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."

And I saw another sign in heaven - Another wonder or extraordinary symbol. The word "sign" here - σημεῖον sēmeion - is the same which in Revelation 12:1, Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:13, is rendered "wonder" and "wonders," and in Revelation 13:14; Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:20, "miracles." The word is not found elsewhere in the Book of Revelation, though it is of frequent occurrence in other parts of the New Testament. See it explained in the notes on Revelation 12:1. Here it is used to denote something wonderful or marvelous. This is represented as appearing in heaven, for the judgments that were to fall upon the world were to come thence. Compare Revelation 11:19; Revelation 12:1; Revelation 14:1, Revelation 14:6,Revelation 14:13-14, Revelation 14:17.

Great and marvelous - Great and wonderful, or suited to excite admiration - θαυμαστὸν thaumaston. The subsequent statements fully justify this, and show that the vision was one of portentous character, and that was suited to hold the mind in astonishment.

Seven angels - Compare the notes on Revelation 1:4.

Having the seven last plagues - The article here, "the seven last plagues," would seem to imply that the plagues referred to had been before specified, or that it would be at once understood what is referred to. These plagues, however, have not been mentioned before, and the reason why the article is used here seems to be this: the destruction of this great anti-Christian power had been distinctly mentioned, Revelation 14. That might be spoken of as a thing now well known, and the mention of it would demand the article; and as that was well known, and would demand the article, so any allusion to it, or description of it, might be spoken of in the same manner, as a thing that was definite and fixed, and hence, the mention of the plagues by which it was to be accomplished would be referred to in the same manner. The word "plagues" - πληγὰς plēgas, from, πληγή plēgē - means properly a wound caused by a stripe or blow, and is frequently rendered "stripe" and "stripes," Luke 12:48; Acts 16:23, Acts 16:33; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 2 Corinthians 11:23. It does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament, except in the Book of Revelation. In this book it is rendered "wound" in Revelation 13:3, Revelation 13:12, Revelation 13:14; and plagues in Revelation 9:20; Revelation 11:6; Revelation 15:1, Revelation 15:6,Revelation 15:8; Revelation 16:9, Revelation 16:21; Revelation 18:4, Revelation 18:8; Revelation 21:9; Revelation 22:18. It does not occur elsewhere. The secondary meaning of the word, and the meaning in the passage before us, is "a stripe" or "blow inflicted by God"; calamity or punishment. The word "last" means those under which the order of things here referred to would terminate; the winding up of the affairs respecting the beast and his image - not necessarily the closing of the affairs of the world. Important events were to occur subsequent to the destruction of this anti-Christian power Revelation 19-22, but these were the plagues which would come finally upon the beast and his image, and which would terminate the existence of this formidable enemy.

For in them is filled up the wrath of God - That is, in regard to the beast and his image. All the expressions of the divine indignation toward that oppressive and persecuting power will be completed or exhausted by the pouring out of the contents of these vials. Compare notes on Revelation 10:7, where the word rendered "filled up" - ἐτελέσθη etelesthē - is rendered "finished."

15:1 And I saw seven holy angels having the seven last plagues - Before they had the phials, which were as instruments whereby those plagues were to be conveyed. They are termed the last, because by them the wrath of God is fulfilled - Hitherto. God had borne his enemies with much longsuffering; but now his wrath goes forth to the uttermost, pouring plagues on the earth from one end to the other, and round its whole circumference. But, even after these plagues, the holy wrath of God against his other enemies does not cease, Rev 20:15.