The Two Kingdoms-Rev 8:1-11:19

Revelation 8:1-11:19; Key Verse: Rev 11:15 (Read 11:15-19)

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.’”

Change of text and theme. Initially, I was going to preach on Revelation 8-9 covering the first six trumpets. My key verses was Rev 9:20-21 about how unrepentant and idolatrous sinful human beings are. I wanted to nail sinners for clinging to their idols which cannot save them. My title was “The Most Unpopular and The Most Disliked Message in the Whole Bible”–which is God’s sure and certain judgment on humanity’s sins and idolatries. But with such a punitive theme and title for my sermon I felt down and depressed all week. I could not come up with a proper outline for the sermon. I considered stopping Revelation altogether and preaching on something else. Two days ago, on Fri (9/27/13) I decided to add Revelation 10-11 and changed my title and my key verse. There is a long title and a short one. The short title is “The Two Kingdoms.” The long title is “The Kingdom of the World Becomes the Kingdom of Christ.”

Christ’s victory is a certainty. The theme of today’s text of four chapters on the seven trumpets is that the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of Christ (Rev 11:15). This is in keeping with the theme of Revelation, which is the victory of Christ and his church over Satan and his allies. This means that for all true Christians we know that it always ends well, no matter how bad it may be at present. The persecuted church in the first century and throughout the last 2,000 years would be greatly encouraged that their lives would end well and end gloriously when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of Christ. Is the certain reality of a good ending to your life real to you? Do you live in accordance with the knowledge of the certainty that it all ends well?

The kingdom of this world is fading… The coming of the kingdom of Christ also suggests that the kingdom of this world is an impotent counterfeit that can never deeply truly satisfy us. It is like a mist or a fog or a fleeting desire that will pass away someday (1 Jn 2:17a). It is like the grass and the flowers in the fields that we know will wither and fall (1 Pet 2:24). It is like my dear and lovely 12 year old cat, Leah, who will die one of these days. All the things of this world, as lovely and as desirous as they may be, are pointing to something that is beyond this world. The sooner that this is taken to heart, the sooner God will enable us to set our hearts aright and live aright.

I was made for another world. C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” In Surprised By Joy, Lewis writes of a desire of “almost sickening intensity.” He said, “it is that of an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction. I call it Joy, which is a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again. ..I doubt whether anyone who has tasted it would ever, if both were in his power, exchange it for all the pleasure in the world. But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is.” As a born again Christian, Lewis is describing that he is longing for “a kingdom” because this present kingdom is unable to satisfy. It is a kingdom that is yet to come, though it has already come with the first coming of Christ. This coming kingdom will only be fully consummated with the second coming of Christ.

First in, last out, laugh loudest. In the Chronicles of Narnia, King Lune said, “For this is what it means to be a king (a man, a Christian): to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land (as must be now and then in bad years) to wear finer clothes and laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.” How can we laugh loudly in times of hardship, pain, loss and difficulty? Only when we know that the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of Christ.

Bible verses for your contemplation about your life, your future and your eternal destiny:

• Eccl 3:11 says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Whether we are aware of it or not, our hearts long for eternity; our hearts long for the kingdom of Christ, which is forever. C. S. Lewis said, “All that is not eternal is eternally out of date.”
• Mt 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Money belongs to the kingdom of this world. Money, in itself, is clearly not evil or wrong. But the way we use our money would reveal whether our hearts are inclined toward the kingdom of this world or toward the kingdom of Christ.
• Mt 7:24-27 (the parable of the wise and foolish builders) also expresses clearly upon which foundation we are building our present lives. If we build our foundation on the kingdom of this world, it will crumble one day. But if we build our foundation on the kingdom of Christ, Scripture promises that it will endure forever.

What is the foundation upon which you are building your life? What kingdom are you building your life upon? The kingdom of this world which is perishing? Or the kingdom of Christ which is forever?

May God bless you to look forward to and to long for the day when the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of Christ.

The two parts of today’s sermon are:

1. The Kingdom of This World
2. The Kingdom of Christ

1. The Kingdom of The World: Under Judgment(The most unpopular message of the Bible)

• Devastation – Devastation of the world (Rev 8:6-12): The first four trumpets.
• Woe – Woe, woe, woe to those who reject God (Rev 8:13-9:19): The fifth and sixth trumpet.
• Idolatry – Refusal to repent of idolatry (Rev 9:20-21).

1. The Kingdom of Christ: Under Grace(Nothing can thwart the final victory of God)

• Prayer – The purpose of God is accomplished through the prayers of the people of God (Rev 8:1-5).
• Prophesy – The mystery of God will be accomplished (Rev 10:1-11): Take and eat the scroll, which is sweet and bitter.
• Power – The witness of the people of God, the church (Rev 11:1-14): God’s providence, provision and protection despite devastation and destruction
• Praise – God will reign (Rev 11:15-19): The kingdom of Christ is the final and ultimate reality of the people of God.

Short, simplified, snippets of the symbols:

• Seventh seal (Rev 8:1-5): introduces the seven trumpets.
• First trumpet (Rev 8:6-7): land.
• Second trumpet (Rev 8:8-9): sea.
• Third trumpet (Rev 8:10-11): land water.
• Fourth trumpet (Rev 8:12-13): lights [first four trumpets suggest natural calamities].
• Fifth trumpet (Rev 9:1-12): agony of the ungodly [suggests how much people suffer from sin and rebellion].
• Sixth trumpet (Rev 9:13-21): one third of mankind dies [the devastating result of sin and rebellion], yet idolatry prevails.
• Interlude: the angel and the little scroll (Rev 10:1-11) – God’s will will prevail.
• Interlude: the two witnesses (Rev 11:1-14) – God’s people, the church, will prevail amidst persecution and martyrdom.
• Seventh trumpet (Rev 11:15-19): The day of wrath upon the nations and the day of triumph for the people of God.

References:

1. Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation. Pillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company. 2001.
2. Morris, Leon, The Book of Revelation: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1987.
3. D. A. Carson: 26 Lectures on the Book of Revelation, 1995.

Notes:

God’s tender care amidst his severe judgments of the seven seals and the seven trumpets. When we studied the seven seals the title was The Horror of Judgement and the Glory of Salvation (Rev 6:1-8:5). The triple sevens in Revelation of the seals, trumpets and bowls (Rev 16:1-21) are predominantly descriptions of God’s judgment toward the world that rejects God. Yet despite God’s horrific and deserved judgments toward a world in rebellion against him (Jn 1:10-11), God’s utmost care and concern is for those who love, honor and worship God in the midst of such a world (Rev 6:9-11; 7:1-17; 10:1-11:19).

Seven trumpets. The trumpet judgments (Rev 8:6-11:18) follow the same pattern as the 7 seal judgments and the same time period–between Christ’s two comings, known as the church age, the last days, the thousand years and a time, a times and half a time. But their view is not that of the heavenly throne with the seals but from the perspective of the unbelieving inhabitants of earth. As a result of the prayers of the saints ascending to God’s throne, they face a series of judgments from God like those faced by the Pharaoh in Egypt.

6 trumpet judgments followed by an interlude or excursus (which is a lengthy, detailed appended exposition of a topic or point, or a digression) (as with the seals). Like the 7 seal judgments, when the 7 trumpet judgments run their course (with more intensity), God’s wrath is complete with the second coming of Christ.

View the same events from different perspectives, from a different angle. Watch a football game from one camera in the end zone, or through a wide angle lens at the 50 yard line, or through a camera zooming in for close-ups on each play (with a more intense look) might seem like watching a different game. This is very much like apocalyptic literature.

Each vision intensifies as it moves closer to the return of Christ (from seals to trumpets to bowls). History is racing towards its divinely appointed end–the second coming of Christ at the end of the age when the Father brings all things into submission under one head, Jesus.

The sounding of trumpets occurs throughout the biblical narrative: YHWH descending on Mt Sinai to give Moses the Law (Ex 19:16, 19); two silver trumpets summoned the people to assemble before the Lord outside the tent of meeting (Num 10:2-3); announcing the jubilee year (Lev 25:9); news of the king’s coronation (1 Ki 1:34); announcing the Day of the Lord (Joel 2); heralding the Second Coming on 3 occasions in the NT (Mt 24:31; 1 Cor 15:52; 1 Th 4:16). In Rev 8:2, “seven angels…given seven trumpets” harkens another OT event involving 7 trumpets–the fall of Jericho (Josh 6:2-21).

The city of man stands in the way of the new Jerusalem. When the 7th trumpet sounds, Jericho, the city of man, built in opposition to the kingdom of God (identified as Babylon the Great in Rev 17-18) falls to God’s judgment. As Jericho blocked the entrance to the promised land, the city of man stands in the way of the New Jerusalem. Like Jericho, Babylon the Great will fall to God’s judgment. “God’s temple in heaven…was seen the ark of the covenant” (Rev 11:19) is reminiscent of the priests sounding the trumpets at Jericho and the ark was present.

The prayers of the saints. Another OT connection is in Rev 8:3-5: “Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.” The prayers of the saints suffering on earth ascend to the throne and causes the angel to fill his censer with fire and throw it to the earth. It is the prayers of Christ’s church which lead to the downfall of the city of man. While the beast persecutes God’s people and the city of man seduces and exploits them, God hears their cries and will avenge them (Rev 8:6). Peals of thunder, flashes of lightning and the earthquake, remind us that the next cycle of judgment is about to begin.

God’s sovereignty in judgment. 6 of the 7 trumpets have parallels to the plagues of Egypt. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to display his glory to Israel and to his pagan magicians. So too, the coming destruction on the earth from the trumpet judgments are the outworking of God’s sovereign hand in response to the prayers of his people. As with Israel while in captivity in Egypt, God protects and preserves his people while he brings judgment upon his enemies.

Apocalyptic language is generalized, not specific. John is not depicting specifics like nuclear war, missiles, meteors or acid rain, but describing in broad general terms countless calamities–war, famine, economic hardship, plague, ecological disaster–which come on the world as a result of sin. These apocalyptic images are drawn directly from the OT. The purpose is not to prophetically foretell of modern technology of which John had no knowledge, but to say that as a result of the prayers of his people, God brings judgment on the earth while protecting his people from harm. The correct interpretive key is not the most recent prophetic book, but the OT. This is apocalyptic language, which is generalized and not specific.

The 1st trumpet mirrors the 7th plague on Egypt. “The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up” (Rev 8:7). Ex 9:23-24 says, “When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth.”

War. The seal judgments extended to 1/4th of the earth, but with the trumpets they increase to 1/3rd. Fire mixed with blood also recalls the 2st seal judgment-the red horse brings war on the earth (Rev 6:4). The first trumpet alludes to war and the damages of war.

The 2nd trumpet recalls the 1st plague on Egypt when the Nile turned to blood (Rev 8:8-9). “Something like” means to not to take him literally. The Roman world of John’s day knew of Pompeii’s destruction when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in A. D. 79, likely resulting in a fiery mountain wreaking havoc on the ships in the bay of Naples. This may be John’s description of those sea-based empires of the Mediterranean, like Rome dominating the commerce of the ancient world and persecuting Christ’s people. But God’s judgment will come on Babylon–beginning with Rome–and bring about her end. The Nile turned to blood ruining Egypt’s agriculture and commerce. So God will bring judgment upon the seas, restraining the domination of the city of man.

The 3rd trumpet echoes the first plague on the Nile and an incident from the Ex 15:25. While at Marah, Moses threw wood into bitter water and it became sweet. The opposite happens here. Wormwood–a plant with a strong bitter taste–is thrown into the earth’s water and it becomes bitter (Ex 8:10-11). Jer 9:15 help explain what John sees: “Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: `See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water.’” Jeremiah announces that the poisoning of the water–which brought death to certain Israelites, as well as famine by killing the vines and fig trees of Israel, is a direct judgment on Israel because of her gross idolatry.

The poisoning of the water is a judgment upon the idolatrous nations of the earth, typified by Babylon. This poisons and brings death. It points to famine and starvation. God brings judgment by causing what is pristine to become bitter and poisonous. The rivers and springs are no longer pure. Crops fail and vegetation shrivels and dries up. Bounty becomes famine.

The 4th trumpet parallels the 9th plague on Egypt–darkness (Rev 8:12). This judgment sounds like the cosmic signs associated with the 6th seal. But there are differences. In the 6th seal, the effects were universal and total. Here, it is limited to 1/3rd of the light. This is not the final judgment, but precedes the final judgment. The interpretive key is the OT. Ex 10:21 says, “Then the LORD said to Moses, `Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” God’s judgment on Egypt–three days of darkness–was localized. It humiliates and expose those who worshiped Ra, the Egyptian God of the sun. Cosmic events which appear throughout the course of the age are reminders that on the day of judgment yet to come, God will shake the cosmos–not one third of it, but all of it. God, not man, controls all things. God controls the earth and the harvest. He rules the seas and the skies. These judgments also remind us that one day God will make all things new.

Woe, woe, woe. After the fourth trumpet sounds, there are three more trumpet blasts to come (Rev 8:13). Unlike the first four trumpets, which are like the four horsemen of seal judgments and limited in scope, the final three trumpets effect all unbelievers. They describe in great detail the torments that await those who will not worship the one seated on the throne and the lamb. The eagle warns us three times, “woe be to the inhabitants of the earth!”

The first four trumpet judgments remind us that God hears and answers the prayers of his saints. Jesus taught us to pray, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jericho was destroyed on the 7th day on the 7th blast of the trumpet. So too, when the 7 trumpet judgments are completed on the last day, the city of man will collapse. Then the kingdoms of this world will have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ (Rev 11:15)! It is the prayers of the saints which bring down empires. God has given his people a great and mighty weapon in their struggle against Satan and the Beast–prayer. Amen!