Victors Refined by Fire

Reflections on Revelation 15:1-8

The prayers of the saints for relief from hardship have been answered, and John sees them singing praise to the Almighty God who has delivered them.  They sing the song of Moses, who delivered Israel from their cruel Egyptian task masters, and sing the song of the Lamb, who delivered the saints from the oppression of godless nations.

The victors are standing beside (Greek, on) the sea of glass.  The sea of glass stands before the heavenly temple (Revelation 4:6).  The glass is mingled with fire suggesting that those who stand on the sea have been refined by fire.  (Beale argues that fire in Revelation symbolizes judgment rather than refinement, but "refined in a furnace" in Revelation 1:15 and "refined by fire" in 3:18 suggest otherwise.)  The victors conquered the beast by coming through the fire that destroyed the dross (evil nations) just as the Israelites passed through the plagues and sea which devastated Egypt and destroyed its army.

John sees the sanctuary in heaven being opened.  Out of it come seven angels with the seven bowls filled with the wrath of God.  The sanctuary is filled with the glory of God, and no one can enter it until the seven angels have poured out the wrath of God which culminates in the victory of the Lamb.  Before the Lord rewards the saints, he wants the saints to be assured that even in the hardships they endure God makes a distinction between the wicked and the righteous just as he made a distinction between Egypt and Israel (Exodus 8:22-23; 9:4, 26; 10:23; 11:7) when he protected the land of Goshen, where his own people lived, from the more severe plagues.  The plagues which follow fall on those wearing the mark of the beast and worshiping his image, on those who shed the blood of saints and prophets, on those who refuse to repent and give glory to God, on the throne of the beast himself, and on the great city, Babylon the great.