The Last Trumpet

Rev. 11:15-19 NLT  

   15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
     “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
         and he will reign forever and ever.” 

   16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. 18 The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy  all who have caused destruction on the earth.” 

   19  Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.

Other New Testament scriptures speak of the events taking place "at the last trumpet." That sound signals the rising of the Christian dead and the translating of the Christian saints to meet the Lord in the air. This reunion is preparation for the grand return of Christ to earth in setting up the Kingdom of God and destroying all evil. John's revelation also sounds a last trumpet and this event comes with the announcement that we see in verse 15, the world no longer will be under the control and influence of Satan but will now belong to God. It always belonged to God but now God comes to take possession of it and depose the unlawful squatters-- Satan and evil. The event is so awesome that the 24 elders on thrones around God's throne fall to the ground in praise and and thanksgiving to God for bringing it all to a conclusion. The event brings about a sequence that will end in judgment and eternal punishment for the dead. Jesus often spoke about the living and the dead-- those saved from their sins through faith in Him and those presently dead in their sins because they refuse to believe.

The wrathful unbelieving humanity of the world will face the furry of perfect wrath, justified wrath, wrath they could have avoided if they would have surrendered and humbled themselves. Let us pray that no one whom we know ends up facing God's wrath. Let us pray that we can be lead by the Lord to reach out to those persons yet again in Christ's name and that the Holy Spirit will draw them to Himself as we obey the Lord and disciple in His name.

Your servant, in Christ's love

Dan

drdanelliott@gmail.com