Rev 11:15-19 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 11:15-19: 11:15-19 The seventh trumpet (“the third terror,” 11:14 ; see also 9:12 ) presents a scene of final judgment and the eternal Kingdom. As in 7:9-17 , this scene provides a dramatic window into the ultimate Christian hope with God. In the midst of a picture of judgment, the reader is reminded of eternity with God. 11:15 Loud voices in the court of heaven sing a victory hymn; the earth has been transformed into the realm of our Lord and his Christ , who is enthroned as king forever .

Summary for Rev 11:15-19: 11:15-19 ^a The seventh trumpet (“the third terror,” 11:14 ^b; see also 9:12 ^c) presents a scene of final judgment and the eternal Kingdom. As in 7:9-17 ^d, this scene provides a dramatic window into the ultimate Christian hope with God. In the midst of a picture of judgment, the reader is reminded of eternity with God. 11:15 ^e Loud voices in the court of heaven sing a victory hymn; the earth has been transformed into the realm of our Lord and his Christ, who is enthroned as king forever.
Summary for Rev 11:16-18: 11:16-18 ^f The twenty-four elders, representing the people of God, confirm God’s victorious enthronement (see study note on 4:4). Their worship acknowledges God’s sovereign rule as the Almighty (see 4:10-11 ^g; 5:8-10 ^h).
11:17 ⁱ The thanksgiving prayer describes God as the one who is and who always was; the description “is still to come” (see 1:4 ^j, 8 ^k) no longer applies, because in this scene eternity has come and God has begun to reign.
11:18 ^l The nations were filled with wrath when they refused to do as God commanded (see Ps 2 ^m). But things will now be different because God’s wrath has come. God will reward his holy people (see Rev 22:12 ⁿ) with new life as his children (see John 1:12 ^o; 20:31 ^p).

• fear your name: God’s name implies his nature; fearing God’s name means accepting who he is (see thematic note for Fear of the Lord at end of chapter).

• The end of the age will be the time to destroy those who have not accepted God’s love (see John 3:16-20 ^q). They will go into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15 ^r). This doom of God’s enemies is the third and final terror (11:14 ^s).
11:19 ^t This verse provides a dramatic conclusion to the first half of Revelation and a link to the second half.

• In this scene, the Temple and the Ark are symbols of God’s presence; the earthly Ark was the copy of the design of the Ark in heaven (see Exod 25:40 ^u; Heb 8:5 ^v).

Thematic note: Fear of the Lord
As Moses is giving final instructions to the people of Israel prior to his death, he exhorts the people several times to “fear the Lord” (see, e.g., Deut 6:1-13 ^w; 10:12-21 ^x; 31:9-13 ^y). Joshua gives the same directive near the end of his life (Josh 24:14 ^z). Fear implies respect, awe, and at times, knee-knocking terror. Fear of the Lord encompasses a continual attentiveness to his sovereignty and power. For the Israelites to fear the Lord, it would mean an acknowledgment that everything needed for success comes from total dependence on God.
The main theme of Proverbs can be summed up in the ten words that appear near the beginning of the book: “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge” (Prov 1:7 ^aa). The fear of the Lord leads people toward humility and away from pride (3:7 ^ab; 15:33 ^ac). With such an attitude, people are more apt to listen to God than to their own independent judgment. Fear of the Lord recognizes God’s central place in the order of the world. God is the Creator and Master of all things. This is why Psalm 14:1 ^ad labels those who reject God as “fools”. Those who fear the Lord receive wisdom because they begin to understand that everything is under God’s rule and in his service. This is more than just an attitude; it is a way of living that takes into account God’s power and authority and our ultimate accountability to him.
Wisdom is closely connected to a proper relationship with God—both require choices in line with God’s character (see Job 28:28 ^ae; Prov 14:2 ^af; Eccl 12:13 ^ag). Do you want wisdom? Then you must enter into a relationship with the one who has all wisdom (see 1 Cor 1:1–2:16 ^ah; Col 2:3 ^ai).

Passages for Further Study
Job 28:28 ^aj; Pss 14:1 ^ak; 111:10 ^al; Prov 1:7 ^am; 3:7 ^an; 8:13 ^ao; 9:10 ^ap; 10:27 ^aq; 14:2 ^ar, 26-27 ^as; 15:16 ^at, 33 ^au; 19:23 ^av; 22:4 ^aw; Eccl 12:13 ^ax; Isa 11:1-2 ^ay; 33:6 ^az