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Preparation for the wrath of God Rev 15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony in heaven was opened: As we have seen in the section "The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven" these plagues fall after the close of the ministration in the sanctuary, for the temple is opened before they are poured out. The "seven golden vials full of the wrath of God" are given to seven angels clothed in linen pure and white, a fit emblem of the purity of God's righteousness and justice in the infliction of these judgments. They receive these vials from one of the four beasts, or living creatures. These living beings were shown in comments on Revelation 4 to be a class of Christ's assistants in His sanctuary work. How appropriate then that they should be the ones to deliver to the ministers of vengeance the vials of the wrath to be poured upon those who have slighted Christ's mercy, abused His long-suffering, heaped contumely upon His name, and crucified Him afresh in the persecution of His followers! |