Revelation 15

1. What do the 7 last plagues represent?
2. Who is singing and where are they?
3. What do the songs represent?
4. Why was the temple in heaven opened, but none allowed in?

Futurist-Prophecy yet to be fulfilled
1. These are literal descriptions of God’s final outpouring of wrath on mankind
2. These are tribulation martyrs in heaven
3. Some say the song of Moses speaks to physical deliverance while the song of the Lamb speaks of spiritual deliverance. Others say the former speaks to ‘Jewish’ martyrs while the latter speaks of ‘Gentile’ martyrs of the tribulation period
4. This is a very ‘Jewish’ reminder that God will be faithful to His covenant people at the end of time by judging their enemies. There is no turning back at this point

Historicist-Prophecy fulfilled throughout the church age
1. God’s final triumph over the papal system extending toward the end of time
2. These are representatives of all who have been oppressed by the papacy
3. The songs represent deliverance. Moses led the people through the Red Sea in the past, the Lord would lead His people out of persecution in the future
4. To let out His wrath on papal Rome. There is no turning back at this point

Preterist-Prophecy fulfilled in distant past
1. These are the final outpouring of God’s wrath against apostate Jerusalem
2. These are martyred Christians of the 1st century singing from heaven
3. The songs represent their victory over death through Christ who, even more-so than Moses, delivered Israel from their enemies
4. The heavenly temple is opened to release God’s wrath upon the earthly temple. There is no turning back at this point

Spiritualist-Prophecy provides principles applicable many times
1. Most view this as God’s final judgment upon an unrepentant world at the end of time, but some see it as applying to His final judgment on individual sinners
2. These are the saints of the past singing from heaven
3. It is one song, not two, the deliverance God accomplished through Moses was a foreshadowing of Christ
4. God cannot be approached when His wrath is being dispensed, none could bare it