Revelation: The Lord God Almighty

Revelation 11:15-19

The story of Revelation begins with letters to seven historical churches, and then God opens the door of heaven, where we see Him sitting on His throne. We know that every event in this description of the end times is orchestrated and controlled by God. And… in the end, we win!

The message of Revelation is given by Jesus to John through an angel. John noted that the Father held a scroll on which were written the events that were to come. Jesus, whom John saw as a “Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,” was the only One worthy to open the scroll. The opening of the seven seals of the scroll began in Revelation 6.

The seven seals were opened, with the seventh seal introducing the seven trumpet judgments. That’s where we are in our study today—the sounding of the seventh trumpet proclaiming the coming of Christ’s kingdom. Many things will happen in these last trumpet judgments. Our passage today is a dramatic introduction that will be brought to an end in Revelation 16.

The sound of the seventh trumpet was accompanied by “loud voices in heaven” (Rev. 11:15). In the first six trumpets, a single voice was heard, but now a multitude cries out:

Revelation 11:15
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

One day Christ will come again and establish His kingdom on earth. This coming earthly kingdom is predicted often in the Old Testament.[1] Bible scholar John Walvoord explains, “The fact that this will be fulfilled at the Second Coming makes it clear that the period of the seventh trumpet chronologically reaches to Christ’s return.” And we will see that a lot happens during the seventh trumpet. But for now, let’s focus on this praise-filled introduction.

When the seventh trumpet sounded, the twenty-four elders[2] “fell on their faces and worshiped God” (Rev. 11:16) and spoke this beautiful song of praise:

We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty… (Rev. 11:17a)
John describes the One on the throne as Lord—our master, the One we serve; God—the Creator of heaven and earth; and Almighty—the all-powerful One. John uses the name “Almighty” to describe God nine times in this book.[3] In the Old Testament, “God Almighty” is the name El Shaddai. It speaks of God’s absolute power. He is the One in charge of all things. With all the events happening in this book, what a comfort it is to know that God is using it all to accomplish His purposes.

…who is and who was… (Rev. 11:17b)
This describes God as the eternal One. There has never been a time when He was not, and there will never be a time when He is not. This is the song that the four living creatures never cease to sing: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8). Being eternal, God is self-existent and self-sufficient.

…for you have taken your great power and begun to reign (Rev. 11:17c).
Again, this is an introduction to Christ’s second coming. One day, He will reign on earth.

The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for the rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth (Rev. 11:18). 
One day, Jesus will judge the world. He said, “the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son…” (John 5:22). God gave Jesus the authority to execute judgment “because he is the Son of Man” (John 5:26). The incarnation gave Him the authority as Judge. Jesus said, “For an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28–29).

There will be a final judgment. Jesus described this judgment as a shepherd separating the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31–46). Following this will be eternal life in heaven with him or an eternity in hell, separated from God forever.

After this great chorus of loud singing (or speaking), “God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail” (Rev. 11:19). The dramatic introduction to the events of the seventh trumpet concludes here and will resume in Revelation 16.

I will close with two things:
First, a question: Do you know for certain where you will spend eternity?

Second, Revelation is not for “newspaper theologians” to gather current events in order to predict the end times. And, I’ll be honest, as we go through the tribulation, it is not necessarily uplifting. But for the believer, it should serve to light a fire for a passion to share Jesus with family and friends… even to the ends of the earth. Eternity is at stake!

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Time in the Word: Read and reflect on Revelation 11:15-19. Read and reread the beautiful hymn describing the attributes of God.

Talking to God: How does the certainty of Christ’s eternal kingdom reshape the way I view the kingdoms, pressures, and fears of this world?

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