At the end of time, the final trumpet will sound—what do you think will happen? In this episode, J. Mark continues our study in Revelation 11:15-19 and explores the significance of the seventh and final trumpet judgment. At this time, Christ’s kingdom is proclaimed, and the King is worshiped by the twenty-four elders. The nations rebel against Christ’s rule, but believers are rewarded for faithfulness, while judgment is executed on the wicked. Join us to learn about Revelation’s prophecies about the end of time and be encouraged by God’s overarching plan that shows His sovereignty and justice for the world.
When someone uses the word “final”, what comes to your mind? A final exam at the end of the semester? “Is that your final answer?” A final tightening of the final bolt when the repair job is finished? A final word at the end of a conversation? A final look into the eyes of a loved one passing from this life into eternity? A final opportunity to say goodbye?
The word “final” is not used often in the Bible, but the concept is present. In Hebrews 6:16-17, we read, “For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So, when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath.” I can’t think of anything more final than an oath based on God’s character!
As we continue our study in Revelation, we have arrived at the closing verses of chapter 11. These record the sounding of the final trumpet in the series of the seven trumpet judgments. As we will learn, the final trumpet contains the seven bowl judgments. I’ve titled today’s teaching, “The Final Trumpet,” even though we don’t learn the specifics of those judgments until chapter 16. I hope you can stay with me for our study.
However, before I begin my exposition of this text, I want to clarify that this final trumpet is distinct from the “last trumpet” that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15:52: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” This verse, along with 1 Thessalonians 4:16, speaks of the catching away of the church before the judgment of the wicked. As we will see, the seventh trumpet covers an extended period of time, thus distinguishing it from the instantaneous (“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”) event of the “last trumpet.”
Now, here is Revelation 11:15-19.
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
The sounding of the final trumpet triggers several ACTIONS that bring us one step closer to the end of human history.
The First ACTION is,
The Kingdom Proclaimed
When the 7th angel sounded his trumpet, it was followed by loud voices. In contrast to previous instances where a single voice makes the announcement, here there is a great symphony of voices proclaiming the triumph of Christ. Contrast this also with the opening of the 7th seal in 8:1, which was followed by a half-hour of silence in heaven.
As the sound of the 7th trumpet fades, the voices proclaim, “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” This is a movement from worldly chaos to divine order! God shall reign forever and ever, but God and Christ are One (1 Corinthians 15:24-27). This is not just announcing His Millennial reign on earth, but his reign for all eternity!
That earthly rule will ultimately pass into the hands of God is frequently mentioned in Old Testament prophecy. Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Daniel all speak of this. In Daniel 2:44, we read, “And in the days of those [end time] kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…”
“The use of the singular term kingdom of the world instead of the plural ‘ kingdoms’ introduces an important truth. All of the world’s diverse national, political, social, cultural, linguistic, and religious groups are in reality one kingdom under one king. That king is known in Scripture by many names and titles, including the accuser, the adversary, Beelzebul, Belial, the dragon, the “evil one”, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the roaring lion, and, most commonly, the devil and Satan. Though God scattered this kingdom at the tower of Babel, Satan still rules over the pieces of the once united kingdom. While God ordains human governments for the well-being of man, those same governments refuse to submit to Him or acknowledge His sovereignty. They are essentially part of Satan’s kingdom.”[1]
This triumph is the sure and glorious outcome of the age-long struggle against Satan, who controls the kingdom of the world. As you may recall, he offered the “kingdoms of the world” to Christ on the mountain for one act of worship. But Jesus rejected partnership with Satan in the rule of the world, and chose war, a fight to the bitter end. Now the climax has come, and Christ is Conqueror of the kingdom of this world for his Father. This is the crowning lesson of the book of Revelation. God is setting up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed!
The question that remains, however, is how the kingdoms of the world can, at this point, have already become the kingdoms of Christ when, as a matter of fact, the seven bowls are seemingly still to be poured out? The perspective of the verb tense “have become” looks to a point after the action of the seventh trumpet will have run its course. Though this event is future relative to the chronological progression of the series, the verb form used makes it seem like an already accomplished fact. Consider, too, what I’ve said before, that not all these prophecies are linear and sequential; some are occurring as overlapping events.
The active reign of God on earth, the Messianic Kingdom, promised in Revelation 1:5-8 and 6:10, now begins to become real. Daniel 7:18 assures us, “But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.” Between these verses of our text and chapter 19 are the various judgments and other events associated with the overthrow of the system of this world and the inauguration of the Messiah’s rule.
So, the first action of this last trumpet results in the kingdom proclaimed.
The Next ACTION is,
The King Acclaimed
In response to the voices proclaiming God’s kingdom, the 24 elders, who are seated on thrones of their own, fall on their faces in worship, acclaiming the greatness and power of God and the Lamb. These twenty-four elders have previously appeared seven times in the book of Revelation in a similar context. They represent the redeemed in this great anthem of thanksgiving.
Their worship proclaims, “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.” You may have noticed the omission of the usual phrase “who is to come.” That’s because God has, at last, assumed total control, taken His rightful place, and now reigns over all.
Twice in verse 17, mention is directed to the power of God, first, in the word almighty, and then in the word power. God’s power here is demonstrated in the sense of authority as well as in the sense of ability to accomplish His will. The elders proclaim the sovereignty and eternality of God, capturing the meaning of the Almighty.
As the elders continue their worship before the throne, their thanksgiving highlights the next action leading to the close of human history.
The Next ACTION is,
The Nations Inflamed
John hears the elders announce, “The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged…” These words appear to be an allusion to Psalm 2. “Why do the nations rage, And the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us.” He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure…” (You can read the whole Psalm later.)
The seventh trumpet vision reveals that the nations are no longer afraid as they were at the opening of the 6th seal in Revelation 6:15–17, hiding in caves and asking the mountains to fall on them. These nations are now defiant and enraged at the prospect of Christ’s kingdom being established over the whole earth. The verb translated as “angry” suggests a deep-seated, ongoing hostility, a settled, burning resentment against God. Ultimately, their hostility and rejection will result in being punished in eternal hell.
One of the main features of the transition from the kingdom of earth to the kingdom of God is that the nations become angry when God’s wrath comes upon them. There is a play on words here that we don’t notice in our English translations. The same word (Greek verb form of orge) is used for “angry” and for “wrath,” referring to the righteous judgment of God. However, the wrath of men is impotent; the wrath of God is omnipotent. The wrath of men is wicked; the wrath of God is holy. That which was anticipated in Psalm 2:4 is now being fulfilled.
The proclamation of the kingdom and the acclamation of the King inflame the nations and lead us to the final action.
The Final ACTION is,
The Rewards Obtained
“The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Part of the reign of God Almighty is the judgment of the dead. This time of judgment mentioned here refers to future judgments. It cannot be the Great White Throne judgment, because that only involves unbelievers. As you can see from the text, the point seems to be that God will reward both the wicked and the righteous according to their deeds. God’s punishment matches the crime; there is nothing arbitrary about it.
In verse 18, our English word “time” comes from the Greek kairos, which means “the right time,” the opportune time or season. The elders, in their song, do not attempt to distinguish the different phases of judgment. They are distinguished later in the closing chapters of Revelation. They sing of future judgments as though they were one event, in the same way that other Scriptures do not distinguish future judgments from each other (cf. John 5:28–29).
We are told specifically that the prophets and the saints will be rewarded for their works. This theme is repeated throughout Scripture. Our works will be judged, and some will “burn up” according to 1 Corinthians 3:13, but those works that endure will be richly rewarded. “God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Hebrews 6:10).
We may wonder what is meant by “God will destroy those who destroy the earth.” Some have taken this phrase completely out of its context, suggesting that it is instruction on how we should care for the earth and its resources. While the stewardship of creation is a legitimate concern for believers, this text is not about that at all.
In its appropriate context, the destruction of the earth to which Rev 11:18 refers is not the degradation of the natural environment. Rather, it refers to the outpouring of the seven plagues. God initiates these, but the ultimate responsibility for this destruction is attributed to the nations led by the beast. There is a clear, chiastic structure in this verse that links the identity and character of the destroyers of the earth to the nations that are angry at the servants of God and at God’s work on their behalf.
Finally, as if to authenticate what John has just witnessed, “The temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.” There may be an intentional contrast here between the earthly temple mentioned in verses 1 and 2 of this chapter. According to Hebrews 8:5, the ark of the covenant that Moses made for the Tabernacle was a copy of this heavenly ark.
“Though the beast (the Antichrist) may have desecrated the earthly temple (the abomination of desolation), its counterpart in heaven reflects the righteousness and majesty of God. The heavenly ark of the covenant, which in its earthly equivalent originally contained the law, speaks of God’s righteousness. Aaron’s rod that budded typifies resurrection, and the golden pot that had manna represents Christ as the basis of the shed blood of the sacrifice.”[2]
The opening of the temple in heaven is accompanied by lightnings, voices, and thunderings, apparently in the earthly scene, as well as an earthquake and great hail. The plain implication is that God will now deal with the earth in summary judgment.
The message of the 7th trumpet is that Jesus Christ is the sovereign King of kings and Lord of lords. He will one day take the rule of the earth away from the usurper, Satan, and from earth’s petty human rulers. History is moving inexorably toward its culmination in Christ’s earthly reign. When He returns, He will bring covenant blessings to the redeemed, but eternal judgment to those who reject Him.[3]
In light of the facts presented to us in this text, I quote 2 Peter 3:10-12: “ But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?”
Are you ready for that day?
[1] MacArthur, New Testament Commentary on Revelation, p. 1173
[2] Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 188
[3] MacArthur, New Testament Commentary on Revelation, p. 1173
