John says three times in chapter 15 that he saw: Revelation 15:1–2 and Revelation 15:5 (“looked” in English; same term in Greek as in Revelation 15:1–2). Though for each seeing John is looking in the same direction (heaven), the Lord shows him more with each look. Better put, in Revelation 15:1 John describes the broad picture of what he is shown—seven angels carrying seven plagues. In Revelation 15:2–8 John as it were backs up to describe, in two stages, the setting in which he saw these seven angels. There is first the sea of glass together with victorious saints singing (Revelation 15:2–4) and then more specifically God’s own sanctuary where the seven angels receive the equipment needed to bring into action the seven plagues (Revelation 15:5–8).