Revelation 15:4

4 Who shall not fear [thee], O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy; for all nations shall come and do homage before thee; for thy righteousnesses have been made manifest.

Revelation 15:4 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 15:4

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord
At this time the people of the Jews shall seek after Christ, and fear him and his goodness; the forces of the Gentiles shall be brought into Zion, whose heart shall then fear, and be enlarged; the fear of the Lord will be in all places, and in all men, both Jews and Gentiles, ( Hosea 3:5 ) ( Isaiah 60:5 )

and glorify thy name?
by ascribing all divine perfections to him, giving him divine worship and adoration, and attributing the whole of salvation to him, and the glory of all that is done for his church, and against its enemies:

for thou only art holy;
not only perfectly holy, as man, but infinitely and essentially holy, as God, and the fountain of holiness to his people, as Mediator: this character seems to be given in opposition to antichrist, who arrogantly assumes the title of holiness to himself, when it only belongs to Christ.

For all nations shall come and worship before thee;
the Gospel shall now be preached to all nations, and the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of it; the kingdoms of this world will become Christ's, and his kingdom shall be to the ends of the earth, and all people shall obey him: the words seem to be taken, with some other phrases before used, out of ( Psalms 86:8-10 )

for thy judgments are made manifest;
or "thy justifications", or "righteousnesses"; the perfect righteousness of Christ, and the doctrine of justification by it, will now be most clearly revealed, and generally received, in opposition to the Popish doctrine of merits, works of supererogation or the judgments of the King of saints upon antichrist, who will now avenge their blood, which he has shed; see ( Revelation 17:1 ) ( 19:2 ) and the justice and righteousness of his proceedings against the man of sin will be notorious and manifest to all, and be acknowledged, as in ( Revelation 16:5 Revelation 16:6 ) ( Revelation 19:1 Revelation 19:2 ) .

Revelation 15:4 In-Context

2 And I saw as a glass sea, mingled with fire, and those that had gained the victory over the beast, and over its image, and over the number of its name, standing upon the glass sea, having harps of God.

3 And they sing the song of Moses bondman of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and wonderful [are] thy works, Lord God Almighty; righteous and true [are] thy ways, O King of nations.

4 Who shall not fear [thee], O Lord, and glorify thy name? for [thou] only [art] holy; for all nations shall come and do homage before thee; for thy righteousnesses have been made manifest.

5 And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of witness in the heaven was opened;

6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in pure bright linen, and girded about the breasts with golden girdles.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hosios, not hagios. It is used for mercy, grace, and of Christ, as the One in whom all gracious qualities are concentrated. (Ps. 89.1,2,19.) In men it means piety and uprightness. Chesed is so translated in the Old Testament. It is in general the sum of qualities which suit and form the divine character in man, as opposed to the human will: what God gives as consistent with himself, his character, and promise. The 'sure mercies' of David is expressed by this word in the LXX, Isa. 55.3; Acts 13.34. God alone possesses the qualities which entitle him to worship as a pious man would understand it. Hosios is used in this general way for 'holy:' see Note i, Heb. 7.26.
• [b]. See Note h, ch. 3.9.
• [c]. See Note, ch. 19.8.