What is the meaning of Revelation 15:5? After this I looked John is given another vision “after” witnessing the seven angels with the seven last plagues (Revelation 15:1). His repeated phrase “I looked” (cf. Revelation 4:1; 6:2) shows: • A literal sequence of events unfolding before his eyes. • God’s orderly revelation—each scene builds on the last, just as Daniel’s visions progress in Daniel 7:9–13. • Assurance that what John sees is trustworthy, reinforcing Jesus’ promise in Revelation 1:1 that these things “must soon take place.” and the temple In heaven, John sees a real sanctuary. Earlier he witnessed “God’s temple in heaven” (Revelation 11:19) and now returns to that holy place. Consider: • Exodus 25:9 shows Moses’ earthly tabernacle was patterned after a heavenly reality. • Hebrews 8:5 says the earthly priests “serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven.” • The temple’s existence affirms God’s permanent dwelling and His readiness to act in judgment and redemption. —the tabernacle of the Testimony— John immediately clarifies the temple as “the tabernacle of the Testimony,” linking two key Old Testament concepts: • “Tabernacle” recalls the mobile sanctuary where God met Israel (Exodus 40:34–35). • “Testimony” refers to the tablets of the covenant (Exodus 25:16); they embodied God’s law and faithfulness. Thus, heaven’s sanctuary proclaims: – God’s covenant standards remain unchanged. – His judgments are rooted in the very law stored in the Ark (Hebrews 9:4). – The scene anticipates final judgments consistent with His righteous character (Psalm 89:14). was opened in heaven The opening of the heavenly temple signals unrestricted access for John—and, by extension, for God’s actions to proceed: • When Jesus died, “the veil of the temple was torn in two” (Matthew 27:51), foreshadowing this ultimate unveiling. • Previous heavenly openings introduced decisive interventions (Revelation 4:1; 11:19). • Here the opening leads to the commissioning of angels to pour out the bowl judgments (Revelation 16:1), demonstrating that God’s wrath issues from His holy presence, not arbitrary anger. summary Revelation 15:5 portrays a literal moment when John sees the heavenly sanctuary flung open. The vision affirms: • God reveals events in an orderly, trustworthy sequence. • Heaven contains a real temple—the ultimate pattern for every earthly sanctuary. • The “tabernacle of the Testimony” underscores God’s unchanging covenant and righteous standards. • The open temple announces that the final judgments arise directly from God’s holy throne, ensuring they are perfectly just and covenant-faithful. |
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