Revelation 11:14-15
It’s Time For You to Go
This morning, after six sermons, we leave the sixth trumpet and step
into the seventh. With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, I believe
we step firmly into the last half of the Tribulation. There is no
immediate, direct judgment which takes place on the earth when the
seventh trumpet sounds. Instead, John saw and recorded the things
happen in heaven, but before we turn to heaven, let me give you a few
thoughts.
This judgment will last a long time, 3 1/2 years to be exact.
1. We have already been told that this trumpet will last until
God finishes all the mysterious plans He has made.
Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of
the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound,
the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath
declared to his servants the prophets.
2. It will take a while for us to get to it, but that includes
the seven vials which will be poured upon the earth in
chapter 15.
Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in
heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having
the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up
the wrath of God.
The Seventh Trumpet Judgment has several other names that it goes by:
1. It is called the third woe. A woe warns of grief, pain, great
suffering, and death.
Revelation 8:13 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!
2. It is called the time of Jacob’s trouble.
Jeremiah 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so
that none is like it: it is even the time of
Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
3. And Jesus called it the Great Tribulation.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great
tribulation, such as was not since the beginning
of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
a. The Jews have been conquered by their neighbors, the
Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans.
b. They have been persecuted by the Catholics, the Turks,
the Germans, the Italians, and who knows who else.
c. Yet, Jesus referred to what would happen to them during
the Seventh Trumpet Judgment as the GREATW Tribulation.
At and around the same time the trumpet sounds, six major events will
also happen.
1. Somewhere in that time period, the anti-Christ will declare
himself to be god. \\#2Thess 2:3-4\\
2. Then the Jews will turn to Christ. \\#Romans 11:26\\
3. The anti-Christ will break his treaty with the Jews.
\\#Daniel 9:24-27\\
4. He will then commit the abomination of desolations (the
defilement of the Jewish temple and the nation of Israel).
\\#Matthew 24:25\\
5. Then he will begin to persecute the Jews and Christians.
\\#Dan 7:25\\
6. Wise Jews will obey Jesus and flee the mountains to hide until
Jesus returns. \\#Luke 21:21-24\\
All of those events will take place on the earth. Our text is
describing what will happen in heaven. Remember, it is not earth’s
events that influence heaven, but heaven’s events that influence the
earth.
Rev 11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold,
the third woe cometh quickly.
15 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.
I. \\#11:14-15\\ The Notice Is Served
A. A Time is Given
Rev 11:14 …the third woe cometh quickly.
1. It seems to be a little strange to say that when
immediately after that statement, in verse 15, the Bible
says…
Rev 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded….
a. Why say it is coming quickly then record it happening
in almost the same breathe?
b. I don’t believe God is as much telling us that the
3rd woe will come quickly as He is telling us that
the events of the 3rd woe will happen quickly.
2. I know many of us are already reeling at the speed at
which this world is moving away from God; but the Bible
makes it clear, once these events begin, they will come
ever quicker.
Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this
generation shall not pass, till all these things
be done.
3. Jesus made it clear, that once we cross a certain
threshold, everything will be fulfilled within one
generation.
4. Some believe that threshold was Israel becoming a nation
in 1948.
a. If so, everything God has promised might be fulfilled
within another 20 years.
b. You ask, "Preacher, do you think that is the
threshold?"
c. I am thinking it sure could be.
B. A Transfer is Given
Rev 11:15 …"The kingdoms of this world become
the kingdoms of our Lord….
1. This verse is speaking of rulership not ownership.
a. God has always been the only owner of His creation.
b. He has never given ownership away.
Exodus 19:5 …for all the earth is mine:
Psalms 89:11 The heavens are thine, the earth
also is thine: as for the world and the fulness
thereof, thou hast founded them.
c. Whenever the Bible speaks of Satan’s authority on the
earth, it always refers to him as a "prince," never
a king or master.
(1) \\#John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11\\
(2) \\#Eph 2:2\\
d. Why? Because the devil has never owned this world.
2. However, God did give rulership or dominion or authority
away.
a. \\#Ge 1:28\\ God gave authority to Adam
b. In Genesis 3, Satan usurped authority from Adam. He
stole it!
c. But at the cross, Jesus redeemed everything lost by
Adam.
3. Since then, Jesus (God) has been Owner and Lord over all
things, but He has let the devil continue to manage this
property.
4. When the Seventh Trumpet sounds, the notice to evict the
devil from this planet will be served on Satan.
a. Satan’s eviction won’t happen all at once. Again, it
will take 3 1/2 years.
b. And Satan will not go willingly, but he will go.
5. Maybe you wonder why God allows the devil to manage this
world?
a. The Bible does not say, but I believe it is to give
mankind a real choice.
b. God not only wants to have people who love Him, but
people who choose to love Him,
c. The only way that is possible is to have two choices
with two forces offering the choices to you.
(1) On the one side, God offers obedience and eternal
delight.
(2) On the other, the devil offers pleasure and
eternal death.
C. The Term Is Given
Rev 11:15 …he shall reign for ever and ever.
1. You and I are part of a very unique plan of God.
2. God has not only given us life but freewill.
3. I do not believe there will ever be another time like this
again.
4. Make your choice very carefully.
II. \\#15-17\\ The Reactions Are Recorded
A. \\#15\\ "great voices" rejoice in heaven.
1. I think that means all of the original heavenly voices.
2. There is no way to know for certain because the Bible does
not actually tell us.
3. On earth everyone seems to want to be someone else, but
in heaven everyone seems to be content knowing that they
are what God created them to be, each different and
unique.
4. Those being described by this phrase do not take any
insult at being their own uniquely created selves.
5. They just praise God for who He is and what He is doing.
B. \\#16-17\\ The "four and twenty elders" also worship and
praise God.
Rev 11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which
sat before God on their seats, fell upon their
faces, and worshipped God,
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.
1. A part from the "great voices," the 24 elders praise and
worship God when the seventh trumpet sounds.
2. \\#Rev 4:4\\ The twenty-four elders were first mentioned.
a. We do not know for certain who they are but
speculation is they represent 12 tribes of Judah
(Jacob’s sons) and the 12 apostles.
b. Together they would represent the redeemed of all
ages.
c. The redeemed will always be able to sing songs that
heaven’s original hosts can never sing.
d. Can you imagine the shout that will ring out when all
of the saved from Adam to the rapture sing out to
praise and worship God at the news that Satan is
being evicted?
C. \\#18\\ But "the nations were angry."
Rev 11:18 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.
1. The world’s attitude changes during the Tribulation.
a. At the beginning the tribulation, they were fearful:
Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and
rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of
him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb:
b. Throughout the tribulation, mankind has been
unrepentant and defiant.
Revelation 9:20 And the rest of the men which
were not killed by these plagues yet repented not
of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils, idols of gold, and silver, and
brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither
can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of
their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of
their thefts.
c. But now, they become rebelliously angry.
2. This is not a fleeting emotion.
a. It has been and will be the world’s predominant
attitude toward God.
b. The question is why? Why be angry at God and follow
the devil like you love him?
(1) The devil has never treated the world right.
(2) He is a slum lord, a child molester, a drug
dealer, a pimp kingpin, a murderer, and a mob
monarch.
(3) He has abused this world in every fashion
imaginable, but the world loves him and follows
him blindly.
(4) Why?
(5) It is because the devil gives the illusion of
pleasure to his victims while God warns of the
consequences of making the wrong choice.
(6) Satan’s followers are enslaved and abused; but
they think they picked the poison they are
drinking, and they think it is fun so they keep
on drinking it.
III. The Payment Is Displayed
A. A few minutes ago, I said God gave authority to Adam, Satan
usurped it, and Jesus redeemed all that had been lost at the
cross. Now,, at the seventh trumpet, the eviction notice is
being served.
B. However, no one is going to give up rulership of a whole
planet without seeing the proof that the payment has been
made.
C. So God shows the devil, the redeemed, the world, and the hosts
of heaven the price that was paid.
Rev 11:19 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.
D. The door to the heavenly temple is opened. Why?
1. Because in the heavenly temple is the heavenly Ark of the
Covenant.
2. On the heavenly Ark of the Covenant is mounted the
heavenly Mercy Seat.
3. On the heavenly Mercy Seat is the blood that Jesus Christ
shed for our sins.
4. In that blood is enough forgiveness to wash away every sin
every human being as ever committed.
E. As the Notice to Evict is being served, God opens up the door
so the devil can see the payment for himself.
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