ACC ~ Revelation 15 v8

NO ONE CAN CONFRONT OR WITHSTAND THE WRATH OF GOD. OECUMENIUS: The smoke of the divine anger is a sign, for it is written, “Smoke went up in his wrath.” This fiery smoke is symbolic, but so was the smoke that the holy Isaiah saw when he said, “and the lintel shook at the voice which the holy seraphim uttered, and the house was filled with smoke.” That smoke revealed the wrath of God against [the temple] of Jerusalem. He speaks periphrastically when he says that the smoke was from the glory of God and from his power. It is as though he said, “It was filled with smoke from the wrath of God,” for God is himself power and himself glory, and who can withstand his wrath? [No one could enter the temple], for who will confront the wrath of God, or who will live when enveloped by it? For if no one has “stood in the counsel of the Lord,” as it is written, one could hardly be able to endure the wrath of God. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15.5-16.1.

CONFESSION OF SINS PRECEDES FAITH AND LOVE. PRIMASIUS: The smoke indicates that no one can penetrate the secrets of the judgments of God. Rather, the minds of mortals grow dark and tremble at the thought of the plagues that are inflicted, which he now begins to narrate, and he says that the smoke will remain in the temple until the plagues are completely ended. Rightly, then, there follows, “No one could enter the temple,” that is, that innermost secret, “until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.” Therefore, also the psalm says, “It seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God and I understood their ends.” Another interpretation might be that in the smoke we are to understand confession, as is often the case. As smoke precedes fire, so the confession of sins precedes the flame of faith and of love. And the psalm indicates such things when it says, “Who looks on the earth and makes it to tremble, who touches the mountains and they smoke.” “And the Lord looked at Peter,” and he washed away his confession in tears, because when he denied, he was reduced to a fearful trembling. And so this is the meaning: No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues were ended, that is, no one shall ever be able to say, “I will walk in the innocence of my heart in the midst of your house,”and “the king brought me into his chambers,” except he who shall have taken care to efface by confession all iniquitous behavior that he has previously committed. “The thought of man will confess you,” behold, the smoke, “and the remainder of his thoughts will celebrate solemn feasts for you,” as a certain praise for the righteousness that has been obtained. And so, until all the plagues are ended, the church remains in the lament of confession, both in those who, as we said, pay the fruitful penalty for previous faults and in those who it will become clear are approved by a better worship. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15.8.

FRIGHTFUL, TERRIBLE AND TORMENTING. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: From the smoke we learn of the frightful, terrible and tormenting character of the wrath of God. We are taught that the temple is filled with this wrath, which comes at the time of judgment against those who are worthy of it, and especially against those who obey the antichrist and do the works of apostasy. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 15.8.

THE MYSTERIES OF GOD’S JUDGMENT. BEDE: When she is about to preach to the nations, the church herself is first set aglow with the fire of love and emits the smoke of a pious confession, “giving thanks to God for his inexpressible gift.” “No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended.” No one may be incorporated among the members of the church except one who hears the mysteries of the faith and is taught by our teachers that Jesus is “ordained by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead.” However, if one interprets the smoke to be the hidden mysteries of the judgments of God, these remain impenetrable and closed to mortal beings until the plagues of the present age are ended and the Lord then shall come, who both illumines what has been hidden in the darkness and makes manifest to what extent the coming of the antichrist will be useful either for the testing of the faith of the church or just for the blinding of the Jews, who have not received the love of the truth that they might be saved. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE15.8.

THE FIRST BOWL REVELATION 16:1-2

OVERVIEW: The exodus of Israel from Egypt was a type or model of the exodus of the church. This exodus takes place as the church is formed from the Gentiles, but it will take place completely at the end, when Christ will lead the church out of the world into the everlasting inheritance (IRENAEUS). At the present time the wrath of God is poured out by the church, for she judges those who are to be damned. However, even as God mercifully gives to the church authority to forgive sins (TYCONIUS), so he now scourges sinners through calamities and wars so that he might moderate and lessen the unending torments that are to come (ANDREW OF CAESAREA). The wrath of God is poured out through preaching, for preaching makes manifest the impious (BEDE). Already in the preaching of Christ an incurable sore was inflicted upon the unbelieving Jews who rejected Jesus. Like a sore that infects the whole body, the apostasy of the Jews will find its imitation in the nations that accept and follow the antichrist (PRIMASIUS). Sinners who received no chastisement in the present age but rather themselves inflicted suffering will at the end suffer grievous spiritual sores in their souls (CAESARIUS OF ARLES). At the end, tribulations and rumors of wars will vex the souls of people (OECUMENIUS). As though it were puss from a sore, the grief of apostates will throb in their hearts; yet antichrist, whom they have made to be their god, will not heal them (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

Rev