GETTING READY TO CROWN THE KING
Revelation 11:14-19

 

We now come to the sounding of the 7th trumpet. In 8:2 John saw “the seven angels which stood before God: and to them were given seven trumpets.” Beginning in 8:7, the angels began to sound these seven trumpets. The last three brought such horrible events upon the earth they are referred to as “woes.” In 8:13 we read, “And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!”

 

After a lengthy interlude (10:1–11:13) the 7th trumpet is sounded and the third woe is unleashed. We read in verse 14, “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” When the 7th trumpet sounds there is set in motion the final events that lead to the return of Christ to take back that which rightfully belongs to Him and set up His Kingdom upon the earth. We saw in 10:7 that the sounding of the 7th trumpet would mark the time when “the mystery of God should be finished.” In other words, the 7th trumpet would mark the final acts of God’s judgment.

 

The 7th trumpet releases wave after wave of judgment upon the ungodly of the earth. The prophet Joel described this time in Joel 2:1-2, “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand; [2] A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.”

 

This will be a time unlike any the earth has ever known or will ever know again. The King is getting ready to take back that which belongs to Him and the final acts of His judgment are about to be unleashed.

 

Contained within the 7th trumpet are seven bowls of wrath that will be poured out upon the earth. As you look at these 7 bowls of wrath emphasis is placed on how these are the last acts of God’s judgments. We read in Revelation 15:1, “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” These bowls are wrath are called the “seven last plagues.” Again, these are the final acts of God’s judgment on the earth.

 

The 7th trumpet sounds in 11:15 but the actual events of it are not described until chapter 15. Chapters 12-14 are a digression, taking the readers back and bringing them once again through the tribulation up to this point by a different path. Thus far, the focus has been on Christ and the process by which He will take back the earth. In Chapters 12-14 we are brought through the tribulation to this point with the emphasis on the antichrist. Chapters 4-11 see the tribulation from God’s perspective. Chapters 12-14 see the tribulation from Satan’s perspective.

 

In our study tonight we are going to look at the sounding of the 7th trumpet and the reaction to it both in heaven and on the earth. Let’s begin by first noticing:

 

1. THE REJOICING THAT IS DEPICTED

   

In verse 15 John describes that when the 7th trumpet sounded “there were great voices in heaven.” Great voices simply mean “loud voices.” John is describing the celebration and rejoicing that filled heaven when the angel sounded the 7th trumpet.

 

Notice the scene more closer. First, we see that it was:

 

A) Scene of Anticipation

 

Notice with me in verse 15 that John says that these loud voices were “saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” They are rejoicing over the fact that Christ is about to take back what belongs to Him and that He is about to be crowned King of kings and Lord of lords. Understanding what the sounding of the 7th trumpet means, all of heaven comes unglued. The sounds of rejoicing fill heaven.  

 

You will notice that they were saying the “kingdoms of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ.” They are rejoicing as if it had already happened, although we see this is event that is yet to occur. The tense of the verb translated “are become” is what Greek grammarians refer to as a proleptic aorist. It describes a future event that is so certain that it can be spoken of as if it had already happened. This event is yet to happen, but it is so sure, they are already shouting about it!

 

Here is one thing you can put down and rest assured it will happen. One day Jesus Christ will come again and He will claim what is rightfully His and this world will acknowledge Him as the King of kings and Lord of lords. 

 

There is something else that I would like to point out from this scene that I think it very interesting and enlightening. The word “kingdom” is translated in our Bibles as plural, but in the Greek it is actually singular. It is the “kingdom of this world” and the “kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ.” Again, to me this is very interesting.

 

There are many nations and kingdoms that exist in the world, but in reality, they are at the present, a kingdom under one ruler. That ruler is the Satan. The Bible speaks of Satan as the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) and three times in John he is called the “prince of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). The nations of the world that refuse to acknowledge Christ as Lord and submit to His authority are essentially part of Satan’s kingdom.

 

However, there will come a day when all the nations of the world will bow to the Lordship of Christ and be a part of His kingdom. What a glorious thought. In every nation of the earth, Jesus will rule as the King of kings and Lord of lords! No wonder heaven was rejoicing in anticipation of that day. John says of His reign that, “He shall reign for ever and ever.” Once the reign of Christ begins, it will never end. Hallelujah!

 

Let me jump ahead to chapter 15 at another glimpse of this rejoicing. We read in 15:3-4, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. [4] 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.” Notice carefully that they sang of how “all nations shall come and worship” the Lord Jesus. That’s enough to make any Christian shout! Amen!

 

Furthermore, we see:

 

B) Scene of Appreciation

 

John once again saw the twenty-four elders. We read in verses 16-17, “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, [17] Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” These twenty-four elders, representatives of every saved person, fell on their faces and worshipped. As they worshipped they gave thanks to God for Who He is.   

 

The elders focused on three attributes of God in their thanksgiving. First, they called Him the “Lord God Almighty.” This describes his omnipotent and irresistible power. This description of God is found 9 times in Revelation. He is a God of great power, unlimited and irresistible power.

 

Secondly, they spoke of God as “which art, and wast, and art to come.” This is a description of the eternal nature of God. God had no beginning and He will have no end. There has never been a moment when He did not exist and there will never be a moment when He will not exist.

 

Thirdly, they spoke of God as the One that “hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” The words “hast taken” emphasize the permanence of God’s reign over the earth and all that dwell in the earth. He is the Sovereign One Who will reign over His creation one day!

 

How thankful we should be that our God is such a God. A great way to express our thanks would be to take the words of those in heaven and use them as our own expression of thanksgiving.

 

As we continue, we not only see the rejoicing that is depicted, but also:

 

3. THE RESENTMENT THAT IS DEMONSTRATED

 

We see one response in heaven, but a totally different response on earth. Instead of rejoicing, there is resentment. We read in verse 18, “And the nations were angry.” The prospect of Christ ruling over the earth enrages this godless world.

 

In this anger we see:

 

A) The Hatred They Possess

 

The word “angry” speaks of being “provoked to anger, to enrage, be wroth.” It suggests the deep-seated hatred and an on-going hostility toward the Lord Jesus.

 

As we move further in Revelation we see this hatred, energized by Satan, being manifested in the assembling of armies to war against God. We read in 16:14, “For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” This is the battle of Armageddon that we often hear about.

 

Psalm 2 describes this hatred and hostility that will be shown to Christ. We read in Psalm 2:1-4, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? [2] The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, [3] Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. [4] He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.”

 

We see much of this hatred existing in our world. Just take the U.S. The attack on Christian values and effort to remove Christianity from public life is an example of how this world is hostile to Christ and the hatred that fills their heart for Him. Such feelings will only escalate as time progresses and during the Tribulation climax in the nations of the world creating an alliance led by the anti-Christ to war against God and His Christ.

 

However, they can join forces and create the greatest army this world has ever known, as the Psalmist said, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision” (Psa. 2:4). The Psalmist added: “Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. [6] Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. [7] I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. [8] Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. [9] Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel” (Psa. 2:5-9).

 

We not only see their hatred, but also notice:

 

B) The Hardness They Portray

 

All the judgments of God that have been unleashed upon the earth should have turned their hearts toward God. As we have seen, many will do so. But for many, like Pharaoh, their hearts will only become harder.

 

The hardness of their hearts will only seal their doom. It will means they will continue in their rejection and suffer the awful consequences of His final fury. We read in Revelation 19:15, which describes the battle that will be fought: “And out of his mouth (the Lord’s) goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Their destiny is the “fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”

 

Lastly, we see:

 

3. THE REWARDS THAT ARE DISPENSED

 

lastly, John describes how this will be a time when God will dispense rewards to both the saved and the lost.

 

First, John describes:

 

A) The Sinners Reward

 

We read in verse 18 “and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged.” The coming of God’s wrath is so certain, God’s wrath is described as having come. Again, in the words “is come” we have another proleptic aorist. It is a future event, but so certain it is already seen as an accomplished fact.

 

The sounding of the 7th trumpet indicates that it time for both the dead and living that knew not God to be judged. Revelation 20 describes this judgment “dead, small and great, stand before God” at the Great White Throne.

 

At the Great White Throne, the books will be opened and every Christ-rejecter will be judged, and “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15). The reward of the sinner is eternity in the lake of fire.

 

We also read of:

 

B) The Saints Reward

 

Not only are sinners judged, but we also read of the saints being judged or rewarded. John said in verse 18, “and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.”

 

John describes two classes rewarded. First, there are the servants. The phrase “thy servants the prophets” refer to all who have proclaimed God’s word throughout history. From Moses to the witnesses of Revelation, God’s servants will be rewarded for faithfully and fearlessly preaching His Word.

 

Secondly, he speaks of the saints who are described as “them that fear thy name, small and great.” This speaks of the saints of all ages, who were not necessarily preachers, but were faithful to God and served Him during their life. For those who do not stand in a pulpit, there is a reward ahead for being faithful to God and serving Him.

 

You will notice that in the last part of verse 18 John speaks of them “which destroy the earth” and how they will be destroyed. This is not a destruction of the earth’s environment or the actual earth. It is a description of the earth being polluted by sin and society being destroyed by those who seek to push God out of society and bring in their immoral and godless lifestyles.

 

This crowd that cries “Equal Rights” with nothing more than a agenda to promote and push their ungodly way of living down the throats of our society, destroying that which is virtuous, moral and godly, has a destiny with God. Will they win? Maybe so for a while, but in the end they will be destroyed by the very One they sought to destroy. But for those who lived for God and served Him, maligned and ridiculed by those who destroy the earth, there is a heavenly reward awaiting them. Don’t let this godless society defeat or discourage you. There’s a glorious pay day down the road.

 

One of the rewards that will be given the saint is described in verse 19, “And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” John sees the ark of God in the Temple in heaven. The ark spoke of the presence of God and God’s communion with man. John sees the ark fully accessible to every servant and saint, as if to say, throughout eternity, the servant and saint will dwell in the very presence of God. Just to be in God’s presence – in His actual presence – is reward enough for the believer.

 

The lightning’s, voices, thundering, and earthquake are often associated with God’s majestic throne in heaven. One of the rewards for living for God is that throughout all of eternity we will be in the presence of the ruling and reigning Lord sitting on His throne.

 

Get ready! The King is getting ready to be crowned! What a glorious day that will be for both Him and us.