Third Woe Archives » From Daniel to Revelation

Overview

When this trumpet blows, God’s kingdom has already begun. The seventh trumpet is the time to judge, to give a reward, and to destroy the destroyers (Rev 11:18). It assures us that God will set all things right.

Verse 19 is not part of the seventh trumpet but is the introduction to the vision that follows in chapters 12-14.

11:15

Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

Third woe

This trumpet is the third woe (cf. Rev 11:14). The first six trumpets struck the kingdom of this world with terrifying disasters, but the seventh destroys it completely.

Loud voices

While breaking the seventh seal brought silence in heaven (Rev 8:1), the seventh trumpet causes loud voices in heaven (Rev 11:15).

Has become

God’s kingdom has already begun when this trumpet blows, and He will reign forever and ever. Already before that trumpet has sounded, the mystery of God is finished (Rev 10:7). The seventh trumpet is the time to judge, to give a reward, and to destroy the destroyers (Rev 11:18).

This is the kingdom promised through Daniel (Dan 2:44; 7:14, 27), for which God’s people have prayed through the centuries– “thy kingdom come” (Matt 6:10; Luke 11:2).

Lord

Here, the Father is called Lord (kurios). This is a general title, means Lord, master, or owner (Biblehub), and is also used for beings other than God, like kings. For example, the elders (Rev 7:14) and Jesus (Rev 11:8; 22:20) are also called “lords.” Jesus is “Lord of lords” (Rev 17:14; 19:16), i.e., master of all masters. But where Revelation mentions the Father and Son together, the Father alone is called “Lord” (Rev 11:15; 21:22).

His Christ

“Christ” means “anointed one,” Christou in Greek, and Meshīach (Messiah) in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, prophets (1 Kings 19:16), priests (Exod 28:41; Lev 4:5; Psa 133:2), and particularly kings (1 Kings 1:33-39; 1 Sam 2:35; Psa 132:16-17) were anointed with oil for their duties.

While the Son is “His Christ,” the Father is “His God” (Rev 1:6; cf. 3:12).

The phrase “of our Lord and of His Christ” almost certainly alludes to Psalm 2, which refers to God and the king (Solomon?) as “the Lord and His anointed one.” (Psa 2:1-2) Show More

He will reign forever and ever.

In the kingdoms of this world, one kingdom always replaces another, but God’s kingdom will be without end. The kingdom belongs to both “our Lord” (God) and “His Christ,” but only “He” (God) will reign forever (cf. Rev 3:21), by implication, through His Christ.

11:16

And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God.

Worship God

This recalls the scene in Revelation 4 and 5 where the 24 elders are introduced and frequently worship (4:4, 9-11; 5:8-10, 14). The 24 elders both “fall down” before God and “worship” (Rev 4:10, 11:16). This description uses both major words for worship (Greek: epesan—“fell down” and Greek: prosekunēsan-“worshiped”).

Revelation uses the term “God” only for the Father (e.g., Rev 4:8, 11). (Read Article) Although the previous verse mentions both our Lord God and His Christ, only God is worshiped. We see the same in Revelation 7:11-12. (Read Article)

Sit on their thrones

In the Bible, kings are always sitting on the throne while those attending them stand (see 1 Samuel 16:21-22, Jeremiah 36:21, Daniel 1:19 and 2:2). Therefore, it is rather remarkable that the 24 elders are sitting on their own thrones before God, indicating the special role given to redeemed humanity (cf. Rev 3:21; Heb 2:5-9).

11:17

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.

Lord God

This verse uses three different titles for God:

- - “Lord God.”
  - “Almighty,” and
  - The one “who is and who was”.

Revelation uses these titles only for the Father. (Read Article) Previous phrases described God as “Him Who is and who was and is to come” (Rev 1:4, 8; 4:8). Here, the “is to come” is omitted because God has already come.

Have begun to reign

When the seventh trumpet is blown, God has already taken hold of His power and begun to reign. God has always protected and guided while mankind continued to exist in rebellion, but now God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

11:18

“And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

This verse summarizes the second half of the Book of Revelation, which focuses primarily on the end of history:

The nations were enraged. – The verb “enraged” is echoed in Rev 12:17, which says that “the dragon was enraged with the woman.” 12:17 summarizes chapter 13, in which the Sea Beast (13:1-10) and the Land Beast (13:11-18) attack the woman’s children.

Your wrath came – God’s wrath is His response to the rage of the nations. “The wrath of God is finished” through the seven last plagues (Rev 15:1), as described in Revelation 16.

The time came for the dead to be judged – This points to Revelation 20:12, the judgment of the dead in front of the great, white throne at the end of the millennium.

The time to reward Your bond-servants – This summarizes Rev 21-22, which describes the new earth. Jesus brings His reward with Him when He returns (Rev 22:12). In this context, this is the reward of eternal life, not earned but provided to us “without cost” (Rev 22:17).

The time … to destroy those who destroy the earth – This refers to Revelation 19 and 20.

Reward

The word “reward” is often used to describe the payment of wages (e.g., Matt 20:8), but its use in 11:18 and 22:12 is metaphorical. “The dead were judged … according to their deeds” (Rev 20:12), but God justifies some by grace. (Read article)

Both positive and negative rewards are necessary to set things right in a messed-up world. The seventh trumpet assures us that God will set all things right.

“Those who are destroying the earth” do not destroy the earth only physically; it refers to anybody who makes this world a worse place by destroying the lives or the quality of lives of other living beings, including by destroying nature and by corrupt practices.

11:19

And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Temple in Heaven

This is a view of the temple in heaven. In Revelation, such views introduce major new visions. Show More

Therefore, the mention of the temple of God and the ark of the covenant in the temple means that 11:19 is not part of the seventh trumpet, but it is the introduction to the vision that follows in chapters 12-14. Show More

Lightning, sounds, thunder, earthquake, hail

These are also found in Revelation 4:5, 8:5, 11:19, and 16:18. However, not all five manifestations are always mentioned. 4:5 only has lightning, sounds, and thunder. 8:5, 11:19, and 16:18 add an earthquake. These dramatic manifestations here certainly highlight the importance of this verse. Show More

Ark of His covenant

“The ark of His covenant” was the centerpiece of the Most Holy Place in the Old Testament temple, implying that what follows in chapters 12-14 is very important. The Ark of the Covenant contained the two stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, implying that the theme of Revelation 12-14 relates to God’s laws. This is supported by the fact that the commandments are mentioned directly at key points in what follows (Rev 12:17; 14:12). Furthermore, the people worship the Beast and make and worship an image, contravening God’s law. Show More

Tag: Third Woe

The Seventh Trumpet is the Final Judgment.