What Old Testament prophecies connect with the events described in Revelation 15:1? The Verse at a Glance “Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and wondrous: seven angels with seven plagues—the last, because in them God’s wrath is completed.” (Revelation 15:1) Echoes of Exodus—The Prototype of Plagues • Exodus 7–12 records ten plagues, but several details anticipate the climactic “seven plagues” of Revelation: – Exodus 9:14 — “For this time I will send all My plagues upon you… so that you may know there is no one like Me in all the earth.” – Like Moses, the seven angels serve as direct agents of judgment; both sets of plagues target a hardened, God-resisting world power. – Exodus ends with Israel’s deliverance through the sea; Revelation 15 follows immediately with the redeemed standing beside “a sea of glass mixed with fire” (v. 2), celebrating the same God who triumphed over Pharaoh. Leviticus—Sevenfold Punishment Prophesied • Leviticus 26 outlines escalating, covenantal discipline: – 26:18 — “Then I will punish you sevenfold for your sins.” – 26:21 — “I will bring sevenfold plagues on you according to your sins.” • Revelation 15:1 shows the literal, final installment of that sevenfold chastisement, now global rather than limited to Israel. Psalm 78—Destroying Angels Sent • Psalm 78:49 — “He unleashed His fury against them, wrath, indignation, and calamity—a band of destroying angels.” • Revelation 15:1 presents “seven angels” charged with the same task: releasing wrath that vindicates God’s holiness. Isaiah and Ezekiel—Wrath Brought to Completion • Isaiah 13:9 — “Behold, the Day of the LORD is coming—cruel, with wrath and fierce anger—to make the earth a desolation.” • Ezekiel 5:13 — “Then My anger will be spent and My wrath against them will subside, and I will be satisfied.” • Revelation 15:1 explicitly states that in these plagues “God’s wrath is completed,” matching Isaiah’s Day of the LORD and Ezekiel’s vision of wrath finally exhausted. Jeremiah, Joel, and Zephaniah—Universal Judgment Announced • Jeremiah 25:31 — “The LORD brings a charge against the nations; He brings judgment on all mankind.” • Joel 2:30–31 — “I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth… The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and awesome Day of the LORD comes.” • Zephaniah 3:8 — “‘Therefore wait for Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘for the day I will rise up to seize the prey. For My determination is to gather nations… to pour out on them My indignation; all the earth will be consumed by the fire of My jealousy.’” • Revelation 15:1’s “sign in heaven” pairs neatly with Joel’s heavenly wonders, while the gathering of nations for judgment mirrors Jeremiah and Zephaniah. Daniel—The Final Segment of God’s Indignation • Daniel 12:1 — “Then there will be a time of distress, such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” • Daniel foresees a unique, climactic trouble; Revelation 15 announces that the moment has arrived, marking the close of the “indignation” (cf. Daniel 11:36). Key Threads that Tie Revelation 15:1 to the Old Testament • Sevenfold severity — Leviticus’ repeated “sevenfold” judgments now appear as seven literal plagues. • Angelic execution — Psalm 78’s “band of destroying angels” becomes seven specific heavenly messengers. • Completion of wrath — Ezekiel’s promise that God’s fury would one day be “spent” finds its fulfillment. • Day of the LORD imagery — Isaiah, Joel, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah all speak of cosmic signs and worldwide judgment that Revelation gathers into a single, final sign. • Exodus pattern — God once dealt with a tyrant through plagues; in the end, He deals with every unrepentant nation the same way, while preserving and praising His redeemed. These passages converge to show that Revelation 15:1 is not a new concept but the prophetic crescendo of promises already laid down throughout the Old Testament—promises God now brings to literal, visible completion. |
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