ScriptureDepth's study of Revelation 15
“They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.”
Revelation 15:3
The victorious believers sing to God in praise, recognizing His 'marvelous' works and 'righteous' ways, which confirms their faith as they prepare for the coming plagues.
What Revelation 15 is about
Seven angels are seen with the seven last plagues in the sky. In these plagues, God’s wrath is completed. Next, a sea of glass mixed with fire appears. Those who overcame the beast and his image stand on this sea with harps from God.
They sing the 'song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.' They praise the Lord, saying, 'Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!' They ask who would not fear Him, for He alone is holy. All nations will worship before Him because His righteous acts are revealed. Then the temple of the testimony in heaven is opened. The seven angels wear bright linen and golden sashes. One of the living creatures gives them seven bowls filled with God's wrath. Lastly, smoke fills the temple from God's glory, and no one can enter it until the plagues are finished.
All nations will come and worship before God, for His righteous acts have been revealed.
Revelation 15 at a glance
- Revelation 15:1–2Introduction of the Plagues
- Revelation 15:3–4The Song of the Victorious
- Revelation 15:5–7The Heavenly Temple and Angels
- Revelation 15:8Divine Presence and Judgment
Key verse: Revelation 15:3
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Revelation 15 (WEB)
Introduction of the Plagues Revelation 15:1–2
1Verse 1. I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God’s wrath is finished. 2Verse 2. I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
The Song of the Victorious Revelation 15:3–4
3Verse 3. They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,“Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations.4Verse 4. Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord,and glorify your name?For you only are holy.For all the nations will come and worship before you.For your righteous acts have been revealed.”
The Heavenly Temple and Angels Revelation 15:5–7
5Verse 5. After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6Verse 6. The seven angels who had the seven plagues came out, clothed with pure, bright linen, and wearing golden sashes around their breasts. 7Verse 7. One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
Divine Presence and Judgment Revelation 15:8
8Verse 8. The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple, until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Revelation 15
God's Holiness and Justice
In verse 4, the text acknowledges God's holiness, stating, 'For you only are holy.' This proclamation is followed by a call to worship, recognizing that 'all the nations will come and worship before you.' The chapter presents God's attributes in the context of the impending judgment, setting a tone of reverence for His perfect justice and righteousness that will be displayed through the plagues.
Vindication of the Faithful
Verse 2 depicts those who overcame the beast, standing on a 'sea of glass mixed with fire.' This imagery signifies victory for the faithful who resisted idolatry and oppression. Their act of praise, as they sing the 'song of Moses' in verse 3, emphasizes their vindication, celebrating the triumph over their adversaries, including the beast and his image.
Worship and Praise
In verses 3-4, the victorious faithful sing 'the song of the Lamb,' proclaiming, 'Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!' Their worship demonstrates their recognition of God's greatness and righteousness. The chapter culminates with a communal expression of adoration, as they glorify God's name and acknowledge His acts in the presence of the divine.
Divine Judgment
Verse 1 introduces divine judgment with the announcement of 'seven angels having the seven last plagues.' This serves as a warning that God's wrath is about to be fully realized through these judgments. In verse 8, the temple fills with smoke from God's glory, indicating that divine judgment is imminent and will soon unfold with the unleashing of the plagues.
Chapter outline
How Revelation 15 unfolds
Revelation 15:1–2 Introduction of the Plagues
John sees 'seven angels having the seven last plagues' and notes that 'in them God’s wrath is finished' (v. 1). He also sees 'those who overcame the beast' standing on a 'sea of glass mixed with fire' (v. 2).
Revelation 15:3–4 The Song of the Victorious
The victorious overcomers sing 'the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,' praising God's marvelous works and righteousness, acknowledging His unique holiness and the worship due to Him from all nations (vv. 3-4).
Revelation 15:5–7 The Heavenly Temple and Angels
John observes 'the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven' being opened (v. 5). The 'seven angels who had the seven plagues came out' in 'pure, bright linen' and receive 'seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God' (vv. 6-7).
Revelation 15:8 Divine Presence and Judgment
The temple fills with smoke from God's glory and power, preventing anyone from entering until the completion of the seven plagues, emphasizing the seriousness of the impending judgment (v. 8).
Key verses
Revelation 15:3The victorious believers sing to God in praise, recognizing His 'marvelous' works and 'righteous' ways, which confirms their faith as they prepare for the coming plagues.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Revelation 15
- observeIn v1, what is the 'great and marvelous sign' that John sees?
- observeIn v3, what song do those standing on the sea of glass sing?
- interpretThe phrase 'seven last plagues' in v1: what does this imply about God's judgment?
- interpretIn v7, why is the wrath of God described as being in 'seven golden bowls'?
- applyWhen have you felt the need to worship God like those in v2 who overcame the beast?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Revelation 15
- Revelation 4Revelation 15:2 and Revelation 4:6Both describe a sea of glass: Revelation 15:2 speaks of a sea of glass mixed with fire, while Revelation 4:6 mentions a sea of glass, similar to crystal.
- Exodus 15Revelation 15:4 and Exodus 15:11Both declare God's holiness: Revelation 15:4 notes, 'For you only are holy,' while Exodus 15:11 asks, 'Who is like you, glorious in holiness.'
- Revelation 11Revelation 15:4 and Revelation 11:15Both proclaim God's reign: Revelation 15:4 asks who will glorify God, while Revelation 11:15 announces, 'The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord.'
- Revelation 14Revelation 15:4 and Revelation 14:7Both call for worship: Revelation 15:4 invites all nations to glorify God, while Revelation 14:7 urges to worship Him who made heaven and earth.
- Psalm 86Revelation 15:4 and Psalm 86:9Both declare nations will worship: Revelation 15:4 states all nations will worship before God, while Psalm 86:9 affirms, 'All nations you have made will come and worship.'
- Psalm 22Revelation 15:4 and Psalm 22:27Both proclaim global worship: Revelation 15:4 mentions all nations will worship, while Psalm 22:27 states, 'All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh.'
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Where to go from here
- Revelation: the whole bookExiled on the island of Patmos for the word of God, John received the visions that close the Christian canon…
- Full Year Chronological Bible, day 363Day 363 of 365: Revelation 13–15.
- HeavenWhat the Bible says about heaven, with verses.
- Common Bible questionsThe questions people bring to Bible study, each answered from the text.
- Today's devotionalOne verse and a short reflection, new every morning.
Revelation 15: frequently asked questions
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