Our God Reigns
Revelation 11:14-19
December 18, 2016
Recently we have been looking at another parenthetical section in the book.
After observing the hardness of heart by sinners who refused to repent even after the horror of the first and second woes, which was also the 5th and 6th trumpet,
One had to wonder if all this preaching is really worth it.
If the truth I preach is only going to get me in trouble and they aren’t going to believe anyway, then why bother?
Chapter 10 and the first 13 verses of chapter 11 answered that question.
On one hand we “prophesy again” because we don’t want anyone’s blood on our hands.
There is a terrible judgment coming upon this world and sinners
(whether they listen or not) must be warned.
On the other hand we continue because we serve a God who has the ability to save even the most unthinkable people through the preaching of the gospel.
We saw that in chapter 11 where God used two faithful witnesses to bring about full scale salvation to:
• A city that was so evil that it was actually called “Sodom and Egypt”;
• A city so dangerous that Jesus Himself warned believers to flee.
• A city with a history of already having killed the Son of God
• A city where Satan himself currently sets up his center of worship.
We saw God save that city through His two faithful witnesses.
And so we learned that despite what it looks like,
We should remain faithful to preach the gospel
Because sinners must hear and because
We don’t know what God might actually be accomplishing.
Well now that parenthetical section is over and we are back on schedule, all be it, very briefly.
We read in verse 14, “The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”
This verse actually flows seamlessly from the end of Revelation 9.
• That “second woe” was the 200 million strong demonic death army that killed 1/3 of the earth’s population.
• That woe is over “behold, the third woe is coming quickly.”
So we are back now into the natural chronological flow.
(You should know that this flow won’t last long,
as chapters 12-14, are yet another parenthetical section)
But for this morning we are back on track;
Specifically with the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
The seventh trumpet represents that coming and dreaded “third woe”.
And now it is upon us.
But before we see the specifics of that “third woe” we first are given here a very important and highly anticipated announcement.
It is the announcement of the reign of Jesus Christ.
3 things
#1 THE DECLARATION OF CHRIST’S REIGN
Revelation 11:15
Here we have that sounding of the seventh and final trumpet.
“Then the seventh angel sounded;”
And I would remind you that this trumpet is a very significant one.
One of the things we learned in that most recent parenthetical section is that
THIS TRUMPET WOULD MARK THE END.
Revelation 10:5-7 “Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer, but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.”
At this trumpet God’s patience will have fully run its course.
“there will be delay no longer”
Everything that God promised in the Old Testament to the prophets
Will finally come to its full fruition at the sounding of this trumpet.
When this trumpet sounds we know it is the end.
And that is why before we have a description of the details
We have a much anticipated announcement.
“and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
With the announcement of the final judgment of God,
Also comes the announcement of the reign of Christ.
What is actually occurring here?
It is a transfer of power.
Yes it is true that God has always been and will always be sovereign.
He has never lost control in even the slightest measure.
However starting way back in the garden we saw the usurper show up and corrupt God’s creation.
• God had created everything perfect and God had declared everything good.
• However, the enemy deceived Eve and tempted Adam who transgressed
God’s command and instantly this world fell into the power of the evil one.
That is why throughout the N.T. we have such strange titles for Satan.
• 2 Corinthians 4:4 calls him “the god of this world”
• Ephesians 2:2 calls him “the prince of the power of the air”
• John 12:31 calls him “the ruler of this world”
• 1 John 5:19 says that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”
• Revelation 2:13 taught us that Pergamum is “where Satan’s throne is”
In short, while God is sovereign over all things
We do understand that Satan is the usurper and deceiver
Who has set up his throne on the earth and currently
We do not see the physical kingdom of Christ here,
We see only the kingdom of Satan.
This is also why Satan was able to offer this kingdom to Christ during His temptation.
Matthew 4:8-9 “Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”
Satan could legitimately make that offer because he is in fact the god of this world
And this world does in fact lie in his power.
Furthermore “the kingdom of this world”
IS A KINGDOM THAT TOTALLY OPPOSES GOD.
The Psalmist hit the nail on the head:
Psalms 2:1-3 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”
That continues to be the cry of the world even today.
There is no interest in bowing in submission to God.
There is no interest in following His commands.
The world is in a hurry to throw off God in every possible way.
Paul thoroughly described this rebellion in Romans 1.
TURN TO: ROMANS 1:18
We are hit with the reality that man does know God,
It is just that they don’t like the truth about God that they know,
So they suppress it.
God has made Himself evident through creation
And man has resisted that revelation at every turn.
Paul says that they “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man”
Instead of God, the world wants religion.
(You can easily craft religion to fit your own desires, much like an idol.)
They exchange the glory for an image.
(25) “For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…”
They also exchange the truth for a lie.
(26) “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural.”
They exchange the natural for the unnatural
Thus rejecting God’s intention for humanity.
(28) “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer; God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”
They also change what is proper for what is improper.
You get the idea?
The “kingdom of this world” is ANTI-CHRIST at every turn.
And to make things worse…
(Romans 1:32) “and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”
It is absolute and utter rebellion against God.
Not only is it participation in things which God calls evil,
But it is also approval of those who do it.
It is the kingdom of this world and it hates God, hates Christ,
And emphatically resists any rule that He might have over them.
Jesus summed it up after His parable of the minas.
Luke 19:27 “But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.”
The world in which we live is in utter rebellion against Christ.
We do not see Christ’s kingdom reigning upon the earth.
The kingdom we see is a direct opposite of Christ’s kingdom.
AND GOD HAS CLEARLY DRAWN THE BATTLE LINES.
James 4:4 “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”
These two kingdoms have nothing in common.
And God has clearly stated which kingdom must have our allegiance.
That is also why this current kingdom is SO GRIEVOUS to believers.
• Have we not prayed, “Your will kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”?
• It is why we saw John weeping in chapter 5, it is because he was afraid no one was ever going to overthrow that kingdom.
Well rest assured that “the kingdom of the world” will not last.
When that seventh trumpet sounds we finally hear
The declaration of what every believer has longed for.
It is the declaration of what every believer has prayed for.
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ”
And you should know that it is an ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY.
Psalms 2:1-9 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!” 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, saying, “But as for Me, I have installed My King Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'”
Even in the day when the world rebels the hardest,
And takes its strongest measures against the will of God;
GOD IS NOT WORRIED IN THE LEAST.
• When schools cancel prayer…
• When judges legalize gay marriage…
• When scientists promote evolution…
• When governments censor evangelism…
“He who sits in the heavens laughs, The Lord scoffs at them.”
Their attempts are as futile as Pilate putting that seal on the tomb of Jesus.
It won’t work.
God has already decreed that there is a day coming
In which the kingdom of this world will fall and Christ will reign.
Philippians 2:9-11 “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
1 Corinthians 15:24-28 “then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”
CHRIST WILL REIGN.
“and He will reign forever and ever.”
• There is no “let’s just survive the next 4 years” mentality here.
• When Christ begins to reign He will never relinquish the throne.
Isaiah 9:7 “There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”
Daniel 2:44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”
Luke 1:30-33 “The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
The kingdom is coming, and when it comes it will never end.
Adrian Rogers:
“People ask all the time, ‘What’s this world coming to?’. I’ll tell you what it’s coming to, it’s coming to Jesus. Jesus owns this world. It was made by Him and for Him and the Bible says it’s coming back to Him…and the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.”
That is what we see here.
It is the Declaration of God’s Reign.
#2 THE DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST’S REIGN
Revelation 11:16-18
The fact of God’s reign is a certainty, but what will God’s reign mean?
We just finished an election cycle in our country,
And our new president will be sworn in in about a month.
Many are asking, “What will a Donald Trump presidency look like for America?”
Well that remains to be seen,
But I can tell you what a Jesus Christ kingdom will look like for this world.
1) IT WILL MEAN GLORY FOR GOD (16-17)
“And the twenty-four elders, who sit on the their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, “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.”
Listen to heaven here:
You are and You were, and now we see that You always will be.
• You have always had the power to do anything You desired.
• You have always had the power to bring all things under Your control.
• You have always had the power to break all rebels into submission.
AND TODAY YOU HAVE FINALLY DONE IT!
Thank You God!!!
The Reign of Christ will mean Glory for God.
Philippians 2:11 “and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
On this day God will no longer be scorned or rejected or ignored.
God will be glorified.
2) IT WILL MEAN DEFEAT FOR THE ENEMY (18a)
“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came,”
• We’ve already talked about the animosity of the nations.
• We’ve already seen how they did not want the Lord to reign over them.
• Today we see people repeatedly reject the truths of Scripture and the commands of Holy God.
• They read what the Bible says and then defiantly reject it, in effect telling God to leave them alone and “You’re not the boss of me!”
And here we find that when Christ did come to reign
The world was “enraged” at Him and sought to keep Him from reigning.
In fact they killed Him by death on a cross.
But as Peter said at Pentecost:
Acts 2:32-36 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says: ‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.”‘ “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.”
The nations may in fact be enraged at God and His Christ,
But that is of absolutely no significance.
The answer is given in 4 little words:
“but Your wrath came”
And of course they are referring to the great wrath of the tribulation
Whereby we have seen God exterminate sinners.
They rebelled against God, but they will not succeed.
Jesus will reign and His enemies, (regardless of how angry they are),
Will not survive.
The Reign of Christ means glory for God, and defeat for the enemy
3) IT WILL MEAN JUDGMENT FOR SINNERS (18b)
“and the time came for the dead to be judged,”
This world can cry “judge not!” all they want but that will not stop God.
He will judge all sinners.
Every man will give an account of their deeds.
Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”
It is no secret that the world hates judgment.
• The world hates to have their sin exposed.
• The world hates to have their sin confronted.
• The world hates to have their sin rebuked.
But it doesn’t matter.
When Jesus reigns it will mean judgment for sinners.
4) IT WILL MEAN REWARD FOR THE RIGHTEOUS (18c)
“and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great”
Today the righteous press on amidst toil and conflict.
1 Corinthians 4:11-13 “To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.”
Jeremiah was probably the most outspoken about this.
Jeremiah 15:15-18 “You who know, O LORD, Remember me, take notice of me, And take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that for Your sake I endure reproach. Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, Nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, For You filled me with indignation. Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?”
The kingdom of this world is hard on those who are faithful.
But on the day that Jesus reigns
All those who remained faithful will be rewarded.
WHY?
Because for the first time in the history of the world we will have A JUST KING.
Isaiah 11:3-5 “And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.”
What a glorious day this will be!
• No more will sin be accepted…
• No more will sin be celebrated…
• No more will sin be tolerated…
• No more will righteousness be scorned…
• No more will faithfulness be attacked…
When Jesus reigns sinners are judged and the righteous are rewarded.
You get excited just thinking about it don’t you!
5) IT WILL MEAN THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED (18d)
“and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Here we find that God is an environmentalist,
But not in the way in which we think of it today.
He’s not referring to those who use hairspray or burn tires or make Styrofoam.
God is referring to those who have corrupted the world with their sin.
It wasn’t hairspray that wrecked God’s creation, it was sin.
Genesis 3:17 “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.”
Isaiah 24:20 “The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard And it totters like a shack, For its transgression is heavy upon it, And it will fall, never to rise again.”
It is sinners who continue to corrupt God’s creation
You want to know the biggest pollutant on the earth according to God?
Numbers 35:33 “So you shall not pollute the land in which you are; for blood pollutes the land and no expiation can be made for the land for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it.”
Listen: A Pro-Choice Environmentalist is an Oxymoron
(heavy on the moron)
But when Jesus reigns, not only will they be judged,
They will also be destroyed so that they never hurt this earth again.
Isaiah 11:9 “They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”
God will be glorified
The enemy will be defeated
Sinners will be judged
The righteous will be rewarded
The wicked will be destroyed
And because the time has come, heaven is absolutely rejoicing!
The Declaration of Christ’s Reign The Description of Christ’s Reign
#3 THE DEMONSTRATION OF CHRIST’S REIGN
Revelation 11:19
This is an interesting scene,
And one which is a little difficult to fully understand.
In particular it is very Jewish in its feel
Since it deals with “the ark of His covenant”
If you are not familiar with the Ark of the Covenant, let me give you a very brief crash course.
• When Moses was on Sinai immediately following the Exodus from Israel God
gave him specific instructions regarding the building of this ark (like a chest)
• This ark was to be set inside the holy of holies and on top of this ark is where
the mercy seat would rest.
• And this would be the place where God would promise to meet with Moses and
speak with him.
It became synonymous with God’s presence, even God’s glory.
Many times in the Old Testament they would take the ark with them
Signifying God’s presence in their endeavors.
It also became a lasting symbol of God’s faithfulness,
Since the inside the ark they were to keep the ten commandments, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff which budded.
• The ten commandments represented God’s law
• The jar of manna was to remember God’s faithful provision
• Aaron’s staff was to remember God’s sovereign rule through His appointed leaders.
This ark then not only represented God’s presence,
But also His faithful working with and for Israel.
I THINK IT IS INTERESTING THAT IT APPEARS NOW.
We have already discussed that the primary purpose of the tribulation will be the salvation of Israel.
Well on this day, when Jesus begins to reign,
God allows Israel to see that although they had broken their covenant
And even lost their ark of the covenant, God never had.
• They may have broken God’s Law
• They may have forgotten God’s provision
• They may have rejected God’s appointed leader
BUT GOD HAD NOT
They were faithless, but He remained faithful.
Certainly after having killed their Messiah, they had no grounds to ever expect that He would still one day come and reign.
But He will, because God remains faithful to His promises.
But that is not all we see.
“and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.”
Here we have a preview of what is to come.
We know that after the blasting of this 7th trumpet there are 7 vials
Or 7 bowls of wrath that will be poured out.
Let me read to you real quick a description of that final bowl.
Revelation 16:17-21 “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.”
The final wrath will be seen in “lightning” and “thunder” and an “earthquake” and a “hailstorm”.
Here we have a taste of what God’s judgment will feel like on the earth.
When heaven announced that Christ would reign,
The earth instantly gets a little taste
Of what that final act of judgment will feel like.
NOW THE REALITY FOR THE EARTH IS THIS:
• There is no chance that the kingdom of this world will survive.
• Jesus is going to reign, God has already decreed it.
• And He will reign in perfect justice.
To that end, Peter asked:
2 Peter 3:11-13 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
The Psalmist said it like this:
Psalms 2:7-12 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'” Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, For His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!”
There is no future in resisting the reign of Christ in your life.
When Peter told the Jews at Pentecost that God had made the Jesus who they had crucified both Lord and Christ, here is how they responded:
Acts 2:36-42 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ — this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
That is a very fitting and appropriate response.
Since Jesus will reign and will judge and destroy all sinners,
It is only fitting that you repent of your sin and submit your life to Christ.
Our God Reigns.
