Revelation 15:3, commentary and pictures

The victorious redeemed stand on the sea of glass with the harps of God in the heavenly city, having overcome the beast and his image and mark and number. The song of Moses is the song of deliverance from all foes, and the song of the Lamb is the song of grace and redemption through the cross. Its burden is that God's works are great and marvelous and His ways just and true, that He alone is holy, His judgments are made manifest, and all nations shall worship Him. The singers are Christ's true disciples, the remnant and Israel of God, who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, refuse the mark, and follow the Lamb through affliction to glory. In the end both saved and lost will confess that His ways are just and true, vindicating His wisdom, justice and love and binding the happiness of all to His law, so the song of triumph must be learned on earth now in praise, obedience and purity in order to sing it there.

Heavenly Setting and Timing

The singers stand on the sea of glass mingled with fire, having the harps of God, surrounding the throne in God's presence in the city of God, the New Jerusalem, the kingdom of glory and the heavenly courts. Redeemed and glorified, they surround the throne as they sing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb while beholding the Saviour bearing upon His glorified body the marks of the crucifixion. The song belongs with Revelation 14:13-20 and Revelation 15:1-8, concerning the blessed dead who rest from their labors and Christ on the white cloud reaping the ripe harvest of the earth. It is sung after the first, second and third angels' messages are proclaimed, following the sign of the seven angels having the seven last plagues in which the wrath of God is filled up. It comes just before the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony is opened and the seven angels receive the seven golden vials full of the wrath of God in the seven last plagues.

After Jesus leaves the sanctuary the plagues are poured out, and it is the wrath of God and the Lamb that causes the destruction or death of the wicked. The song is also sung after the vials of the wrath of God are poured out upon the earth and earthly warfare is accomplished and the saints are all gathered home. The angels who execute the judgments go forth in pure white linen with breasts girded with golden girdles, doing exactly as commanded without question, and when the last vial is poured out they lay their emptied vials at the feet of the Lord. Then a great multitude with a voice as many waters and mighty thunders cries Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigns and sings the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb, showing God righteous because He has judged thus in sending the plagues. The mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image by the Israel of God is at the time God speaks the day and hour of Jesus' coming and delivers the everlasting covenant, when with eyes fixed upward they listen to the words from the mouth of Jehovah rolling through the earth like peals of loudest thunder.

The redeemed sing together with the angelic choir, pealing forth as a chorus from the lips of the angelic choir and the redeemed host together, with voices echoing and re-echoing through the courts of heaven. It is sung after the Saviour declares their warfare accomplished and bids them enter into the joy of their Lord through the gates into the city, by those to whom He gave the victory and purchased redemption and who cast their crowns at His feet. There they join the song led by heaven's highest angel, giving glory to God for redemption through Christ. In the detailed vision the 144,000 sing after the Second Coming, after seven days ascending together in the cloud, standing on the sea of glass because they have washed their robes in Christ's blood and stood firm for His truth. They stand in a perfect square, clothed in glorious white mantles from shoulders to feet, with angels about them, when Jesus Himself with His own right hand places crowns of glory on their heads and gives them harps of gold and palms of victory in their hands.

Their crowns differ, some very bright and heavy with stars and others less bright with few stars, yet all are perfectly satisfied, and falling at His feet in worship they raise their voices in music never heard on earth. Then they march over the sea of glass to the gate of the city as those who have washed their robes in Christ's blood and stood stiffly for His truth. This standing comes at Christ's soon coming, portraying the redeemed standing on the sea of glass with harps of God and crowns of glory with unmeasured eternity before them. Then they will look back and see how short the waiting period of probation was, which requires ready waiting with trimmed and burning bridal lamps as watching servants, made possible because His coming was delayed from long-suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance and have eternal life.

Meaning of Two Songs

The song of Moses the servant of God is the song of deliverance, commemorating the deliverance at the Red Sea and testifying from age to age that Jehovah is the strength and deliverance of those who trust in Him. It does not belong to the Jewish people alone but points forward to the final destruction of all the foes of righteousness and the final deliverance of the Israel of God. It is the song of God's providence connecting the varying dispensations, for when earthly warfare is accomplished and the saints are all gathered home, all is seen without a veil between the legal, the prophetical and the gospel. In that day when God's mysteries are seen and all His ways are vindicated, with justice, mercy and love as the attributes of His throne, the 144,000 alone can learn it because it recounts their unique experience. They have followed the Lamb, gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, endured the final time of trouble and God's judgments without an intercessor, and been delivered, redeemed and cleansed through the Lamb.

The second theme is the song of the Lamb, the song of grace and redemption. Church history on earth and the redeemed church in heaven all center around the cross of Calvary, with Christ all and in all as the theme in anthems of praise from thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand and an innumerable company of the redeemed host all united in the song of Moses and of the Lamb. It is sung in louder, loftier and sublimer strains echoing and re-echoing through the heavenly courts. It is a new song, for it was never before sung in heaven.

Together they are the song of the singers' own experience, and it declares the glory of God, for in His temple everyone speaks of His glory. It is the song of victory and everlasting triumph sung by the redeemed when they meet on the sea of glass in the kingdom of glory and enter upon the immortal reward, connecting that song with victory and the joy of life with God in their eternal home. Their entering with music and songs of victory proves music is of heavenly origin and has great power to lift praise to Him who is the embodiment of purity and harmony. Telling of the matchless power of Christ, speaking of His glory, and magnifying the Lord God of hosts instead of gossiping and creating mischief, and beginning to sing songs of triumph and thanksgiving now, trains and prepares people to sing that song then.

Its words declare great and marvelous are the works of the Lord God Almighty and just and true are His ways as King of saints, honoring Him as King of the saints. They proclaim that the Lord alone is holy, His judgments are made manifest, and all nations shall come and worship before Him, praising God for His mighty works, holiness, and revealed judgments. The song belongs with the sign of the seven angels having the seven last plagues in which the wrath of God is filled up, sung by those standing on a sea of glass mingled with fire having the harps of God. It is the final triumph song of those who kept the word of God's patience and kept the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, refusing to worship the beast and his image or receive his mark and worship an idol sabbath, having overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. Their praise recognizes that all glory and honor belong to God, not to human achievement, and each day's decisions about what shall be written in the books of heaven determine a place in that victorious company when the harvest of the earth is ripe.

It peals forth as a chorus from the lips of the angelic choir and the redeemed host together when the redeemed stand in the presence of God. It is sung after the redeemed review their earthly efforts and see how short-sighted were their conclusions about what heaven records as success, how foolish their plans, how petty their supposed trials, how unreasonable their doubts, and how often they brought failure by not taking God at His word. Their praise follows their recognition that earthly trials were brief and that their doubts and judgments had been mistaken. The song declares that position does not prepare a man for entrance into the heavenly courts and that the honor given to man is due to God alone, to whom belongs all the glory, declaring God worthy of honor as King and pointing to His holiness.

Victorious Remnant Identified

The singers are those who have gotten the victory over the beast and over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name. Redeemed and glorified, they stand on the sea of glass mingled with fire having the harps of God and surround the throne, singing the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb. As they see their Saviour bearing upon His glorified body the marks of the crucifixion, praise bursts forth declaring the greatness of His works and the justice and truth of His ways as King of saints. Their song belongs with the sign of the seven angels having the seven last plagues in which the wrath of God is filled up, after the first, second and third angels' messages are proclaimed and just before the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony is opened for the seven angels to receive the seven golden vials. When God alone is holy, His judgments made manifest, and all nations come and worship before Him, they proclaim that the Lord alone is holy and His judgments are made manifest.

They are Christ's true disciples, the remnant church, the 144,000 and the Israel of God. They are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith and testimony of Jesus, who do not bow to earthly rulers set against the King of heaven, who refuse to worship the beast and his image or receive his mark. They followed the Lamb and endured the final time of trouble and God's judgments without an intercessor, and were delivered, cleansed, redeemed and saved through the Lamb, so that their song recounts their unique experience which the 144,000 alone can learn. They are the same company promised to ride on the high places of the earth and be fed with the heritage of Jacob.

They followed Him through sore conflicts, self-denial, bitter disappointment, hatred, narrow paths and the furnace of affliction. Through trials they were educated and disciplined, purified, taught the guilt and woe of sin to look upon it with abhorrence, and made to reveal God's glory-character. As partakers of Christ's sufferings they are destined to be partakers of His glory, washed white in His blood, true-hearted, firm as rock in principle, loving the whole truth and obedient to all the commandments. They are the white-robed ones who breast the waves of opposition, remain pure and uncorrupted from the prevailing spirit and influence, endure stern conflicts and come through great tribulations, not lovers of pleasure drifting with the current.

They endure the last persecution when churches and the world unite in trampling God's commandments and when church and state unite to compel all small and great to receive the mark. All who will not receive it shall neither buy nor sell and finally shall be put to death, and those who obey are threatened with death for refusing to worship the beast and his image and an idol sabbath. Distinguished by regard for the fourth commandment and the Creator's memorial against the institution of Rome, they keep the word of God's patience, exercise patience under the dragon's war, overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and endure unto the end. They keep God's commandments and the faith of Jesus despite pressure from church and state, meet the searching test whether to obey God rather than men, stand firm with unyielding firmness against earthly oppressive powers seeking to force disobedience, and are delivered and cleansed through the Lamb.

Each day's decisions about what shall be written in the books of heaven determine a place in that victorious company when the harvest of the earth is ripe. The warnings of dangers to come in the crisis almost upon us are given to secure that victory for those who lay hold upon God's strength. Only a remnant remains faithful in the last days after trials endured for truth's sake.

God's Character Vindicated

The works called great and marvelous are to be seen in nature on every hand — in high rocks, mighty cataracts, towering mountains, ravines, rapid streams, forests of fir, hemlock and beech, white blossoms, shrubs, blooming flowers, delicate leaves, spires of grass, lofty trees, songbirds, and sun, moon and stars — and words of praise and thanksgiving for those works and ways belong on the lips of all who see in them tokens of love and care, with parents to teach children to look from nature to nature's God until hearts go out in that praise. Those things declare a living God of power, majesty, wisdom, mercy, loving-kindness and love, who holds and controls the earth, holds mountains of stone in place by His own hand subject to His will, is Himself the Rock of Ages and the source of all blessings, and speaks from nature's book of His love of the beautiful and delight in perfection of beauty of character. Beholding them lifts the heart to heaven, fills with awe, draws personally and trustingly to the heavenly Father, softens and subdues the heart to discern mercy, awakens reverence, love, melody, gratitude and rejoicing in creation, bids looking through nature to nature's God, and gives only a shadow of the full loveliness to be seen in the paradise of God.

He is Lord God Almighty and King of saints, whose works are great and marvelous and wonderful and whose ways are just and true and fair and right, so that all should reverence Him and honor His name. His law is the positive declaration and expression of that character, the infallible standard regulating conduct toward God in complete sanctification of mind and will, and acceptance with Him rests not on human merit or ability but on receiving the light that comes from Him, which works with believers and becomes a test of character when brought before the church. The fear belonging to that declaration is not slavish dread but thankful, joyous reverence that leads to watching and waiting and working, ready always to obey gladly and thankfully. Every faculty of the being and every part of the body testifies to the righteousness of the Creator's claims, for as Maker He has the right to the service of the beings He created and to expect them to do their best to glorify Him with every entrusted capability, placing themselves in His service and allowing Him to direct the use of His absolute property.

The verse is the cry inspired in those who with perfect trust desire God to reveal Himself and who behold, as far as finite beings can, the unveiling of His power and glory in the perfection of His character, declaring His deeds great and wonderful and His ways right and true as King of saints, joined with reverence and glorifying of His name. It is the language of the soul of one who refuses to be deceived, is faithful to the light given, regulates conduct by God's Word as the declaration of His will, relies on the Holy Spirit alone to make that Word effectual, is enlightened by the plain Thus saith the Lord, looks to God and seeks to honor Him, and studies His Word and keeps receiving more light. That increased knowledge of God gives a more perfect estimate of self, a realization of human weakness and ignorance, and an intense hungering and thirsting after righteousness and true holiness to overcome every defect of character so that sin does not dwell in mortal bodies.

When God's judgments are made plain in the final judgment and coronation, after the panoramic revelation of redemption and sin with the real bearing of the cross, the life and death of Christ, and the tables of the divine law in His hands laid open, both the loyal and the rebellious, the saved in worship and the wicked outside the city witnessing it, with the whole universe with one accord declare His works great and marvelous and His ways just and true. Every mind sees the nature of human rejection of truth, every excuse is removed, and God is shown blameless for evil, with no defect in His government and no divine decree contributing to sin. The wicked also join in acknowledging Christ as King, falling prostrate to worship Him as the Prince of Life, confessing that their exclusion from heaven is just and deserved and that the divine law they rejected is just, and it is then seen that all who forsook the divine precepts placed themselves on Satan's side in warfare against Christ.

That universal verdict comes when every question of truth and error is made plain, rebellion is finally defeated, the history and character and rule of Satan are fully disclosed and contrasted with the government of God before all created intelligences, and the results of rebellion and the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes are laid open. It vindicates God's wisdom, justice, goodness, mercy and love, shows all His dealings were for the eternal good of His people and all worlds He created, condemns Satan by his own works, silences accusation against His mercy and justice, and carries the sympathy and approval of the whole universe as step by step His great plan advances to its complete fulfillment and to the final eradication of rebellion, demonstrating the principles of His government which Satan and all deceived by him falsified. With the history of sin it stands as an eternal witness that the happiness of all created beings is bound up with the existence of God's law, though for the rebellious the acknowledgment comes too late to save them.

Christ and Scripture Connections

The song of redeeming love was already sung at the resurrection of Christ over His triumph over death and the grave. The angels all united in it, including the mighty angel who had sung in triumph at His birth, declaring that He alone is holy and that His judgments are made manifest. The Roman guards at the tomb were permitted to behold the scene and to hear that singing.

Christ is the King of saints, and at His ascension He entered heaven as that King. He had come to earth as God in human form, and He ascended as the covenant-making Redeemer of those made His through faith in His name. Angels escorted Him as a conqueror leading captivity captive, with praise and heavenly song, proclaiming Him Lord strong and mighty, Lord of hosts, and King of glory.

During His life of toil and self-sacrifice He looked into eternity and foresaw the happiness of the ransomed who through His humiliation would receive pardon and everlasting life. He was wounded for their transgressions, bruised for their iniquities, the chastisement of their peace was upon Him, and with His stripes they are healed, restored to God's image, lifted from the dust, reshaped after the pattern of His own character and made beautiful with His glory. He heard their shout beforehand, singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, and the assurance that His travail would not be for naught cheered Him amid betrayal and trial. Seeing of the travail of His soul and being satisfied sustained Him to choose to endure the cross and despise the shame, though the baptism of blood must first be received and the sins of the world weigh upon His innocent soul under the shadow of unspeakable woe.

Beyond the culmination of the great conflict the singers stand victorious upon the sea of glass upon Zion with the harps of God. There mercy, tenderness and love are seen blending with holiness, justice and power, so that sinners find in God a Father of whom their sins had made them afraid.

At the deliverance the Israel of God, with eyes fixed upward, listen to words from the mouth of Jehovah rolling through the earth like peals of loudest thunder. At the end of every sentence they answer Glory Hallelujah, with countenances lighted up with the glory of God and shining as did the face of Moses when he came down from Sinai, so that the wicked cannot look upon them. When God speaks the day and hour of the coming of Jesus and delivers the everlasting covenant, and the never-ending blessing is pronounced on those who honored God in keeping His Sabbath holy, they break into the mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.

The song praises God's works as great and marvelous and His ways as just and true, and those who welcome Christ's glorious appearing and sing it receive the crown of life. Loved ones who died answer the call of the Life-giver and come forth from their prisonhouse triumphing over death and the grave, and the faithful are reunited with them to walk together in the streets of the New Jerusalem wearing jeweled crowns and singing the song. The faithful who suffered and died for the truth are thus accepted by God, while their persecutors outside the city hear the song of triumph and realize that the despised and persecuted have received the reward of everlasting life with Jesus.

Learning the Song Now

The song of Moses and the Lamb is the redemption song of praise, thankfulness, joy, happy contentment, gratitude, love and peace, and it must be learned on this earth now in order to be sung in heaven. It is learned by seeking the life that is the light of men in Christ, by telling of the matchless power of Christ, by speaking of His glory, and by magnifying the Lord God of hosts instead of gossiping and creating mischief. Beginning to sing songs of triumph and thanksgiving now trains and prepares for singing the song of victory when the redeemed meet on the sea of glass in the kingdom of glory. In heaven there are no frowns, no whining and no complaining, but joy wholly and continually through eternal ages, and love for one another with all the principles existing in heaven must be learned and practiced here in order to be practiced there.

Words of praise and thanksgiving for God's works and ways belong on the lips of those who see tokens of His love and care on every hand in nature. Looking upon the works of God and pointing to them as evidences of His love and goodness is a great privilege. Parents should teach their children to look from nature to nature's God until their hearts go out in this praise.

To sing there, voices must be educated to praise Him on earth now by magnifying His name, rejoicing in His love, and talking of His mightiness. Standing on God's side with a single eye to His glory, keeping His law and all His commandments, and distinguishing the sacred from the common by not putting the common day where the seventh ought to be, leads to entering through the gates into the city. Those who do His commandments enter the gate of the New Jerusalem not as convicts but as sons and daughters of the Most High God, welcomed to the Father's bosom, beholding the King in His beauty with the crown of immortal glory placed on the brow and the white robe woven in the loom of heaven, showing forth the matchless charms of the Redeemer. After coming with contrition and receiving forgiveness of every sin, after the Saviour declares warfare accomplished and bids them enter into the joy of their Lord, they join the heavenly choir with voices echoing and re-echoing through the courts of heaven, crying Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, answering when the name is called I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, casting the glittering crown at His feet and touching the golden harp to fill heaven with rich music.

Entering the heavenly courts to sing requires being Christlike with the eye single to the glory of God, with less outward activity and more devotion and consecration to God. It requires daily conversion, humility, daily emptying of self, drawing near to God by earnest prayer, and being made by the Holy Spirit a vessel unto honour filled with the Holy Spirit. Having a name as a Christian without being Christlike, keeping a good name and reputation for piety, securing human approval by self-righteousness, preaching the gospel, giving Bible readings, teaching in the Sabbath school, visiting the sick, helping the poor, being esteemed an active worker, gifted talker, zealous missionary and one possessing faith, leaves the soul in imminent peril. Keeping up strenuous activity that returns scarcely a jot of glory to God and is not done as under His all-seeing eye and in the presence of the angelic host will never bring a person to sing that song.

Only those who are pure and undefiled, without spot or wrinkle, will enter the city of God and join the song led by heaven's highest angel. The singers are the white-robed ones who surround the throne, who remain pure and uncorrupted from the spirit and influence prevailing at this time, true-hearted and firm as rock in principle, loving the whole truth and obedient to all the commandments, who breast the waves of opposition, endure stern conflicts, come through great tribulations, and wash their robes of character white in the blood of the Lamb, having washed their robes in Christ's blood and stood firm for His truth to receive victory palms and crowns. They are not lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God who drift with the current, and those who suffer with Christ are partakers of His glory. Grumblers, murmurers, whiners, faultfinders, scolders, fretters, and unbelievers ever questioning the right cannot learn the angels' strains in heaven if they have never learned them here, and will be left outside, for only those who can sing the angels' strains will be there.

Fitness for the heavenly home and for singing the song of victory is gained now by casting aside all murmuring and repining, being filled with the spirit of praise, drawing together with Christ, repenting and being converted, placing self on the altar of service, and bringing Christ into the heart and into worship meetings. It is entered by taking hold by living faith of the divinity of Christ, the gift Christ came to bestow, by which humanity takes hold of divinity and shares in the joy of the Lord, seeing Jesus as He is, crowned with glory after enduring temptation and wearing the crown of thorns for sinners. Falling at His feet in worship, the redeemed receive harps placed in their hands by Him and raise voices in music never heard on earth. So made ready to meet Him in peace at His soon coming, their rejoicing will be such as was never before heard.

The verse belongs to the prophecies of Revelation 12 to 18 that are being fulfilled, and its message is part of the last message of warning that all are to hear. It points to the song of Moses and the Lamb and songs of praise, triumph and victory sung in the city of God and in the heavenly courts by those who are saved. Those who overcome temptation and keep the truth will enter the city, receive crowns and harps, praise God with sanctified lips, acknowledge Christ's crown of glory, and join this heavenly song of redemption through Christ giving glory to God, in the hope of salvation that will never be lost.