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The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Goo's CovENANT WITH ABRAHAM FULFILLED
"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony In heaven was opened: and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vails full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from His power; and no man was able to enter Into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled" (15:5-8). Why is it that these seven angels that pour out the seven last plagues are represented as coming out of the temple, or the tabernacle? The temple and the tabernacle remind one of Israel; and the event refers to the time when the "man of sin," the Antichrist, is upon the earth attempting to persecute to death the Jewish remnant. No person can do that without bringing judgment upon himself, for God made a covenant with Abraham, saying, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee" ( Gen. 12:3). The latter portion of this covenant will be the part the enemies of Israel will bring upon themselves. Consequently the angels who are to execute those judgments are portrayed as coming out of the temple and out of the tabernacle, which represent the cove nants of God with Israel. In other words, here is a picture of the fulfilling of the covenants that God made with Abraham. Rome, Spain, Germany, France, Russia, and all the other nations that have persecuted the children of Israel have, in consequence, suffered sorrow and national shame. And the end is not yet. These seven last plagues are judgments that will be meted out, mainly because of the persecution that will be directed against Israel.
THE FIRST VIAL
"And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his Image" (16:1, 2),
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