Revelation 15 4

Revelation 15:4 kjv

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Revelation 15:4 nkjv

Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested."

Revelation 15:4 niv

Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Revelation 15:4 esv

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Revelation 15:4 nlt

Who will not fear you, Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship before you,
for your righteous deeds have been revealed."

Revelation 15 verses

Revelation 15 4 Meaning

Revelation 15:4 is a hymn of worship and declaration by those who have triumphed over the Beast, celebrating God's singular holiness and universal reign. It proclaims that all nations will ultimately come to revere and worship God because His righteous judgments and saving acts have been clearly revealed, compelling global recognition of His unique divine authority and character.

Revelation 15 4 Context

Revelation 15:4 forms part of the "Song of Moses and the Lamb" (Rev 15:3-4), sung by the victors who have overcome the Beast and its image, standing on the sea of glass, mingled with fire. This triumphant hymn anticipates the outpouring of the seven final bowls of God's wrath, which are detailed in Chapter 16. The song serves as a powerful theological prologue, affirming God's righteous character, justice, and absolute sovereignty just before the severe judgments fall upon the unrepentant world. It contrasts sharply with the earlier descriptions of global worship of the Beast (Rev 13), instead prophesying and celebrating a future where God alone receives universal homage, a direct polemic against all idolatry and emperor worship prevalent in John's original audience. The historical context reflects a time when Caesar demanded worship, and this song asserts God's exclusive claim to universal adoration.

Revelation 15 4 Word analysis

• Who will not fear: (τίς οὐ φοβηθήσεται - tis ou phobēthēsetai)

  • "Who": τίς (tis) is a rhetorical question implying "No one will not fear," meaning "everyone will fear."
  • "not fear": οὐ φοβηθήσεται (ou phobēthēsetai) refers not merely to terror, but to reverential awe, respect, and submission. It indicates a proper, pious relationship with the Almighty God, an attitude appropriate for a creature before its Creator.
  • This question implies that such reverential fear is the only logical and just response to the revelation of God's true nature.

• O Lord: (Κύριε - Kyrie)

  • A common and significant address for God, signifying His supreme authority, mastership, and divine sovereignty. It underlines His position as the absolute ruler and proprietor.

• and glorify Your name?: (καὶ δοξάσει τὸ ὄνομά σου - kai doxasei to onoma sou)

  • "glorify": δοξάσει (doxasei) means to honor, praise, acknowledge the supreme excellence of, ascribe renown, and acknowledge the majesty and power.
  • "Your name": τὸ ὄνομά σου (to onoma sou) in biblical thought represents the essence of a person's character, reputation, power, authority, and presence. To glorify God's name is to acknowledge and honor all that God is. It stands in contrast to the defaming of God's name by His enemies.

• For You alone: (ὅτι μόνος - hoti monos)

  • "For": ὅτι (hoti) introduces the reason for the fear and glorification.
  • "You alone": μόνος (monos) emphatically asserts God's uniqueness and exclusivity. This is a potent polemic against any polytheistic belief or the contemporary Roman imperial cult which claimed divine status for emperors. God alone is truly holy and deserving of such worship.

• are holy: (ἅγιος - hagios)

  • Refers to God's inherent, essential attribute of being utterly separate from and above all creation, morally pure, righteous, and unique in His divine nature. His holiness is the ultimate standard and the source of all that is pure and sacred.

• All nations will come: (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἥξουσιν - panta ta ethnē hēxousin)

  • "All nations": πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (panta ta ethnē) refers to all peoples, including Gentiles, signifying a universal scope of future worship. This fulfills numerous Old Testament prophecies about the ingathering of nations to God.
  • "will come": ἥξουσιν (hēxousin) indicates a future voluntary pilgrimage or drawing near to God for worship.

• and worship before You,: (καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου - kai proskynēsousin enōpion sou)

  • "worship": προσκυνήσουσιν (proskynēsousin) means to prostrate oneself, to do obeisance, to bow down in reverence and adoration. It denotes humble adoration.
  • "before You": ἐνώπιόν σου (enōpion sou) signifies "in Your presence" or "in Your sight," emphasizing the direct, personal nature of this worship.

• for Your judgments have been manifested: (ὅτι τὰ δικαιώματά σου ἐφανερώθησαν - hoti ta dikaiōmata sou ephanerōthēsan)

  • "for": ὅτι (hoti) again introduces the reason for the nations' worship.
  • "Your judgments": τὰ δικαιώματά σου (ta dikaiōmata sou) refers to God's righteous acts, ordinances, decrees, and particularly His acts of vindication and justice. This includes His just recompense upon the wicked and His righteous deliverance of His people.
  • "have been manifested": ἐφανερώθησαν (ephanerōthēsan) means to have been made known, revealed, or clearly demonstrated. These acts are not hidden or misunderstood; they are visibly and undeniably displayed for all to see, compelling recognition of God's justice.

Revelation 15 4 Bonus section

• This verse embodies a climax of Old Testament prophetic themes concerning the nations recognizing Yahweh's unique identity and sovereignty, often linked to His demonstration of justice. It points to a final era when idolatry will be unequivocally disproved, and all peoples will understand God's absolute right to receive worship.
• The song acts as a direct challenge to Roman imperial theology, which positioned the emperor as a god worthy of universal veneration. Revelation 15:4 unequivocally assigns this sole claim to God alone, establishing a cosmic rivalry where God definitively triumphs.
• The mention of "judgments" (dikaiōmata) here goes beyond mere punishment; it encompasses God's just acts that set things right, delivering His people and punishing evil, ultimately revealing His righteousness to the entire cosmos. It demonstrates that God's ways are truly fair and just, inviting willing adoration from a position of undeniable understanding rather than mere force.

Revelation 15 4 Commentary

Revelation 15:4 provides the theological bedrock for God's impending judgments, ensuring they are understood not as arbitrary acts but as righteous and revealed expressions of His nature. It proclaims that humanity’s proper response to the Lord God Almighty, based on His unique holiness, is profound reverence and adoration. The "Song of Moses and the Lamb" asserts that universal worship is not only deserved by God due to His inherent nature ("You alone are holy") but will also be evoked by His undeniable display of justice. The nations will ultimately recognize God's righteous rule as His just deeds (judgments, vindications, saving acts) become overtly evident through their manifestation in the earth. This verse serves as both a comfort for the persecuted church, assuring them of God's ultimate victory and vindication, and a warning to His adversaries that their rebellion will eventually lead to compelled submission and an acknowledgment of His universal sovereignty. It portrays a future where the world's rebellion finally breaks, yielding to God’s just reign.