When Heaven and Earth Collide-Revelation 11:15-19

Transitional passages in God’s Word are often glossed over and or hurried through in an effort to get to another major unit, story, or more well-known section. This is unfortunate in that most transitional passages are filled with important data that is helpful as one seeks to understand how God’s message fits together. Today we arrive at such a passage—Revelation 11:15-19. In this passage three important activities take place that successfully carry readers from the trumpet judgments to the bowl judgment and move them from one long pause (Rev. 10-11) to another even longer  interlude (Rev. 12-13). All the while, and quite miraculously, this single passage also foretells some of the most important events/realities to come in the end after two dimensions—heaven and earth—converge. Yikes! Sounds heavy! It is! However, praise be to God that the truth this passage communicates is simple and its calling for each of us is crystal clear.

1. ACTIVITY #1: A Declaration is Given-11:15

In verse 14, John reveals that “the second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.” The series of “woes” was introduced in 8:13—“then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven saying with a loud voices, ‘Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!’”. The first “woe” was described in 9:1-11 with the plague of a demonic horde that came up out of the earth. The second “woe” appears to have involved the sixth trumpet and its depiction of the large army assembling to wide Israel off the map. The third woe, yet to be seen, will occur at the pouring out of the bowls later. Along with these three woes, it is important to remind ourselves of where we are in the unfolding series of judgments. The reader has been enjoying one of John’s pauses ever since the beginning of chapter 10. Before this John revealed seven seals that were broken and six trumpets that sounded. In chapter 10, John takes a break from this process and in this interlude has a snack (10:1-11) and describes the ministry of the two witnesses (11:1-14). In 11:15 the reader returns to the chronology of events in Revelation with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

If you will remember back in Revelation 8:1, the breaking of the seventh seal introduced a period of silence in heaven that lasted for “about half an hour.” I argued that this was like taking a deep breath before something major transpires. However, as the angel sounds the seventh trumpet, no such silence is experienced. Instead, there is “a mega-symphony of sound in the seventh trumpet” that introduces the last series of plagues with a bang (Osborne, Revelation, 440).

In a previous illustration I said that silence in a horror movie often indicates that something especially scary is about to take place. This proved to be the case in the trumpets and throughout the ministry of the two witnesses as the God rained down terrifying judgments on the earth as the world appeared to be winning on the earth (persecuting God’s people, and destroying everything good in the world). However, things are beginning to turn around. Though on a very human level the world was on the rise, God has always maintained control and through what remains in the book of Revelation will bring about the ultimate demise of the wicked earth and its rulers. This is punctuated by the series of loud major chords (the loud noises accompanying the announcement of the seventh trumpet) that introduce the climactic series of plagues in this passage that will eventually transpire in the remainder of the book (think the beginning of the final movement of Beethoven’s fifth symphony).

Following the blowing of the seventh trumpet, there is a chorus of “loud voices in heaven” (11:15b). Exactly who these “voices” belong to is unrevealed; but it probably involves a whole host of heavenly beings who are eager to make the declaration that is made in the remainder of verse 15. That these voices come out of heaven is yet another indication of the blending of the heavenly and earthly realms that is indicative of apocalyptic literature. In this passage, as in many others, the two worlds collide and what happens in one dimension necessarily impacts the other.

This apocalyptic theme is solidified in the declaration voiced, especially what is said in the last part of verse 15—“the Kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and He will reign forever and ever” (11:15c). Though the inauguration of the kingdom will not be revealed until after Revelation 19 and the forever reign of God won’t be realized until even later, the declaration of the voices suggests that these realities are as good as done and nearer than ever before. In other words, “the seventh trumpet triggers an anticipation of the final triumph when the future visible kingdom of God on earth will become a reality, when a transference of power from the heathen nations to God,…will come” (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 106). The use of the past tense (aorist) (“has become”) in this context conveys the absolute certainty of these future events (Mounce).

2. ACTIVITY #2: Praises are Offered-11:16-18

After the declaration of verse 15 is made, it is followed by a spontaneous hymn of praise offered by a familiar group—“and the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God” (11:16). It has been a while since the reader has heard from this chorus of worshipers. The last time they surfaced was in 7:13-14 when one of them explained who the multitude was that was introduced in 7:9ff. Before that they were seen worshiping around the throne in chapters 4-5. Their emergence here, like those in chapters 4-5, is in the context of worship. This time, added to their words of praise is a passionate posture—“fell on their faces and worshiped God.” The connotation of the verb used suggests that these worshipers laid prostrate before their God out of reverence and fear (see the similar posture taken in 4:10; 5:8, 14). This posture is made even more emphatic by the addition of “on their faces” (a phrase not yet seen in Revelation). This accentuates the acuity of their reverence before their Lord (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 108).

Accompanying this posture is their petition of praise. First the elders thank God for his coming reign—“’We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because you have taken Your great power and have begun to reign’” (11:17). This praise begins with a robust acknowledgement of God’s superiority (“Lord God”) and power (“the Almighty”). This sophisticated title “Lord God, the Almighty” is the third of nine times this label is employed to speak of God the Father in celebration of his rule over the cosmos and his omnipotence. However, Osborne suggests that the most significant element of what is exclaimed in verse 17 is the change of the threefold formula “who is, who was, and who is to come” (see 1:4, 8; 4:8) to “who are and who were” (i.e. no future aspect). Osborne suggests that this change means that essentially, “there is no more future, for God’s awesome power has acted, and his eternal reign has begun” (Osborne, Revelation, 443). The finality of this phrase is accentuated by the explanatory clause that follows—“because you have taken Your great power and have begun to reign” (11:17). Ultimately this is a pre-celebration of what God is in the process of bringing about in the remainder of what will soon be revealed.

While God’s future and ultimate victory is a cause of praise for the elders, it is a cause of dread for those who belong to the world’s system—“and the nations were enraged…” (11:18a). This is the typical antithetical response one can always expect between the two realms. When heaven rejoices, the world recoils. This is not a new idea.

Psalm 2:1-2-“Why are the nations in an uproar and the people devising vain things? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed,…”

Interestingly, the response from heaven at the rage the earth demonstrates against the idea of God’s final victory is wrath—“and your wrath came and the time came for the dead to be judged” (11:18a). Remember, though these verbs are translated it the past tense, these are future realities acknowledged to be as good as already accomplished. In other words, God will respond to the rage of the nations with wrath and judgment. This is similar to how God responds to the uproar of the nations in Psalm 2.

 

Psalm 2:4-“He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury…”

Adding insult to the injury of wrath lodged against a deserving world, the elders reveal that “the time to reward Your bond-servants, the prophets, and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great” is nearly at hand. In what will soon take place, the world will receive wrath and judgment while God’s people will be rewarded.

The theology of reward is pervasive in the Scriptures. That the faithful receive a reward is founded on passages like Genesis 15:1-2, 30:18, and Proverbs 11:21 and that God is bringing this reward is confirmed by Isaiah 40:10 and 62:11. Even Jesus taught that there will be a great reward for those who are persecuted for their faith (see Matt. 5:11-12) and that the reward is only for those who are faithful in their conduct (see Matt. 6:1-18). Paul picks up this theme and adds that fire on the day of judgment will test each one’s works and determine whether there is any reward (see 1 Cor. 3:5-15) (Osborne, Revelation, 445). The Apocalypse of John reveals that this much-anticipated reward is at hand for all kinds of God’s people (“bond-servants, prophets, saints, those who fear Your name, great and small”).

The ping-pong match that is this passage’s dualistic structure ends with the anticipation of the destruction of the world—“and to destroy those who destroy the earth” (praise-rage-reward-destruction) (11:18c). Depending on who’s side your on will determine what is experienced in the end—either praise and reward or rage and destruction. Those receiving destruction in this verse are described as those who have brought destruction upon the earth. While several interpretations of who these destroyers are have been offered, it is probably best (especially in lieu of what is about to be described in Revelation 12-13) that the “destroyers” include the beast, the false prophet, Satan and the world system that they run (i.e. “Babylon”-see 19:2). In addition to these destroyers are, perhaps, all who follow their evil regime. Their program of persecution and wickedness has brought destruction to the earth and God will respond by destroying the earth that has already suffered under these influences. Afterward, God will bring about a new heaven and a new earth in its place.  

3. ACTIVITY #3: The Temple is Opened-11:19

Following the declaration of heaven and the song of praise offered by the elders is the opening of the temple—“and the temple of God which is in heaven was opened” (11:19a). Again, these are anticipated realities shared before they take place (essential phenomena precluding existential fruition). The temple will not appear again until Revelation 21:3. That said, it is as good as opened. Symbolically, “this means that after the series (of judgments) has run its course, human beings will enjoy unmediated fellowship with God (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 114).

Accompanying the opening of the temple is the presence of “the ark of His covenant [that] appeared in His temple” (11:19b). Though the ark invokes images of judgment for those unfit to touch it (as it killed people in the Old Testament who brushed up against it even accidentally and brought plagues upon those who illegally possessed it), it also signals God’s gracious presence with his redeemed community (Beale, Revelation, 619). On the Old Testament Day of Atonement, the sacrificial blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat of the ark as a covering for the nation’s sins. This would ensure God’s ongoing presence with his covenant people. This Old Testament process looked ahead to the person and work of Christ whose sacrifice was enough to cover the sins of the world. Here, in Revelation, this ancient image celebrates this process of redemption and highlights those who are able to bask in its ultimate implications. Like so much in this passage, it all depends on which side people find themselves. The ark spells disaster for those outside the community of God and victory and grace for those within the believing community.

After the temple is opened and the ark is found, a grand demonstration of God’s power and authority is observed—“and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm” (11:19c). This is the third of four times the storm theophany has appeared in the book (Rev. 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18-21). In each case lightning, the roar of a storm, an earthquake, and other phenomena demonstrate the majesty of God and the cosmic activity that will accompany the judgments that bring about the end.

So What?

What is presented as the seventh trumpet sounds is a preview of the ultimate end that everyone in the world can expect. The declaration made, praises sung, and emergence of the temple and the ark together demonstrate that there are only two potential fates that people can expect: praise or rage; reward or judgment; glory in heaven or destruction on the earth. While the minor details of this passage are left mysterious and an interpretation of all of its parts can be debated, one thing is for sure: heaven knows what is coming for God’s people, and as such believers everywhere should respond in two ways. First, they must rest in the hope of their future victory and find peace in the promises yet to be fulfilled. Second they must be on mission, spreading the gospel to those around them who are still a part of the world that will be on the receiving end of the wrath described in this book and in this passage. Our application really is that simple. As people who have a foot in both worlds (the broken world that is and the perfect world that is to come), believers must be vigilant to proclaim the good news to those with no point of reference in heaven so that when heaven and earth collide, as many as possible can enjoy the new heavens and the new earth. When heaven and earth collide, where will you be standing?