Earth's Woe is Heaven's Joy
What in the World is Going on? • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Let’s begin this morning by reading Revelation 11:15-19 together...
The scene before us is in heaven, as is clearly described in these verses.
When the seventh trumpet sounds it brings not another judgment on earth, but causes that rejoicing should occur in heaven.
In revelation 8 the angel promised three woes upon the earth. The first two accompanied the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpets that brought with them demonic creatures upon the earth and terror like never before seen. The seventh trumpet is the third woe, and while it doesn’t appear to bring a judgment on the earth we can tell that it will be terrible for those on the earth by the response of those in heaven! I’ve entitled this message, “Earth’s woe is Heaven’s joy”
Right now you’re thinking one of two things:
How can something that causes rejoicing in heaven bring woe to the earth? or,
How can such woe (grief) on earth bring rejoicing in heaven?
Some would say that is “wrong for the people in heaven to rejoice when those poor innocent people on the earth are about to go through such a terrible time.”
Church, there are no innocent people anywhere. Romans 3:23 “23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
I want to share with you some reasons why earth's woe leads to rejoicing in heaven. It leads to rejoicing because...
Victory is Declared 15-17
Victory is Declared 15-17
The seventh of trumpet of the trumpet sounds and immediately there is recorded the sound of “great voices in heaven”…what are they saying? They are declaring victory over the enemy, before the tribulation is even finished! Victory is declared for the following reasons:
The End is Near
The phrase, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord” is important
Let it be known that the word kingdom is in the original language singular, therefore it should be read, “the kingdom of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord.
However, the way it is translated does not take away from the meaning!
To whom does the “kingdom of the world” belong to today? Satan.
If you will remember, in Luke 4:5-7 “5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.”
There the word is “kingdoms” plural, just as it reads in Revelation 11. The idea being that Satan is the ruler of the world, that the offer to Jesus was a genuine offer since the devil currently has control over the “kingdoms”
Let it be known that Jesus rejected the offer of Satan when he was tempted in the wilderness because He came not sit on a throne over small, divided, sinful kingdoms, but on a throne over HIS KINGDOM!
The sounding of the seventh trumpet is a warning signal to those who dwell on the earth, the followers of the antichrist that there time is up!
They have rebelled against heaven, they have killed the two witnesses, they are persecuting the Jews, but the end is near, and they cannot stop it!
We have entered the last half of the tribulation period and we are moving on into the “Great tribulation” the time of Jacob’s trouble
Here we will see that beast revealed and his plan for the world and his war against heaven and God’s people, but before we dive into the deep end we get to see this promise from God that the end is near!
The seventh trumpet brings woe to the earth, but rejoicing to heaven
Woe to earth because judgment is coming, but rejoicing in heaven because...
The King is Coming
The phrase, “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord” is in the aorist active indicative tense.
What does that mean?
This refers to an event that is so certain it is spoken of as if it has already taken place!
EX. Isaiah 53:5 “5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.”
Jesus had not yet died when the prophet wrote those words, in fact He ahd not even been born
Yet Isaiah could speak with all the authority of heaven, that Jesus one day would die for the sins of the world!
Aren’t you glad church that in the eyes of God, this is a done deal!
Satan may be the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air, but he’s on borrowed time!
He wants desperately to be king, but not only that, to be a god!
He will for a time, but not for all time!
The King is coming!
When Jesus comes to the earth at the end of the tribulation His reign will be...
For ever and ever.
Literally “From the ages of age”
That is there is no limit to the rule of Jesus!
This is emphasized by the elders, the representatives of the church in their worship
Church, we don’t need to be ashamed to worship God!
Don’t be afraid to raise you hand when the message or the song speak to your heart
Don’t be afraid to cry silently or to say amen out loud!
When the victory is declared the elders leave their thrones and fall on their faces to worship the King of kings without apology, without fear, and with all their heart!
They further emphasized their everlasting reign by their praise
They gave thanks to God because He is eternal
If God is eternal then there can be no end to His rule
Satan’s time is number, Jesus’ rule is endless!
They gave thanks to God because of His power
The word here is not the word for authority, though it is implied
The word power comes from the same word from which we get our English word, dynamite
This speaks of God’s omnipotence
God is unstoppable!
This will not stop Satan and his followers from trying to stop Him
The next nine chapters deal with their feeble attempt to bring God’s plan to a halt, but guess what:
God is still on the throne!
Someone wiser than me once said, “We don’t fight FOR victory, we fight FROM victory.”
Revelation 11 reminds us that the victory has already been declared. It also reminds us that the battle is not easy. We are going to see in the coming chapters that Satan goes on the offensive, and his attacks are brutal. Yet not only do we see victory declared, but we see that...
Vengeance is Promised 18
Vengeance is Promised 18
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.
We’re told in verse 18 the nations were angry. Does this surprise us? No, because it was predicted: Psalm 2:1-6
1 Why do the heathen rage, And the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, And the rulers take counsel together, Against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, And cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: The Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, And vex them in his sore displeasure. 6 Yet have I set my king Upon my holy hill of Zion.
The word anger = to be enraged.
Similar to the reaction we receive today when we tell a millennial that their feelings won’t kill them, or when you tell someone that there are only two genders.
Isn’t it funny, how the truth causes people to be enraged? For two thousand years the gospel message has been going out, compelling people to turn from their sin, and turn to Christ. Many have said, “I have no sin, and do not need your Christ.” They have set themselves against Him, and if the rapture happened to day they would go through the tribulation, they could possibly survive it and be alive when this trumpet is blown.
They would be witnesses of the miracles and the resurrection of the two witnesses of God, they would hear the proclamation from heaven, and they would be enraged by it.
The time is near. Jesus is coming soon, and when He comes for His church, the tribulation will begin. When it reaches the point we are looking at today there will be no hope for those who have rejected Him. It will be a time of:
Judgement
Verse 18 is looking beyond the mid point of the trib all the way to the end of the millennial kingdom.
At that time all those who rejected Jesus will be resurrected and will be judged for their rejection, cast into the lake of fire for ever.
Those who destroyed the earth, will be destroyed, but it will also be a time of...
Reward
Verse 18 contains a promise for those who are faithful
To be fair, the context is referring to the OT saints
Their judgment or reward will take place no at the end of the Millennium, but at its beginning.
They will be resurrected and will enter into the promised messianic kingdom
How do we know the reference is to the Jews?
Revelation 11:19 “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.”
The temple, the ark, the holy of holies were all given to Israel
The church is not promised a temple, our bodies are the temple
We will be in heaven when these events take place, not on the earth
Those OT saints will be rewarded for their faithfulness at this point, and more than that, their prayers for vengeance will be answered finally.
Conclusion:
In a few minutes we’re going to leave this place and go our separate ways. Before we part, let’s consider what this message means to us today. It means that it is always too early to quit.
I don’t know what you are facing right now, but I know that your trial is not bigger than your God. So, right now, remind yourself of the following:
God is on the throne. That means our victory is assured.
Jesus is coming soon. That means our troubles are almost over.
Eternity is long time to be wrong. That means you need to make sure of where you will spend eternity.
Let’s bow our heads for prayer, as Gwen and Todd make their way forward…pray
I wonder today, are you in a trial? I’ll not ask for any details, but I do ask your permission to pray with you, would you, by raising your hand today say, “Pastor, I’m in a trial right now and I just want you to pray for me.” If that’s you slip your hand up.
I wonder today if you’re struggling with not knowing for certain if you are saved? Do you right now have full certainty that if you died today that you’d be in heaven. If you can’t say that for certain, would you please be bold and raise your hand right now, by doing so you’re taking the first step in saying, “That’s me pastor, I don’t know for sure if I died today I’d go to heaven, but I know for sure I don’t want to go to hell.” would you raise your hand?