After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple dressed in clean and bright linen, wearing golden sashes around their chests. And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls, full of the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished. Rev. 15:5-8.
In contrast to the smoke of the world's torment (Rev. 14:10, 11), we have here the smoke of God's glory. It reminds us of the scenes that accompanied the dedication of both the wilderness tabernacle (Ex. 40:34, 35) and of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 8:10-12). God filled both places with His glory to celebrate their dedication. Here in Revelation 15 He does so in response to the worship of His saints (Rev. 15:3, 4), who suffered at the hands of the wicked ones who will now taste His severe judgments.
After the Exile in Babylon, Zerubbabel raised up a more modest Temple (Hag. 1:12-2:9) to replace Solomon's, which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed (2 Chron. 36:18, 19). It too had a ceremony of dedication (Ezra 6:13-18). A similar service occurred nearly 100 years later to celebrate the completion of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, which safely enclosed the holy precincts once more (Neh. 12:27-47).
The Feast of Dedication as we know it (called Hanukkah today), however, did not originate in Old Testament times. It celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes (165 B.C.). Among other things, Antiochus sacrificed a pig on the Temple altar, forbade observance of the Sabbath, and compelled many Jews to eat pork. After the Maccabees, a group of Jewish insurgents, liberated Jerusalem from the clutches of Antiochus, they cleansed and rededicated the Temple. The celebration that followed became an annual feast of Judaism (one that Jesus Himself attended--John 10:22).
In our text we actually have something along the lines of an "undedication." The glory of God drives out the angels. But instead of returning in a short while to resume their temple duties, as would be the case for a dedication service, they move on to other, more painful tasks.
God marks the unpleasant turns of life as well as the pleasant ones. For the next few chapters of Revelation things will become very unpleasant indeed.
Lord, hold Your sanctuary open if that is not contrary to Your will. I feel unprepared for the events of the end. Bring me to a place of readiness for the close of history.
In contrast to the smoke of the world's torment (Rev. 14:10, 11), we have here the smoke of God's glory. It reminds us of the scenes that accompanied the dedication of both the wilderness tabernacle (Ex. 40:34, 35) and of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 8:10-12). God filled both places with His glory to celebrate their dedication. Here in Revelation 15 He does so in response to the worship of His saints (Rev. 15:3, 4), who suffered at the hands of the wicked ones who will now taste His severe judgments.
After the Exile in Babylon, Zerubbabel raised up a more modest Temple (Hag. 1:12-2:9) to replace Solomon's, which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed (2 Chron. 36:18, 19). It too had a ceremony of dedication (Ezra 6:13-18). A similar service occurred nearly 100 years later to celebrate the completion of the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, which safely enclosed the holy precincts once more (Neh. 12:27-47).
The Feast of Dedication as we know it (called Hanukkah today), however, did not originate in Old Testament times. It celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes (165 B.C.). Among other things, Antiochus sacrificed a pig on the Temple altar, forbade observance of the Sabbath, and compelled many Jews to eat pork. After the Maccabees, a group of Jewish insurgents, liberated Jerusalem from the clutches of Antiochus, they cleansed and rededicated the Temple. The celebration that followed became an annual feast of Judaism (one that Jesus Himself attended--John 10:22).
In our text we actually have something along the lines of an "undedication." The glory of God drives out the angels. But instead of returning in a short while to resume their temple duties, as would be the case for a dedication service, they move on to other, more painful tasks.
God marks the unpleasant turns of life as well as the pleasant ones. For the next few chapters of Revelation things will become very unpleasant indeed.
Lord, hold Your sanctuary open if that is not contrary to Your will. I feel unprepared for the events of the end. Bring me to a place of readiness for the close of history.
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