Revelation 11:15-18 - Homiletics

The seventh trumpet and the song which is to follow.

Although we have found manifold reasons why we cannot fix dates in interpreting the Apocalypse, we find equally manifest reasons for doing that which is of far more importance—even for indicating the principles which it discloses. The previous section taught us that the extent and limit of the Church of God are perfectly measured; that God will preserve for himself a succession of witnesses during the mysterious and protracted period of the Church's witness bearing; that at some time or other there would be such an onrush of evil as if a beast were let loose from the deep abyss; that, for a while, the witnesses would be silenced; but that God would interpose, and cause providence to work where prophecy had failed, until the last obstruction to the final triumph of the Church should be taken out of the way. Then the seventh trumpet shall sound; under that seventh trumpet the end should come; and following on the end there shall be heard heaven's triumphant song. We therefore regard the words from the fifteenth to the eighteenth verses inclusive as overleaping the rest of the book; as, in fact, retrospective, giving us a hint of the sublime satisfaction which all holy souls will feel, in the review of God's dealings, when all those events are accomplished which the remaining chapters are about to specify. Here we propose to indicate these only in briefest outline, as the several details will be hereafter dealt with one by one.

I. HOWEVER GLOOMY AND PROTRACTED THE PERIOD MAY BE THROUGH WHICH GOD 'S WITNESSES MAY HAVE TO PROPHESY , LIGHT WILL BREAK AT LAST . From Revelation 6:9 , Revelation 6:10 , and Revelation 8:3 , Revelation 8:4 , we see that a great burden of prayer has been for long, long years spread out before God, the cry of which is, "Thy kingdom come." In the verses before us we catch a glimpse of the time when this prayer shall have been fulfilled, and when the fulfilment will call forth a shout of praise (verses 15-18). And in the words of this song, which is sent up in praise to God on account of the conflict being at an end, we get an indication of what had happened ere the strife ceased, as they look upon the struggle from its further side; cf. verse 18, "The nations were angry"—the spirit of revolt against God rose to its height (Psalm it.)—"and thy wrath came;" i.e. its manifestation. In the kingdoms of olden time, when the cup of iniquity was full, the judgments of God came and swept them away. So it will be again. We nowhere get any warrant from Scripture for supposing that God will govern in a future age on any different principles from those on which he has governed in the past, or on which he governs now. But those principles will be manifested more dearly than they have been. "And the time of the dead, that they should be judged." This is spoken of as belonging to a bygone time. So that the passage brings us, by anticipation, to the other side of the judgment of the dead, actually past the dread scene in Revelation 20:11-13 . "And to give their reward to thy servants the prophets"—those who bore faithful testimony for God for the twelve hundred and sixty years, dad in sackcloth—"and to the saints"—to the holy ones who were in covenant relation to God by sacrifice—"and them that fear thy Name," "in every nation under heaven" (cf. Acts 10:35 ), "both small and great." All life's "poor distinctions" will vanish most utterly away in the light of the great white throne. "And to destroy them that destroy the earth." Those who destroy the earth by corrupting it with their sin, God will destroy by desolating with his judgments. This expression again overleaps the scenes of Revelation 12:1-17 :22, and includes all those wild and weird forms of ill which are referred to in the remaining eleven chapters of this book. These are:

When the decisive judgment on all these is over, then does Jehovah take to himself his great power, and reign. And then the four and twenty elders, seated on their thrones, as if associated with their Lord in regal state, and sharers in his triumphs, rejoice over the grand issue, when every enemy is still as a stone.

II. THE PARAGRAPH BEFORE US INDICATES NOT ONLY WHAT THE ISSUE WILL BE , BUT ALSO THE MAIN EVENTS WHICH WILL PRECEDE IT . (Verse 18.) (These will be found to be dealt with in the homilies on the passages indicated above. The order of those events will be found to be indicated in the homily on Revelation 22:20 .) These verses are, in fact, as stated above, an anticipatory summary of the whole.

III. WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS SEE THE ISSUE OF THE GREAT CONFLICT , THEY WILL BE FILLED WITH JOY , AND WILL GIVE VENT THERETO IN ADORING PRAISE . The results of the resurrection, of the judgment, and of the sentence, will perfectly satisfy all righteous souls ( Revelation 12:7 ). Let us note here that only righteous souls will be satisfied. No unrighteous man ever will be satisfied with what God does. Such will be speechless, because they know that God does only what is right, and the fact that a righteous administration condemns them can never bring them rest. So that it is not the fault of the administration if it brings torment to the ungodly, but of the ungodliness. But as for the righteous, even here they gave thanks at the remembrance of God's holiness; how much more will they do this when it

"... shall break thro' every cloud

That veils and darkens his designs"!

Then, with the clearer vision with which they will be endowed in their glorified natures, with the views of the manifold wisdom of God which the unfoldings of providence shall yield, with the glory of the Son of God unveiled before them without a cloud, when redemption's work is completed, when all the chosen are gathered, when the righteousness and love of God are perfectly vindicated, when all the ransomed ones are found as an unbroken unity at the feet of him who died for them,—then will the hallelujahs of the glorified rise up in holy song! All conflicts will be past, believers will be ushered into that rest which remaineth, and the "joy of their Lord" will be complete.

In conclusion:

1 . Let us not be astonished at any violent outbreaks of evil which may perplex and bewilder many. The Holy Ghost hath said, "perilous times shall come."

2 . Let us not judge of the progress of the work of God by the aspect of the world at any one moment. As reasonably might one think, when he watched the ebbing tide, that the sea was disappearing!

3 . Let us not forget, that however dark the avenues through which the Church of God may have to pass, yet

4 . However fierce the conflicts of our age may be, never let us falter in the witness which we bear for God and the right. Ours is a good fight. "In your patience possess ye your souls." The light will break at last.

5 . Finally, if we would be kept in perfect peace, let our minds ever be stayed on him who "rides upon the storm." In his own time he will say, "Peace, be still," and the tossing billows shall subside to an eternal calm.