Reading for July 9th

THE ACTS OF JUDGMENT

In 15.1-16.21: The brief symbolic announcement of judgment now opens out into a detailed, sequential portrayal.  

 Read Revelation 15.1-8. In 15.1-8: The preparation. This third portent; see 12.1, 3. These are the last plagues not because they represent the final outcome of the story. The sea is the same as in the worship scene, 4.6. In verse 2: These who had conquered are the 144,000 of 14.1 and those under the altar of 6.9, who conquer by the death of Christ and by their own deaths (12.11). In verse 3: The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb is a composite of the Exodus song (Ex 15; Deut 32) with Ps 111.22; 86.8-9 and Jer 10.6-7, 16-19. The community is committed to both Moses and Jesus (see 12.17; 14.2). In verse 6: The plagues are another reference to the Exodus tradition. The scene is the temple recalls Is 6. Comments or Questions..