Jehovah In His Sanctuary

Finally, completing this part of the vision, John tells us: " And the sanctuary became filled with smoke because of the glory of God and because of his power, and no one was able to enter into the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished." (Revelation 15:8) There were occasions in Israel's history when a cloud covered the literal sanctuary, and this manifestation of Jehovah's glory prevented the priests from entering there. (1Kings 8:10, 11; 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14; Isaiah 6:4, 5) These were times when Jehovah was actively involved with developments on earth.

Jehovah is also deeply interested in things happening on earth now. He wants the seven angels to complete their assignment. It is a climatic time of judgment, as described at Psalm 11:4-6: "Jehovah is in his holy temple. Jehovah-in the heavens is his throne. His own eyes behold , his own beaming eyes examine the sons of men. Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, and anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates. he will rain down upon the wicked ones traps, fire and sulphur and scorching wind, as the portion of their cup." Until these seven plagues are poured out upon the wicked ones, the seven angels will not return to Jehovah's lofty presence.

The awesome command thunders forth: "And I heard a loud voice out of the sanctuary say to the seven angels: 'Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God into the earth.' " (Revelation 16:1) Who issues this command? It must be Jehovah himself, since the radiance of his glory and power prevented anyone else from entering the sanctuary. Jehovah came to his spiritual temple for judgment in 1918. (Malachi 3:1-5) It must, then, have been shortly after that date that he gave the command to pour out the bowls of the anger of God. In fact, the judgments contained in the symbolic bowls started to be proclaimed with intensity in 1922. And their proclamation is increasing to a crescendo today.

Next time: The Bowls And The Trumpet Blasts.