15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
18 The nations raged,
but your wrath came,
and the time for the dead to be judged,
and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints,
and those who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
We have thus the sweep of Church history from the ascension of Christ to His Second Advent, leading up to this great climactic moment. Since this is a prophecy, and not merely a possibility to be considered, there are certain practical implications that must be faced. We must make ourselves ready for such an eventuality, and lay up the Word of God in our hearts, against the time when there will be no Churches to go to, and it will be punishable by death to have a Bible in our possession, let alone have organised diets of preaching. There must be many in China today who wish that they had learned far more of the Scriptures in their day of opportunity, before evil came upon them with such catastrophic completeness! The ancient Preacher of Jerusalem spoke more truly than he knew when he exhorted men to remember their Creator...'while the evil days come not'. Men so often leave it too late. Thus, finally, the last trumpet (15). In the closing verses of the chapter we have the assurance that the end of the story is glorious. Christ is Victor, and the final consummation is the opening of the Kingdom of heaven to all believers (19). It is what will come upon earth before that day that fills our hearts with such solemn fear. But in the same hour as the taking up of the Church (12) there is the great earthquake and the sounding of the trumpet of doom. Then we have, not a description of judgment (that comes more fully later in the book), but the glory-song of heaven, 'The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever'. It is little wonder that this magnificent spectacle should have inspired some of the greatest music ever written. Only the highest praise and purest worship could worthily express the glad exultation of this experience which is to be the crown of all the faithful's striving and enduring. To see Him take His great power and reign, Whose right it is - what joy and rapture this will be for those who have loved His Name and longed for His coming! 'Lo, this is our God', they shall say, 'we have waited for Him'. Blessed be His Name, forever and ever, Amen!