1Then, I saw another great and marvelous sign in the heavens: seven angels brought seven plagues, which are the last, for, with these, the wrath of God will end. 2There was a sea of crystal mingled with fire, and the conquerors of the beast, of its name and the mark of its name, stood by it.
They had been given the celestial harps, 3and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:
Great and marvelous are your works,
O Lord,
God and Master of the universe.
Justice and truth guide your steps,
O King of the nations.
4Lord, who will not give honor and glory to your Name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come and bow before you,
for they have now seen your judgments.
The seven cups
5 ① Then, the Sanctuary of the Tent of Divine Declarations was opened, 6and the seven angels, bringing the seven plagues, came out of the Sanctuary clothed in pure and bright linen, with their waists girded with golden belts. 7One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden cups, full of the wrath of God who lives for ever and ever. 8Then the Sanctuary was filled with smoke that wraps God’s glory and power so that no one could enter until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
- Rev 15,5 Here we return to the awaited fall of Rome to see its religious meaning in a more developed form. The seven bowls combine images from the plagues of Egypt and various prophetic texts. The Tent of Divine Declarations remind us of the Tent (called: tent of meeting) which was Israel's sanctuary in the desert. Armageddon (or the Hills of Megiddo, 16:16) recalled a famous defeat in Jewish history (2 K 23:29) and it is a symbol to predict the defeat of those who are assembled there. With this, John announces the inevitable judgment of God and the hour for destruction of the anti-Christian civilization ruling the world.
