The angels and the plagues 1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and wonderful: seven angels having the seven last plagues. For in them is filled up the wrath of God. 15:1 seven plagues: And if any one will devote a close attention to those things which are stated by the prophets with regard to the time of the end, and those which John the disciple of the Lord saw in the Apocalypse, he will find that the nations are to receive the same plagues universally, as Egypt then did particularly. (St. Irenaeus Ag Her 4.30.4) The sea of glass 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire, and them that had overcome the beast, and his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God: 3 And singing the canticle of Moses, the servant of God, and the canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great and wonderful are your works, O Lord God Almighty; just and true are your ways, O King of ages. 4 Who shall not fear you, O Lord, and magnify your name? For you only are holy: for all nations shall come, and shall adore in your sight, because your judgments are manifest. 15:2 sea of glass: signifies both the multitude of those being saved and the purity of the future condition and the great brilliance of the saints who will shine by means of their sparkling virtue. (St. Andrew of Caesarea) Cornelius a Lapide, Menochius, and others teach that the sea of glass denotes that multitude of men which will follow Antichrist. mingled with fire: which is consecrated by the fire of the Holy Spirit. Or else: because it pertains to the nature of fire, in that it is made red by martyrdom. (St. Bede) 15:3-4 The song of Moses was the song that was sung when the Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea (Ex. 15), and they also sing the song of the Lamb, which is a victory song because of their victory over the Devil and the Antichrist. (Oecumenius) canticle of the Lamb: Arethas of Caesarea and Oecumenius regard it as addressed to the Lamb, or the Lord Jesus Christ. Ribera says, it is called the song of the Lamb, because in it 'they praise the Lamb, and the Lamb taught them to sing that which they had received from the Lamb.' Cornelius a Lapide, that in this. song they praise the Lamb. Calmet also says, that it is the song which the Lamb taught them, and which contains the praises of the Lamb. The angels and the bowls 5 And after these things I looked; and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed with clean and white linen, and girt about the breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the majesty of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. 15:5 The tabernacle and the heaven are both one thing, the Church. In this heaven the temple is opened,
as above stated; that is, the mysteries of Christ are revealed in the
Church; his nativity, for instance, death, passion, and resurrection,
with other things of the same kind. Moreover the Church itself is called
'the tabernacle of the testimony;' because it has the tables of the two
Testaments. It has likewise within itself the ark, the Lord Jesus
Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.
There also is the rod of Aaron which budded, that is, the spiritual
priesthood which presignified the true priesthood of the Church. (Haimo
of Auxerre) 15:7 golden vials: the vials were full of incense, which incense was both the wrath of God and also the Word of God. (Tyconius) 15:8 Smoke usually accompanies the divine presence; in order that by this it may be signified, that the divine nature is incomprehensible, and is but obscurely known by us in this life. (Francisco Ribera) Or the smoke signifies the blindness of ignorance, with which the hearts of such unbelievers are filled as know not how to consider that God will give unto them the heritage, as unto sons; and therefore He permits them to be afflicted for a time, in order that, after a short season, they may rejoice with Him in a state without time. (Haimo of Auxerre) no man was able to enter: this is because none of the wicked, who by God’s permission were blinded with ignorance, can understand the justice of he divine judgment. (Richard of St. Victor) Key Words
1 heaven angels wrath God 2 number name 3 Moses Lamb true 4 holy adore 5 temple tabernacle of the testimony
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