THE 7th ANGEL & THE FINAL TRUMPET

The Seventh Angel and the Final Trump of Judgment  11:14-19

"The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. " "And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever." "And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," "Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth." "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

The Divine Announcement of the Final Woe vs. 14

Each one of the woes have been introduced (8:13; 9:12; 11:14). Each one has been increasingly worse. The final woe is the worst of all for the world. It will bring the end of judgment and the victory of the Messiah.

"And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!"

"One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter."

"The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly."

The Vocal Proclamation of the Realized Victory vs. 15

There is the sounding of the seventh and final trumpet. This is followed by the speaking of the great voices in heaven. The substance of this proclamation is twofold:

The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of Christ. Not kingdoms (plural) but kingdom (singu­lar). There is a unity of the many kingdoms of the world. They are united under one head, Satan. Now this vast system becomes the kingdom of Christ.

The kingdom of Christ will continue on forever and ever. There will be a thousand years rule for a definite purpose. Then it will merge into the eternal state.

Antichrist has reached the height of his career in the midst of the seven years. At that point the heavenly decree goes forth and the kingdom is handed over to Christ. What follows now is merely a matter of expelling the usurper from his domain. 3¹/₂ years will accomplish this.

The Great Acclamation of the Redeemed Saints in Heaven vs. 16-18

"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God," "Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned." "And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."

This Begins With Worship on the Part of the Elders vs. 16

"And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,"

They fall upon their faces before the one who sits upon the throne and worship him.

They Next Voice Their Thanksgiving For the Final Victory vs. 17

"Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned."

So far as heaven is concerned, the decree has gone forth to possess and rule the kingdom. God has taken His power and has reigned. "Art to come" has been left out because Christ has come (cf. ASV). He has come at the rapture and the first part of this presence has begun.

The Final Movement is a Rehearsal of All the Events vs. 18

"And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth."

The realization of his own power. 17b
The reigning as a king over the world. 17c
The reaction of the nations is anger. 18a (Ps. 2)
The response of wrath upon the nations.
The recompense of punishment on the dead. Seventh trump reaches to the millennium and its effects to the end of the 1000.
The rewarding of the saints and prophets.
The requital in kind upon the destroyer.

The Sacred Ratification From the Heavenly Temple vs. 19

"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."

The Temple of God in Heaven is Opened

This marks the fact that the universe is moral and spiritual at its center. Holiness is the final criterion of judgment.

The Ark of the Covenant is the Thing Seen

This is a reminder that God keeps covenant. He will not forget. This is in order for the Jews are about to enter tribulation.

The execution of His promise is indicated by the lightnings, thunders, voices, earthquake, and hail, that judgment is ahead.

This is a vindication of God's law, and judgment is proceeding according to the law. Men have rejected God's Savior Who in death bore the penalty demanded by the law, and they have elected to bear their own punishment. The punishment is now beginning and it is being executed according to the law.