We are now reaching the climax. The various cycles of seven have looked at the overall working of the world leading up to a climax, we now reach the climax of judgement.
Verse 1 tells us that these are the seven last plagues and represent the completion of God's wrath. Now many have a problem with God's wrath thinking to be an out of data concept. Such thinking is utterly unbiblical and is founded purely in man's "wisdom", the wisdom of the age, and as such is worthless. There are two key aspects of God's wrath. On the one hand it is utterly rational, based on truth and justice. On the other hand it is a passionate hatred of sin, of what sin is, and what sin does. Wrath is not uncontrollable rage. God's wrath is completely controlled. To appreciate God's wrath we need both sides, the reasonableness of it, and the passion involved. To focus on only one side is to misunderstand it.
Notice in verse 2 that those who triumphed over the beast are there, and the wrath of God is part of our victory. See that God's people triumph over the beast. How do they do this? By not bowing down to him but worshipping only God. And judgement coming upon those who oppose Christ is part of salvation.
The saints then sang the song of Moses. This highlights several points. One is the continuity of the Old and New Testament, all the books of the Bible are part of the same plan, breathed by the same God. There are allusions to the Israelites coming out of Egypt and the Egyptian army being swallowed up by the Red Sea.
All the world has been, and is, in rebellion against God, but the final outcome will be all the world recognising that the Lord is the One True God. Paul says the same in Philippians 2:5-11.
Then we see the seven angels with the seven bowls of God's wrath. So we need to see the outpouring of wrath in the context of God's greatness, His holiness and His victory.
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