Revelation Unlocked #199.

Because of their importance, they become a focal point of the devil’s attack in the last days. (Rev 12:17 c.f. Rev14:12). We have previously noted how every one of the first 4 commandments about worship are counterfeited in Revelation 13 by the triad of evil.

John often echoes the language of the Old Testament in writing out his visions. In these echoes, he is not pointing the reader to a specific Old Testament text. We will only understand his meaning, however, if we go back to the Old Testament and dig it out in its original context.  

Here’s an example of how an echo works: What is a lemon? Well, it certainly is a citrus fruit with a fairly sour taste. But the term has an extended meaning in Australian culture. A lemon is a new car that doesn’t deliver on its promise. It may be brand new, but it is dysfunctional. It gives its owner far too many troubles and spends much too much time in the repair shop. 

Now if you live in Australia, you are familiar with this symbolic use of “lemon.” In the context of automobiles, a lemon is a bad car. The term actually came from a book by Ralph Nader about bad cars, which most Australians would not even know today. It is just an ingrained term of our culture. So, what is the spiritual application?

The seven bowls of wrath are a terrifying piece of Revelation’s legacy to the world. Along with the seven trumpets, they pile up images of suffering, assault, and unrepentance. But in John’s Jewish culture, bowls would have had a strangely positive echo, not like the term ‘lemon’ in Australian culture which has a negative echo. The word for “bowls” is found repeatedly in texts describing the implements of the sanctuary in the Old Testament (e.g. Ex. 27:338.23; Num. 4:14; 2 Kings 25-14-15-,2 Chron. 4:8, 21). They are also mentioned in Revelation 5:8 as containing the prayers of the saints. When the wrath of God strikes the earth, He will still be listening to the prayers of His people.

In v5 John had seen the temple in heaven, which he rephrases at “the tabernacle of the covenant law,” (Expanded Bible). In Revelation 11:19 the temple opened at the time of the seventh trumpet, and the ark of the covenant was seen. This happened at the announcement of the establishment of Christ’s reign, the judgment, the coming of God’s wrath and the rewarding of God’s people (called the saints.) Matthew 27:51 records how the earthly temple was opened at the time of Christ’s death. The curtain between the Holy Place and Most Holy Place was torn from top to bottom. The way to the Most Holy Place was now permanently open and access to God was now direct, through the work of Jesus. Human priest-mediators were no longer necessary. Reinforcing the imagery of the temple/tabernacle, the Most Holy Place and the ark of the covenant represent God’s solemn promise (covenant) of salvation through the cross. The cross reveals the true character of God, that mercy and justice are one and the same thing – perfect love. As David put it; “Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed!” – Ps 85:10 NLT

John then sees seven angels emerge from the temple in v6, dressed as representatives of Christ in bright linen with golden sashes (c.f. the description of Christ in Revelation 1:13) They are handed the bowls of God’s wrath, and the temple is overwhelmed with the smoke of the glory and power of God, so that no one can enter until the plagues are completed (v7).The bowls that the angels receive, reference the bowls used in the temple services to collect the blood of the sacrifices and to symbolically hold the prayers of the saints.