[2] And I saw as it were
a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory
over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number
of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
The song was sung while the angels were coming out, with
their plagues, who are therefore mentioned both before and after it, verses
1 - 6. Revelation 15:1- 6
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire
- It was before "clear as crystal," Revelation 4:6, but now
mingled with fire, which devours the adversaries. And
them that gained, or were gaining, the victory over the wild beast - More
of whom were yet to come. The mark of the beast, the mark of his name,
and the number of his name, seem to mean here nearly the same thing. Standing
at the sea of glass - Which was before the throne. Having the harps of
God - Given by him, and appropriated to his praise.
[3] And they sing the song of
Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous
are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King
of saints. [4] Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy
name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before
thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
And they sing the song of Moses - So called, partly from
its near agreement ,with the words of that song which he sung after passing
the Red Sea, Exodus 15:11, and of that which he taught the children of
Israel a little before his death, 32:3,4. But chiefly because Moses was
the minister and representative of the Jewish church, as Christ is of the
church universal. Therefore it is also termed the sons of the Lamb. It
consists of six parts, which answer each other:
-
Great and wonderful are thy works, Lord God Almighty.
-
For thou only art gracious.
-
Just and true are thy ways, O King of the nations.
-
For all the nations shall come and worship before thee.
-
Who would not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?
-
For thy judgments are made manifest.
We know and acknowledge that all thy works in and toward
all the creatures are great and wonderful; that thy ways with all the children
of men, good and evil, are just and true. For thou only art gracious -
And this grace is the spring of all those wonderful works, even of his
destroying the enemies of his people. Accordingly in 136:1- 26., that clause,
"For his mercy endureth for ever," is subjoined to the thanksgiving for
his works of vengeance as well as for his delivering the righteous. For
all the nations shall come and worship before thee - They shall serve thee
as their king with joyful reverence. This is a glorious testimony of the
future conversion of all the heathens. The Christians are now a little
flock: they who do not worship God, an immense multitude. But all the nations
shall come, from all parts of the earth, to worship him and glorify his
name. For thy judgments are made manifest - And then the inhabitants of
the earth will at length learn to fear him.
[5] And after that I looked,
and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was
opened:
After these things the temple of the tabernacle of the
testimony - The holiest of all. Was opened - Disclosing a new theatre for
the coming forth of the judgments of God now made manifest.
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