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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 4 - THY KINGDOM COME (REVELATION 10:1 - 12:17) – The two witnesses of the last days and the expulsion of Satan from heaven
PART 4.4 - THE SEVENTH TRUMPET SOUNDS (REVELATION 11:14-19)

1. The Third Woe is Coming Quickly (Revelation 11:14-15)


REVELATION 11:14-15
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”

Following the catastrophic earthquake in Jerusalem and the sensational ascension to heaven of the two special emissaries of Christ, whom God raised from the dead, a paralyzing fear took hold of the hearts of many TV onlookers. They realized: God lives! His Messiah is a reality. Whoever does not repent goes to hell. In shock, they gave honor to God, openly glorified His name, and promised to improve their lifestyle. A repentance movement appeared to be the aftermath of the ministry of the two witnesses.

Such worship of God by the masses, however, reflects neither a whole-hearted repentance, nor a real love for God. Much more, it is the result of existential fear based on the unwanted recognition of the Almighty's working. The nation wanted to appease and satisfy their judge with pious words. When the prophet, Elijah, let fire fall from heaven all the people fell on their faces and worshiped the Lord (1 Kings 18:39). A little later, however, it was only 7,000 that did not bow their knee before Baal (1 Kings 19:18). Pharaoh, too, the medium for dead spirits, only unwillingly submitted himself to the true God in order to escape the burden of further judgments (Exodus 14:18) He continued to enslave the children of Jacob. On several occasions the knowledge of the Holy came to entire nations, yet without leading to lasting conversions (Ezekiel 25:16-17; 26:6; 29:16; Psalm 81; 14-16). Only through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit does a substantial renewal arise among believing people (John 3:3,5).

The second woe, which included the results of the sixth trumpets sounding, brought about painful plagues during the time the two witness´ were calling to repentance. Nevertheless, no true repentance was forthcoming in Israel. As a result, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet the third woe began without delay. The Oriental system of numerical language allows the rendering that it is the Holy Spirit, in singleness of will, who brings about the harsh judgment on all four ends of the earth. The result would be the giving way of vile words and blasphemy to spiritual humility and worship.

With great anticipation the army of heaven awaits the piercing tones of the last trumpet, whose secret was known not only to John, but also to Paul (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). This decisive signal will spell the end of the struggle for world dominion and bring about the completion of the mystery of God. A cosmic movement accompanied by radical change will take form. Many dead will rise, never again to decay.

In heaven mighty voices will be heard in multiple echo to the seventh trumpet, willingly proclaiming the victory shout of praise to God. The last trumpet will initiate the decisive battle between heaven and hell, between God and Satan, between Christ and antichrist. The joyous cry in heaven will echo with anticipation before the last battle begins, reflecting complete certainty of final victory. Jesus, too, on the evening before His crucifixion, revealed to His disciples that He had already overcome the world (John 16:33), even though the decisive battle on the cross was still before Him.

Heaven's Cry of Victory: The mighty voices in heaven announce a singular theme: the final victory of Christ and the overcoming of all forces opposing God! The prince of this world has already been condemned (John 12:28-32; 16:8-11), the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4) has been dethroned, the one who is in himself a murderer and liar (John 8:44) will be fully disarmed. All of his vassals, dictators, professors, presidents, media moguls and tyrants will be stripped of their power. With dismay they will be forced to recognize that money, weapons, lies and worldly honor constitute no lasting power, and that God's Holy Spirit alone is the power that eternally endures (Zechariah 4:6).

The strong voices in heaven proclaim not only the ultimate victory of God on the small planet earth, but speak also of the Lord's and of His Annointed's seizure of power over the entire heavenly realm, including stars, atoms and spiritual powers. Some script writers for science fiction films have a suspicion of this inescapable battle and of the victory of “the good”, all the time not realizing that it is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The victory shout in heaven also constitutes a merciful, last second ultimatum given to the citizens of earth, before the annihilation of the armies of evil sets in. Either they immediately capitulate, willfully or by force, or they are to be completely shattered. They either with praise and thanksgiving worship their creator and owner, or they fall condemned into the abyss of raging fire.

In an advanced proclamation reflecting His completed victory, the heavenly voices refer to the Almighty as “the Lord” (Yahweh). This name of God, found 6,828 times in the Old Testament, means: God is, who He is. He is and remains the unchangeable, faithful covenant God, who once revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush as “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14). He is the foundation of our existence, because in both the Old as well as the New Covenant, He has eternally bound Himself to sinners, to those who have allowed themselves, by means of His sacrificial offering, to be justified by grace.

The Lord is God, the Lord is God, cried the mass of people in horror, as they watched the sacrifice of the prophet Elijah be consumed by fire from heaven (1 Kings 18:39). The self-revealing covenant God had previously introduced the Ten Commandments with the words: “I am the Lord your God…You shall have no other Gods before Me” (Exodus 20:2-3). “God” is not the name of God in the Old Testament, but “the Lord”.

On the hills of Bethlehem an angel revealed to the shepherds the exciting news that, in Jesus, “the Lord” had become man (Luke 2:11). The prediction had previously been given in the book of Zechariah concerning the 30 pieces of silver, the price which “the Lord” would be valued (Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:9-10). In the New Testament we find the name “Lord” (kyrios), being used 216 times for both God, as well as for Christ, for Christ and Yahweh are one (John 10:30).

In the triumphant cry of the mighty heavenly voices Jesus is called “the Messiah”. This title carries the meaning that “”Christ is the anointed of the Lord!” The book of Hebrews testifies to the anointing of Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, like the anointing of God with the oil of gladness (Hebrews 1:8-9; Psalm 45:8). Jesus introduced Himself in the synagogue in Nazareth by reciting the promise of Isaiah 42:7: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor…” (Luke 4:18-19). With these words Jesus revealed His unity with the Father in the Holy Spirit.

Muslims, as well as most Jews, condemn our belief on the Holy Trinity, and bristle with hate toward our confession of Christ's deity. That Jesus is Lord, however, remains an undeniable reality throughout all eternity. The belief held in the Old Covenant and in Islam on one God must not dull the understanding in our churches of the anointing of Christ with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, for in the Son of God dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; John 1:14).

In Christ's anointing His three offices (that of prophet, priest and king) become visible in silhouette. Christ is, however, more than a prophet. Even as acknowledged in Islam, He is the Word of God in Person. In Him all of the revelations and promises of God are fulfilled. Furthermore, Christ is the King, to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given. At the same time, as High Priest, He is mediator and advocate for His followers. As the highest priest-king, or kingly-priest, He is the ultimate example for the members of his church, who have also been called as priests (Exodus 19:5-6; 1 Peter 2:1-10; Revelation 1:6; 5:10).

The cry of jubilation in heaven is summarized in the second chapter of Psalms: The nations rage against the Lord and against His Anointed; but the Lord laughs over them and holds the mortal boasters in derision. His answer to the rebellion of man is given in a single sentence: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You” (Psalm 2:7)! Christ went forth from His Father in heaven before time began. His birth in Bethlehem marked only His becoming man, not His beginning.

The meek Lamb of God is alone able to overcome the arrogance of the deceived. His Father offered Him up to all the nations to be killed and gain their salvation. The one who rejects the completed salvation that is in Christ, condemns himself. Following that, for the sake of righteousness, the Son must judge and shatter him.

The Anointed One is our King. We belong to Him. Whoever recognizes himself as a sinner need acknowledge that he doesn't belong to himself. He must abandon any illusional claim to reward entitlement based on self worth and merit. The one, who yields himself up to Christ, his Lord, has come a long way in understanding Revelations 11:15. On the other hand, the one, who withholds himself from his Owner and King, is a thief. Whoever opposes his King, whether as an individual or as a nation, will shatter on Him (Matthew 21:42-44; Luke 20:17-18; 1 Peter 2:7-8).

At the birth of Christ in Bethlehem His kingdom did not yet exist. It only came about as it grew in and through Him. Jesus purchased His people with His Own blood from the slave market of sin. He cleansed His followers, enlivened and sanctified them, led and protected them with great faithfulness. His kingdom grew out of his Own Self, as His Name testified: He will save His people (the people of His kingdom) from their sins (Matthew 1:21). The spiritual kingdom of Christ has no end. Through the horror that will follow the apocalyptic riders, through the devastating plagues of the seven seals and seven trumpets, the King and Good Shepherd leads His flock home. No one can pluck His people out of His hand (Psalm 23; John 10:11-30).

Christ, however, is not only the Lord and Head of His church, but also the King over all godless rebels. He knows the evil ones and those possessed in His kingdom. He observes them meticulously, nevertheless allows the sun to rise and set both on the just and the unjust, on the good and the evil (Matthew 5:45). He does not immediately crush the godless, for He hopes and waits for them to turn back. He gives them time! (Romans 2:4) If, however, they do not turn around and allow themselves to be sanctified and cleansed, then He must allow them their course of self destruction. “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” (Isaiah 48:22; 57:21; 59:8).

The concept of people being good, a basis of humanism, is self-deception. Whoever chooses to measure and compare himself with other people, will perhaps look good or acceptable in his own eyes. Whoever measures himself with God, however, will amount to nothing more than a spotted, poor and inadequate failure. Whoever recognizes and confesses this fact has the entry ticket into the kingdom of heaven already in hand (Matthew 5:3). His Lord takes him out of the realm of this world into the kingdom of His grace.

PRAYER: We magnify You, Holy One, because those who dwell in heaven do not become hopeless at the last trumpet, but on the contrary, they rejoice and confess Your victory against all evil, and Your seizure of absolute reign with Your Anointed One. The purpose of the last trumpet is not destruction, but Your seizure of reign forever.

QUESTION:

  1. Why will heaven rejoice at the last trumpet?

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