Context No. 3863 of 4322 · Revelation

Revelation 11:14-19: in context

14The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly. 15The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!” 16The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and reigned. 18The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” 19God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.

The seventh trumpet sounds, and loud voices in heaven announce what all history has been moving toward: the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. It is the great climax, the moment when the rule of God over all things is openly established, and the kingdoms of this world give way to his everlasting kingdom.

The twenty-four elders fall on their faces and worship, giving thanks that God has taken his great power and begun to reign. There is deep hope in this scene for anyone who looks at the world's disorder and wonders who is really in charge. However things appear now, the outcome is certain: the world's kingdoms are passing, and God's kingdom is coming; Christ will reign forever. The powers that seem to run the world will one day yield to the rightful King. And the fitting response, even now, is the worship of the elders, thanking God in advance for the reign that is surely coming.

Do I live in the confident hope that the kingdoms of this world are passing and Christ's everlasting kingdom is coming, joining even now in the worship of the One who will reign forever?

Sources

Revelation 11:15: "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!"
Revelation 11:16-17: "The twenty-four elders... fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, We give you thanks... because you have taken your great power and reigned."
Revelation 11:18: "The time... to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints and those who fear your name."