Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 15:1

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven plagues, [which are] the last, for in them is finished the wrath of God." — Revelation 15:1 (ASV)

This verse forms a superscription to chs. 15–16. The final manifestation of the wrath of God takes the form of seven angels of judgment and is called a “sign” (GK 4956), the third identified heavenly “sign” (cf. the woman and dragon at 12:1, 3). The adjective “marvelous” (GK 2515; cf. v.3) is added because John understood the seven angels to represent that God’s wrath is completed (GK 5464)—i.e., the “last” (GK 2274) plagues—and they are awesome as well as final in character. While these plagues may be the finale to the whole historical panorama of God’s judgments, it is exegetically preferable to find a connection of them with other events related in Revelation. As has already been argued, the first reference to the final judgment is found in 6:17: “For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” After the interlude of the sealing of the saints from spiritual harm (ch. 7), the seven trumpets are sounded (8:1ff.). The sixth one involves three plagues that kill a third of the human race (9:18). The third woe (11:14) includes the bowl judgments or the “last” plagues. Thus the trumpets begin the final wrath of God that is finished in the seven bowls.