│ │ the church, and the overthrow │ │ of the wicked, ver. 14‒20:―― │ │ │ │ (a) The great harvest of the │ │ world by the Son of God――the │ │ gathering in of the righteous, │ │ ver. 14‒16. │ │ │ │ (b) The final overthrow and │ │ destruction of the wicked, │ │ ver. 17‒20. │ └ │ ┌ │ IV. Preparation │ 1. A new wonder is seen in heaven; │ for the final │ seven angels appear, having the │ judgment on │ seven last plagues, to fill up │ the beast and │ or complete the wrath of God, │ his image, │ ver. 1. │ Chap. xv. │ │ │ 2. Those who in former times had │ │ suffered from persecution by the │ │ power represented by the beast, │ │ but who, in the midst of trial │ │ and temptation, had maintained │ │ their faith steadfast, now │ │ appear to celebrate with a │ │ song of victory the prospective │ │ downfall of the great foe, │ │ ver. 2‒4. │ │ │ │ 3. Arrangements made for executing │ │ the wrath of God. The temple │ │ is open in heaven; seven angels │ │ come out having the seven last │ │ plagues; one of the four living │ │ creatures gives command to them │ │ to go and execute the divine │ │ purpose, presenting seven golden │ │ bowls full of the wrath of God; │ │ the temple is forthwith filled │ │ with smoke, preventing all │ │ access to the mercy-seat, and │ │ indicating that the divine │ │ purpose was inexorable, │ │ ver. 5‒8. │ └ │ ┌ │ V. The │ 1.