Bible Question: In Revelation 15:8 it says no one can enter the temple until the seven plagues are complete. Does this mean no one can enter heaven at all until then or is the temple just a part of heaven that cannot be entered until then? |
Bible Answer: Chusarcik, Her is one perspective on Rev 15:5-8 from the Navarre Bible commentary. "The text now goes on to describe the divine intervention, which is as it were a response to this hymn of praise (v 1-4; its language is very similar to that used in connection with the blowing of the seventh trumpet (CF 11:19). This helps t link up th two passages. The difference is that the tent of witness now takes the place of the Ark of the Covenant. Both tent and ark are supposed to remain hidden until the advent of Messianic times (2 Macabees 2:4-80); once they were rediscovered, the glory of God would make itself manifest again, as happened when the temple of Solomon was dedicated . The cloud of smoke (a symbol of the glory of the Lord0 meant that the priests were unable to perform their ministry (cf. 1 Kings 8:10-11). The appearing of the tent signals that God's design is about to be fully realized. The author is telling us that the Parouisa is imminent; he will describe it further on. Because the seven bowls are used to cast the seven plagues upon the earth, they are said to be full of thewrath of God: in other words, they are filled with divine justice, as will now be made manifest to all. The bowls , then, symbolize both the prayers of the saints (which have caused God to intervene: (cf.note on Rev 5:8)and the effects of those prayers-the victory of good and the punishment of evil. Strctly speaking the bowls symbolize the prayers of the saints; their content is not the plagues as such but the outcome of prayer-action on God's part which serves to console the righteous (the perfume of incense) and punish the followers of the beast, those who work iniquity (the wrath of God)." In reading v 5-8 see these refernce verses; Wx 25:21 Lev 26:21 Rev 14:10 Wx 40:34 1 Kings 8:10 Is 6:4 Ezek 44:4 Emmaus |