Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Work-Great and Wonderful -The Angels With the Bowls

 It is fitting that we hear the song of these anointed conquerors. Why? Because they have publicized on earth the judgments contained in the bowls that were full of the anger of God. But the pouring out of the bowls involves more than mere humans, as John goes on to show: "And after these things I saw, and the sanctuary of the tent of the witness was opened in heaven, and the seven angels with the seven plagues emerged from the sanctuary, clothed with clean, bright linen and girded about their breasts with golden girdles. And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls that were full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever." -REVELATION 15:5-7. 

As respects the Israelite temple, which contained representations of heavenly things, only the high priest could enter the Most Holy, here called "the sanctuary." (Hebrews 9:3, 7) It represents the place of Jehovah's presence in heaven. In heaven itself, however. not only does the High Pries Jesus Christ have the privilege of entering in before Jehovah but the angels do also. (Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 9:24-26) It is not surprising, then, that seven angels should be seen coming out from the sanctuary in heaven. They have a commission from Jehovah God himself; pour out the bowls full of the anger of God. - REVELATION 16:1. 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works -Great and Wonderful - The Song of Moses and of the Lamb -- Conclusin

 Nevertheless, this is the song not only of Moses but also "of the Lamb." How so? Moses was Jehovah's prophet to Israel, but Moses himself prophesied that Jehovah would raise up a prophet like him. This one proved to be the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Whereas Moses was "the slave of God," Jesus was God's Son, in effect, the Greater Moses. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22, 23; Hebrews 3:5, 6) Hence, the singers also sing "the song of the Lamb." 

Like Moses, Jesus publicly sang God's praises and prophesied about his victory over all enemies. (Matthew 24:21, 22; 26:30; Luke 19:41-44) Jesus too looked forward to the time when the nations would come into praise Jehovah, and as the self-sacrificing "Lamb of God," he laid down his human life to make this possible. (John 1:29; Revelation 7:9; compare Isaiah2:2-4; Zechariah 8:23) And just as Moses came to appreciate God's name, Jehovah, and extol that name, so Jesus made God's name manifest. (Exodus 6:2, 3; Psalm 90:1, 17; John 17:6) Since Jehovah is loyal, his glorious promises are certain of fulfillment. Surely, then, we are as one with these loyal singers, with the Lamb, and with Moses, in subscribing to the words of the song: "Who will not really fear you, Jehovah, and glorify your name!" 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works - Great and Wonderful - The Song of Moses and of the Lamb - Continue

 These victors sing "the song of Moses," that its, a song similar to one that Moses sang in like circumstances. After the Israelites had witnessed the ten plagues in Egypt and the destruction of the Egyptian armies in the Red Sea, Moses led them in such a song of triumphant praise to Jehovah, proclaiming: "Jehovah will rule as king to time indefinite, even forever." (Exodus 15:1-19) How fitting that the singers in John's vision, coming off victorious from the wild beast and bring involved in proclaiming the seven last plagues, should also sing "to the King of eternity"! - 1 TIMOTHY 1:17.

In another song, composed as Israel prepared for the conquest of Canaan, the aged Moses told that nation: "I shall declare the name of Jehovah. Do you attribute greatness to our God!" The last verse of this song also gave encouragement to non-Israelites, and Moses' inspired words reach right down to the great crowd of today: "Be glad, you nations, with his people. And why should they be glad? Because now Jehovah "will avenge the blood of his servants, and he will pay back vengeance to his adversaries." This execution of righteous judgment will bring jubilation to all who hope in Jehovah. - DEUTERONOMY 32:3, 43; ROMANS 15:10-13; REVELATION 7:9. 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works - Great and Wonderful - The Song of Moses and of the Lamb

 These loyal overcomers have harps of God. In this, they are like the temple Levites of old, who worshiped Jehovag with song to the accompaniment of harps. Some also prophesied to a harp accompaniment. (1 Corinthians 15:16; 25:103) The beautiful strains of the harp embellished Israel's songs of joy and prayers of praise and thanksgiving to Jehovah. (Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 33:2; 43:4; 57:7, 8) In times of depression or captivity, the harp was not heard. (Psalm 137:2) The presence of harps of God in this vision should whet our anticipation for an exultant, triumphant song of praise and thanksgiving to our God."

That is what John reports: "And they are singing the song of Moses and of the slave of God and the song of the Lamb, saying: 'Great and wonderful are your works, Jehovah God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are your ways, King of eternity. Who will not really fear you, Jehovha, and glorify your name, because you alone are loyal? For all nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous decrees have made been made manifest.' " - REVELATION15:3, 4.

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works -Great and Wonderful - The Song of Moses and of the Lamb - Continue

 The fact that the molten sea in Solomon's temple was for the use of the priests indicates that the singers standing before the heavenly glassy sea are a priestly class, They have "harps of God," and we therefore associate them with the 24 elders and the 144,000, since these groups also sing to harp accompaniment. (Revelation 5:8; 14:2) The singers that John sees "comes victorious from the wild beast and from its image and from the number of its name." So they must be those from among the 144,000 who live on earth during the last days. As a group, they do indeed come off victorious. Some 70 years since 1919, they have refused to accept the mark of the wild beast or look to its image as man's only hope for peace. Many of them have already endured faithful to the death, and these, now in heaven, doubtless to follow with special delight the singing of their brothers who are still on earth. - REVELATION 14:11-13. 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works-Great and Wonderful - The Song of Moses and of the Lamb

 A remarkable panorama now comes into John's view: "And I saw what seemed to be a glassy sea mingled with fire, and those who come off victorious from the wild beast and from its image and from its name standing by the glassy sea, having harps of God." - REVELATION 15:2. 

The "glassy sea" is the same one that John saw earlier, positioned before the throne of God. (Revelation 4:6) It is similar to "the molten sea" (water container) of Solomon's temple, where the priests obtained water to cleanse themselves. (1 Kings 7:23) It is thus a fine representation of "the bath of water," that is God's Word, by which Jesus cleanses the priestly congregation of anointed Christians. (Ephesians 5:25, 26; Hebrews 10:22) This glassy sea is "mingled with fire," indicating that these anointed ones are tested and purged as they obey the high standard set for them. Further, it reminds us that God's Word also contains expressions of fiery judgments against his enemies. (Deuteronomy 9:3; Zephaniah 3:8) Some of these fiery judgments are manifested in the seven last plagues that are about to be poured out.  

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works -Great and Wonderful -Conclusion

 Notice the important roles that angels again have in accomplishing God's will. This fact has long been known by Jehovah's servants. Why, under inspiration the ancient psalmist even spoke to such angels urging them: "Bless Jehovah, O you angels, his mighty power carrying out his word"! (Psalm 103:20) Now, in this new scene, angels are assigned to pour out the seven last plagues.

What are these plagues? Like the seven trumpet blasts, they are scathing judgment pronouncements publicizing Jehovah view of various features of the world and warning of the final outcome of these judicial decisions.   (Revelation 8:1-9:21) The pouring out of them points to the execution of those judgments, when the objects of Jehovah's wrath are destroyed in the day of his burning anger. (Isaiah 13:9 13; Revelation 6:16, 17) Thus, by means of them "the anger of God is brought to a finish." But before describing the pouring out of the plagues, John tells us about some human who will not be adversely affected by them. Having refused the mark of the wild beast, these loyal ones sing praises to Jehovah as they proclaim his day of vengeance. -REVELATION 13:15-17. 

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Chapter Thirty-One/Jehovah's Works - Great and Wonderful

 A woman giving birth to a male child! A great dragon seeking to devour that child! Those two heavenly signs, so vividly portrayed in Revelation chapter 12, brought home to us that the agelong controversy involving the Seed of God's woman and Satan and his demonic seed is reaching its climax. In highlighting these symbols, John says: "And a great sign was seen in heaven . . . and another sign was seen." (Revelation12:1, 3, 7-12) Now John reports a third sign: "And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues. These are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish." (Revelation 15:1) This third sign also has vital meaning for Jehovah's servants. 

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Treading the Vine of the Earth -

 This vivid vision has a parallel in the crushing of the kingdoms of the earth by the Kingdom stone described at Daniel 2:34, 44. There will be an extermination. The river of blood from winepress is very deep, up to the bridles of the horses, and it extends for a distance of 16 furlongs. This huge figure, produced by multiplying the square of four by the square of ten (4 x 4x 10 x 10), emphatically conveys the message that evidence of the destruction will be involve al the earth. (Isaiah 66:15, 16) The destruction will be complete and irreversible. Never, no never again, will Satan's vine of the earth take root! - PSALM83:17, 18. 

Living as we do deep in the time of the end, the vision of these two harvests is very meaningful. We have only to look around us to see the fruits of Satan's vine. Abortions, and other forms of murder; homosexuality, adultery, and other forms of immorality; dishonestly and lack of natural affection-all such things make this world vile in Jehovah's eyes. Satan's vine bears "the fruit of a poisonous plant and wormwood." its ruinous. idolatrous course dishonors mankind's Grand Creator. (Deuteronomy29:18; 32:5; Isaiah 42:5, 8) What a privilege it is to be actively associated with the John class in the harvest of wholesome fruitage that Jesus is bringing forth to Jehovah's praise! (Luke 10:2) May all of us be determined that will never be tainted by the vine of this world, and may we thus avoid being trampled with the vine of the earth when Jehovah's adverse judgment is executed. 

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 The visionary treading done by horses, for the blood trodden out from the vine reaches "the bridles of the horses." Since the term "horses" usually refers to war operations, the must be a time of war. The armies of the heavens that follow Jesus into the final war against Satan's system of things are said to read "the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty." (Revelation 19:11-16) These are clearly the ones that do the treading of the vine of the vine of the earth. The "winepress is "trodden outside the city," that is, outside heavenly Zion. Indeed, it is fitting that the vine of the earth should be trodden on earth. But it will also be "trodden outside the city" in that no harm will come to the remaining ones of the woman's seed, who can represent the heavenly Zion on earth. These together with the great crowd will be safely hidden within Jehovah's earthly organizational arrangement. - ISAIAH 26:20, 21. 

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