Paul and Silas
did in the Philippian gaol. The gaoler came to Christ as a
consequence. You know, your worship may in
fact be a witness to someone looking on.
And think of these people that that John records here that
we're reading off, how much they've been through what we've
read in Revelation so far. And yet again, not one word of
criticism or complaining levelled against God.
No grumbling or moaning or crying out, God, where were you?
How come, why us, why, why now, why this?
None of that on their lips instead praise instead
declaration. God, you are just, you are true,
you are right. And again, I think that's
significant for you and I tonight because we encountered
times in life that I think many times simply don't make sense to
us. That we do cry out and wonder,
God, why me, why now? Why this tragedies, slander
against us, unfair treatment and our emotions want to scream out,
this isn't right. This isn't fair.
I think it's in those moments, those times particularly where
our need to trust God and to worship Him is paramount, to
give Him praise again, not because of our circumstances,
but because of who He is. Psalm 106 verse one says praise
the Lord, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His
loving kindness is everlasting. Notice the psalmist didn't say
give thanks to the Lord when you feel good, when things are going
good, but rather give thanks because He is good.
So can I encourage you tonight, whatever trial, whatever
circumstance, whatever situation, whatever struggle,
what is your response? I encourage you to worship God,
for He is good, not because of the trial, because of the
struggle, but because of Him. Lastly, verses 5 through to 8.
Here the weight of God's glory comes through the the vision
closes with the heavenly temple opened, angels clothed kind of
like priests, almost coming with golden balls.
The temple fills with with smoke as in the glory of God, and and
no one can enter into the very presence, the very Holy of
Holies, until the plagues are complete.
And after these things, verse 5, I looked, and behold, the temple
of the Tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was open,
and out of the temple came the seven angels, having the seven
plagues clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests
girded with golden bands. Then verse 7, one of the four
living creatures gave to the seven angels 7 golden bowls full
of the wrath of God who lives forever and ever.
And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and
from his power, and no one was able to enter the temple till
the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Wow, what a vision, what a picture of the holiness of God's
presence. You know, I think back to Mount
Sinai. Think back to the dedication of
the Tabernacle and the dedication of the temple and of
God's glory filling the place. The smoke here signifies God's
power, signifies His Holiness, signifies the seriousness, the
sobriety, the severity of what is to happen as we read ahead
into chapter 16 and beyond. And so there's a a solemn this
to this judgement. These aren't just sort of random
disasters being poured out on an ad hoc, sort of Willy nilly
basis by God. They're they're, they're,
they're like priestly acts of a holy God.
There's notice ceremony here. You see the reverence, you see
that the process involved, the bowls are full and to to fill
takes a duration of time and patience and, and the long
suffering nature of God now exhausted to the point where
that that Roth now is, is full. And it's not now impulsive, but
but measured out as we'll read of these first and 2nd and 3rd
and on in through the 7th bowls being poured out in chapter 16.
And again, there's not an ad hoc randomness to it, not a, a
flippancy to it, but a, a rightness and a justice to it
all. And then there's an exclusivity
of access. Now verse 8 concludes with that.
So no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues were
finished. It's as if the time for
intercession is over. Judgement must run it's course
again, very sobering. Now then today is the day of
salvation for there is coming a time where soon judgement will
need to be poured out and, and it's like the, the door of mercy
is shut, the access is, is removed, is gone.
And I, I think it begs the question, in our lives, do we
live with the weight of the glory of God, of his reverence?
And I think too often in modern Christendom, we treat God very
casually, you know, as, as the big guy upstairs, you know, my
homeboy, as some T-shirts have in popular culture and stuff
like that. And but Revelation reminds us of
the holiness of the awesomeness of the separateness of of God,
of him being a consuming fire. But then I'm also amazed and,
and wondered and just so thankful for the grace of God
that we experience that in Christ.
We have access now to the very throne room of God.
The Bible tells us the veil is torn, the way is open, and today
we can draw boldly into the very presence of God.
Hebrews 4 verse 16 says so. Revelation 15 Only 8 verses but
a very sobering chapter. Wrath, complete worship,
resounding glory revealed for the unbeliever.
I think it functions as a reminder.
God's patient in his mercy, but judgement is real and to not
delay repentance for the believer.
We saw a reminder in the verses that trials are real, but that
victory is secure in Jesus Christ and to keep singing the
song of redemption. And for the church, a reminder
of the weight of God's glory, of His Holiness.
And for you and I to live in light of the glory of God and
and this coming day and his coming day.
Well, like Bach, who could never bear to leave a piece of
unfinished music until that final chord was struck, History,
the way it's rolling on, cannot remain unresolved forever.
Revelation 15 is that final chord.
Roth poured out. Worship sung, glory revealed.