Sermon - Revelation 11:14-19 - The Seventh Trumpet - Littleby Baptist Church - October 3, 2021

1.     Last Two Weeks – we have seen a pause in the judgements.

a.      A mighty angel came down to earth and declared that everything is coming to an end.

b.     John ate a scroll and was told that he was going to continue to prophesy to ‘many people, nations, languages, and kings.

c.      Then Two Witnesses appeared, for 1,260 days, 42 months, 3 ½ years, half of the tribulation period.

d.     They carried God’s message to the people and cannot be killed until their job was done.

e.      The antichrist wages war against them, and eventually slays them.

f.      People celebrate their murders and then are filled with fear when God raises them from the dead and takes them up into the clouds.

g.     The survivors living in the sin filled Jerusalem, which is seen as Sodom and Egypt, will give glory to God.

2.     Prior to these events:

a.      The opening of the Seals began the release of judgement on the world.

b.     The Trumpets continued the devastation.

c.      Including the first two Woes.

                                                    i.     First Woe and Fifth Trumpet, the Abyss was opened and demons were released onto the earth. Demons took the form of locusts with the power of scorpions and caused pain on those who were not sealed by God.

                                                  ii.     The Second Woe and Sixth Trumpet saw the release of the four bound angels.

1.     They killed 1/3^rd of the human race, bringing the death total to more than half of those who were alive at the beginning of the Tribulation.

d.     Two Trumpets, Two Woes.

3.     Revelation 11:14

a.      Revelation 8:13 told us to expect 3 Woes, terrible events.

b.     Revelation 9:12 stated that the first had passed and two more were coming.

c.      Revelation 11:14 told us the second was done and now it is time for the third.

4.     Revelation 11:15

a.      When we read verse 15, it does not sound like the previous woes.

b.     The Seventh Trumpet is blown, and the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of our Lord who will reign forever.

c.      If it feels like we skipped over a step, in a way we did.

d.     When the 7^th Seal was opened the Trumpets started.

                                                    i.     In a way the 7 trumpets are contained in the scroll that was opened when that last Seal was opened.

                                                  ii.     As we look ahead, there are Seven Bowl judgements which are contained in the time frame represented by the 7^th Trumpet.

                                                iii.     The 7^th Trumpet is not instant in time, there are a series of events that will happen once the Trumpet is blown.

                                                iv.     There is a lot that happens in this verse, we are just not seeing the details yet.  

e.      A way of looking at it, is like those TV shows that start out with how things play out, then jump back 24 hours to show you how things got to that point.

f.      The Seventh Trumpet sounds, there are things that happen that bring about the kingdom of our Lord but here we are seeing how things play out, but not how they got there.

                                                    i.     The Kingdom of our Lord comes to fruition!

                                                  ii.     He will rule forever and ever… and ever and ever and ever!

                                                iii.     Their will be NO end to our Lords reign!

g.     Later in our series, we will jump back and look at the details between the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet and the kingdom of our Lord.

5.     Revelation 11:16

a.      The 24 elders we have seen several times, fell on their faces and worshiped God.

b.     When the time comes, these guys will be worshipping God because of what was just said.

                                                    i.     They will be worshipping God because the Kingdom of the Lord has replaced the kingdom of the world.

                                                  ii.     Praising God for the final judgement that will unfold.

6.     Revelation 11:17

a.      Let’s break this praise down.

b.     We give you thanks – the elders are thanking God for His sovereign rule and His righteous judgement.

                                                    i.     Might say they are thanking God for fulfilling His Master Plan.

c.      Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was.

                                                    i.     Did you catch what was missing from their statement?

1.     Normally we see Jesus referred to as the One who was (past), is (present), and will be (future).

2.     Here they are simply saying the One who was and is. With His return there is no more looking to the future, because Jesus rules forever and ever. 

d.     Taken your great power and have begun to reign – Our God has always ruled over His creation.

                                                    i.     We are seeing a high-level summary of what is to come.

                                                  ii.     The difference now is that our Messiah is ruling as King. The King of kings is directly ruling His creation.

                                                iii.     Jesus will rule as is seen in His millennial kingdom.

7.     Revelation 11:18

a.      The nations were angry.

                                                    i.     This could be the nations were angry in the church era that we live in today and they have been rebelling against Him.

                                                  ii.     Or, Their will come a time that people will not be content living in Jesus’s millennial kingdom, and they will rebel against Him.  

b.     Either way, Scripture tells us…

c.      Your wrath has come – A rebellion happens, and judgement follows.

d.     The time has come for the dead to be judged – The end has come.

                                                    i.     Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess.

                                                  ii.     Some will be rewarded and for many it will be too late.

e.      To give the reward to your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name – Those who have been set apart.

                                                    i.     Those who have carried out the will of God.

                                                  ii.     Those who have followed Jesus.

                                                iii.     They will be rewarded with a place in eternity with Jesus.

                                                iv.     They will live forever in His Glory.

f.      The time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth…

                                                    i.     They will be cast out where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

                                                  ii.     Those being judged will be separated and cast into the lake of fire.

8.     Revelation 11:19

a.      The temple of God in heaven opened and the ark appeared.

                                                    i.     A magnificent scene…

                                                  ii.     John was seeing something that no Jew had seen in over 600 years.

                                                iii.     Something that symbolized God’s covenant with His people.

                                                iv.     The fulfillment of the covenant is at hand.

1.     His people will live with Him.

2.     Those from the vine and those who have been grafted into it.

a.      Jew and Gentile alike who follow God will live with Him forever.

b.     Flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.

                                                    i.     Similar to the Seventh Seal and the Seventh Bowl.

                                                  ii.     The final judgment on the earth has arrived.

9.     Two sides of a coin…

a.      One is a time that we are looking forward to that comes with the Seventh Trumpet, a time of Jesus’ reign.

                                                    i.     A time of everything being made right.

b.      The flip side is that judgement will fall on all who, as these verses tell us are destroyers of the earth.

                                                    i.     Those who love evil.

                                                  ii.     Those who celebrate sin.

                                                iii.     Those that worship things of this world.

1.     Those who follow Satan.

2.     This is truly black and white.

a.      People either follow Jesus or are following Satan.

c.      One side of the coin is pure joy, the other is horrible wrath.

d.     Which side are you going to see?

e.      Which side are the people you love going to see?

f.      Scripture tells us that we do not know the day or the hour.

                                                    i.     We do not know how much time we have.

                                                  ii.     We do not know how much longer our loved ones have.

                                                iii.     The uncertainty brings a sense of urgency… people need to choose Jesus before it is too late.

                                                iv.     Pray about what you can do…

                                                  v.     Pray for the eyes of people to be opened…

                                                vi.     Let God guide you in sharing His Love and His Word with others!