The book of Revelation is the pulling back of the curtain so that we can see what the future of God's people will be. This revelation is our glorious hope as we look to Jesus in these days of tribulation and know for sure he is coming back to take us home.
Chapter 15 begins the final retelling of what must take place before Christ returns. This time John sees the last days as displayed through seven angels, with seven bowls of wrath, pouring out seven plagues on those who reject God and his way of salvation. Just as the plagues on Egypt were poured out because of their hard-heartedness, so these plagues will act as God's final judgment on a sinful world.
But before these plagues and God's judgement is poured out we see heaven as a place of rest and peace for the redeemed of the Lord. These are those who have not submitted to the beast, his name or his number. They are in the presence of God which brings security, rest and peace and with this they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
So much of this chapter reflects back to Exodus and the people's rescue from slavery in Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea not in their own strength, but by divine authority and intervention. So our salvation today, that will bring us to the rest and peace of heaven, only comes through the blood of the Lamb. We must trust in Jesus and know his way of salvation.
Glorious Hope is a podcast teaching series from Annalong Presbyterian Church. You can find out more at http://www.annalongpc.org/sermons.
Get your copy of the ESV Scripture Journal (Revelation) wherever you get your Christian books to help your own study in this series.
A video of this podcast is available at https://youtu.be/_VKHuu_Jvxk.