For thy judgments are made manifest.”
In accordance with the foregoing view, this synchronizes with the “new song” sung by those who are redeemed from every nation, kindred, tongue and people (5:9), who are afterwards seen standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, 14:3.
The Angels with the Seven Vials.
“And after this, I looked, and 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 white linen, and girded around the breasts with golden girdles. And one of the four living beings gave to the seven angels, seven golden bowls filled with 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 one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” Rev. 15:5-8.
“And I heard a loud voice out of the temple saying, to the seven angels, Depart, and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” Rev. 16:1.
“The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven,” must symbolize heaven itself. It corresponds with the tabernacle “after the second veil,”—called “the holiest of all,” where the tables of the covenant were deposited by the command of Moses, Heb. 9:1-5. There, the “cherubims of glory” over-shadowed the mercy-seat,—a type of the presence-chamber of the Almighty. Consequently, when it is symbolized as being opened in heaven, the angels who come out are divinely commissioned executors of God's purposes.
The “seven angels,” are the ministers of the divine vengeance,—the rectitude of their character and the dignity of their office, being symbolized by their “white robes” and “golden girdles.”
The period of time symbolized by the pouring out of the vials, must be anterior to the second advent; for in the analogous instances of God's judgments, he visits his enemies with plagues previous to the deliverance of his children. Thus were the ancient Egyptians visited, before the Israelites escaped from their power, Ex. 5-11.
The deliverance of the vials to the angels by one of the four “living creatures,” indicates that the intelligences in the divine presence, which are thus symbolized, are cognizant of God's design, and acquiesce in his purpose to visit the subjects of his wrath with these plagues.
By these being called “the vials of God's wrath,” we learn that their infliction is not corrective, but judicial;—that they are not agents of mercy, but of vengeance.