The seven angels are given seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God by one of the four living creatures. The bowls contain the plagues that will be poured out on the earth as judgment. This is the same bowls that in chapter 5 contained the prayers of the saints, which have now been transformed into God's wrathful judgments. The temple is filled with smoke from God's glory and power, and no one can enter until the seven plagues contained in the bowls have been completed.