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Sermon preached on Revelation 11:15-19 by Rev. W. Reid Hankins during the Morning Worship Service at Trinity Presbyterian Church (OPC) on 03/16/2025 in Petaluma, CA.
Sermon Manuscript
The final trumpet sounds! The Bible repeatedly reveals that one day a final trumpet will sound to brings this age to a close. It will sound at Christ’s return, the final woe when he comes in wrath against a wicked world. Simultaneously, Jesus will save his elect, gathering them up from the ends of the earth. This will be the day when all the dead are raised and face final judgment. We who are saved in Christ will be ushered into our eternal reward even as the wicked will be thrown into the lake of fire. Then Christ’s consummated kingdom will be established. That summarizes today’s passage which is a vision of this last trumpet. As the cycle of the seven seals brought us a picture of this new covenant church age ending in the coming of Christ on the last day, so too this cycle of the seven trumpets. How wonderfully it describes the joy of that final trumpet which ends this age and ushers in the glory of the age to come!
Our first point will be to consider what these loud voices in heaven proclaim in verse 15. As that final trumpet sounds, these loud voices declare, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Here we are presented with two kingdoms, which ultimately become one kingdom. Remember the Tower of Babel incident in Genesis. Rebellious humanity tried to exalt their dominion above even the reign of God. God intervened as a reminder that he has been and always shall be sovereign. Their dispersion resulted in many kingdoms rising up which also rejected the ultimate authority of God. Yet, God was still sovereignly reigning over them all, despite their outward rebellion. This declaration here in verse 15 summarizes all these rebellious kingdoms as the “kingdom of the world.”
In contrast, God determined to redeem a special people out of all this rebellious world to be a holy nation unto himself. He covenanted with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to that end, establishing the nation of Israel. He extended that covenant at Sinai with his law and tabernacle. He further extended that covenant when he gave them a king in David and his lineage, forming them into a holy kingdom, a kingdom redeemed from out of all the evil kingdoms of this world. This kingdom is also referenced there in verse 15, the “kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ”. The Davidic Messiah named Jesus is the king of this redemptive kingdom that verse 15 celebrates. That Davidic kingdom waxed and waned, but the line was not broken. It began to restored when Jesus was born and he secured a holy people unto himself through his death, resurrection, and ascension. Even now King Jesus has been reigning on high. His kingdom is named Israel. It is also named the Davidic Kingdom. It is also named the church of Jesus Christ. All disciples of Christ, whether ethnically Israelite or not, have become citizens of Jesus’ kingdom.
So much of human history has had the pagan kingdoms of this world, the Babylons and the Egypts, for example, living side by side Israel, God’s redemptive kingdom. This theme was so prevalent in the book of Daniel. At that time, the kingdom of Israel was struggling to be faithful to God, with Davidic kings that were not always true to the Lord. God chastened Israel by giving them up to the nations, especially to Babylon. Daniel and his friends found themselves deported from the kingdom of Israel and exiled to the kingdom of Babylon where they had to serve pagan kings. Yet, the book of Daniel repeatedly showed that even over pagan kingdoms like Babylon, God was still in control. God’s plan to redeem a kingdom out of this world was still moving forward, and in just the right time, God sent Jesus. He began to restore the Davidic kingdom of Israel and fulfill its destiny to ultimately rule all the earth. Sadly, many of his own rejected him and were cast out of the kingdom and became a part of the godless kingdoms of this world. Jesus has also grown his kingdom by gathering disciples from all the world, many who have essentially immigrated into this kingdom. But the fulfillment is described here when Jesus’ kingdom has finally conquered all the rebellious kingdoms of his world.
Daniel 7 foretold this. When the redemptive kingdom of Israel languished, and the pagan kingdoms of this world seemed to be growing, God foretold the coming of the Messiah who would destroy all the kingdoms of this world to ultimately have his kingdom over all. Daniel 7:14 foretold that the Christ we be given, “dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” God pronounced that the kingdoms of this world would become a part of the Messiah’s universal and everlasting kingdom. Jesus’ kingdom is the stone that filled the earth in Daniel 2 after destroying that multi-kingdom statue that Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed about.
In summary, verse 15 references two kingdoms that have existed throughout history. There is the kingdom of this world made up of many pagan nations that reject God. And there is the redemptive kingdom of God’s people, Israel, also known as the church, ruled by the Davidic Christ. Two kingdoms. God is ultimately over both, but the kingdom of the world is passing away, and Jesus’ kingdom will endure forever. Right now, Jesus is starting to conquer the kingdom of this world through evangelism, by saving people out of the pagan nations into his redemptive kingdom as manifested now in the church. But when that final trumpet sounds, Christ will return. In his wrath, he will finish conquering the worldly kingdom. When the dust clears, only his redemptive kingdom will remain. The saints in Christ will reign in this coming age over all the world, forever, and ever, and ever.
Let’s turn next to verses 16-18 where we see those twenty-four elders in heaven singing a new song about this final victory at the last trumpet. Remember, these twenty-four elders are representative of the invisible church. The saved elect through these elders sing this song of final victory. Let us analyze this song.
It begins in verse 17 expressing thanksgiving. When all is said and done, when the present sky vanishes like a scroll, when in a twinkling of an eye we are raised with new bodies, when the wicked are judged, and the righteous rewarded, our song of response will be to say thank you. Gratitude upon gratitude will be the condition of our hearts toward God. Thank you, Eternal Lord God Almighty!
Note the difference in how God’s name is listed in this song from how it was similarly listed in chapter 1. It thanks the God who is, and who was. What’s missing from chapter 1 is the “and who is come.” The reason is obvious and significant. The God who is to come won’t be that God who is to come after the final trumpet. Then, he will be the God who has already come and will always be with us. This song what we’ll sing in that final state. Instead, of describing God as “who is to come,” it instead describes God as the one who has “taken his great power and reigned”. At the last trumpet, “The God who was to come” becomes the God who has “taken his great power and reigned.”
This explains the announcement that the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ. This is also further explained in the next verse of the song, verse 18. It recounts how the nations raged but then, at the last trumpet, God’s wrath came, the final judgment came, God’s people were rewarded, and evil were destroyed. This is still in the future for us, but in glory we’ll sing about it in the past tense.
This song calls to mind some previous songs. Psalms 2 and 110 both prophesy of what this song describes. Psalm 110 begins with a call to the Messiah to rule in the midst of his enemies. You see, that is what Jesus is doing right now. Jesus already rules from on high with all authority. He especially reigns over us Christians who are citizens of his kingdom. But he rules in the midst of his enemies to say that there are still many peoples on earth that will not willingly submit to him. Instead, they actively try to fight against Jesus by persecuting his people. Psalm 2 describes this as the nations raging against the Lord and his Messiah. But Psalm 2 goes on to say that the Lord from heaven laughs because he knows that the nations will not defeat his Christ King. Instead, as Psalm 110 goes on to foretell, God will be with the Messiah to one day “shatter kings in the day of his wrath,” and to “execute judgment on the nations.” Psalm 2 closes by warning the world to submit to King Jesus before it is too late. By the time this seventh trumpet sounds, it’ll be too late for the nations then. Then the wrath of Jesus wielding the power of God will fall upon all the nations. It will be too late to repent on judgment day.
That’s what verse 18 explains. It speaks of the time for the dead to be judged as finally coming. When we get to Revelation 20, we’ll learn more about that final judgment. Notice everyone will get judged, even the dead. This speaks of how, at Christ’s return, every person who ever lived, whether they are righteous or wicked, Christian or heathen, will all rise from the dead. Then they will have to stand before the judgment seat of God. Christ will judge them for what they did in this life. If their name is not written in the book of life, they will be punished for their sin and cast into an eternal place of torment which the Bible calls the lake of fire. Meanwhile, the saved will be ushered into the reward of the consummated kingdom of glory, where God will dwell with us in a new creation.
Verse 18 goes on to further explain the damnation of the wicked. It describes them as the destroyers of the earth who themselves end up destroyed. This reflects the legal principle of lex talionis, that the punishment fits the crime, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Destroyers get destroyed. The Bible is very clear, God’s punishment will be fully just. How often unbelievers have complained that God’s punishment is too severe for man’s sin. Such a statement either fails to realize how great human sin is, or how truly just God’s punishment is. The Bible repeatedly makes this point that the final judgment won’t be excessive in punishment, but the punishment will indeed be terrible. This is why it is so important to be saved before it is too late.
As for God’s people who are saved, verse 18 refers us to Christians with several descriptions. We are Christ’s servants, that we look to carry out his will in this life. We are his prophets, in that we speak God’s Word to the world. We are his saints, in that God has set us apart as holy from everyone else, and we look to live holy lives because of that. We are those who fear God’s name, even as the Bible teaches that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We submit ourselves to acknowledge that God is God and we are but his creatures. These names describe Christians, so let us each see that they are a fitting description of us.
Let us appreciate that it describes that we Christians will get rewarded at the end. To be rewarded is to be given some gift or blessing to recognize a job well done. Our ultimate reward is the eternal blessed life with our Lord Jesus in his coming kingdom. Think about this from both the standpoint of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. In terms of God’s sovereignty, let us acknowledge that whatever good we do in this life, it’s because his grace has been sanctifying us. We describe this as God rewarding grace-wrought works. It’s amazing that God rewards us for that which he works within us. Yet, though the works we do are grace-wrought, let us recognize man’s responsibility here. Revelation expects that we will serve Jesus in this life amidst persecution and persevere in the faith. If we do by his grace, then we will enjoy the reward herein promised. If we don’t, but instead fall away, we won’t. God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are compatible.
Let us appreciate that this reward comes to both the small and the great. Some Christians will do amazingly great things in serving the Lord and find much honor in it. Think of people like Peter, Paul, and John. Some of us have rather small and meager contributions to the kingdom. While we should all want to do great things for the kingdom, let us first strive to be faithful. Even if our service seems but small compared to others, let us know that it finds value in God’s sight who so wrought in your heart such fruit of service.
Let us now briefly turn in our third point to consider the final verse, verse 19, especially about seeing the ark of the covenant. This ends the cycle of the seven trumpets with more of that thunder, lightning, and earthquake language, that language of theophany. We said this happens at the end of each of the seven cycles and reminds us that these cycles each end with God powerful presence manifesting itself at the end of the age.
But here we see God’s mighty presence along with another glimpse into heaven. The vantage point seems to be from on earth where such a victory was just heralded of Jesus’ consummated kingdom. Now, we look up into heaven and see this beautiful sight of God’s temple in heaven. Inside it, we see the ark of the covenant.
Remember that the ark of the covenant was that carrier of the Ten Commandments which was placed in the Holy of Holies in the temple. It represented God’s presence among his people, and especially his covenant with them. The last time the ark was seen in Holy Scripture was in 2 Chronicles 35 during the time of King Josiah where it was referenced being in the temple. But after that, we know the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. There was a rumor among Jewish legend that some Levites hid it in the hills before the Babylonians could destroy it. Others just presume it was destroyed by Babylon.
Interestingly, Jeremiah 3:16 foretells in the future that the ark won’t be remembered, or remade, implying that it gets destroyed or lost. Indeed, the new covenant doesn’t have any such ark. Frankly, we have no need for such, just like we don’t need an earthly temple. As the church is the temple of God, so too, we have the presence of God and assurance of his covenant by the Holy Spirit dwelling inside us.
Yet, here we get a glimpse of both an ark and a temple up in heaven. But, this is the reason why we don’t need an ark or temple that is earthly or physical. Because the substance of both has always been heavenly and spiritual. The earthly physical ark and temple were modeled after heavenly realities. The earthly ark and temple could be destroyed. The heavenly temple and ark cannot be destroyed. The substance of the covenant has always been in heaven where our covenant God dwells. He surely keep his promises.
The seventh trumpet confirms that the substance was always there by showing us the ark of the covenant up in heaven. The seventh trumpet marks covenant fulfillment, the very thing represented by that ark. The Abrahamic, the Mosaic, and Davidic, and the New Covenant all come to fulfillment here at this last trumpet. God promised in the Abrahamic covenant a people and a place. That is what is described here, finally, and fully. The Mosaic covenant promised God’s presence among them, a righteous people. That is what comes here, at the end of this age in the New Jerusalem. The Davidic covenant promised that Christ’s kingdom would be universal and everlasting. That is what is announced here as the kingdoms of this earth become the kingdom of Christ and God. The New Covenant provided the needed atonement for sin in the cross of Jesus. That is why Christians are mercifully rewarded here even as the wicked are destroyed in the judgment.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this is not the first time the ark was seen at the seventh blast of a trumpet. I remind you of Joshua chapter 6 when God’s people marched around Jericho for seven days with the ark. On the last day, at the seventh blast of the trumpet, God’s wrath of judgment fell upon the wicked city of Jericho, and that city became Israel’s. What happened at Jericho was a type of what will happen when the last trumpet sounds of this age. Jesus will come as the final Joshua to finish conquering all the world so he can transform it in an eternal Promised Land for the saints in his glorified kingdom.
This is the future we await. When Jesus does finally come to finish conquering this world, we will see in Revelation 21 something even more wonderful. Heaven itself will come down to earth, and there still won’t be a physical temple because God and Jesus will be there, and their presence with us is the only temple we will ever need. Then and there, we will reign with Christ forever and ever in the kingdom that has become fully his.
In conclusion, let us have the faith that thanks God in advance for this future. This song here thanks God after the victory is completed. Let us in faith thank him in advance of that victory. Let us, both small and great, look forward to the coming reward. Let us yet warn the destroyers of this world that there is a coming day of judgment.
Amen.
Copyright © 2025 Rev. W. Reid Hankins, M.Div.
All Rights Reserved.
