Without Hope ... You'll Never Make It!
The Book that Promises a Blessing!
A study of the book of Revelation
by Pastor Frank Rice
Revelation 11:15-19
Whether a person’s hope is real or imagined, a person will find it very difficult to live without some sense that tomorrow will be a better day than this one, recovery is possible, escape will become a reality, and there is an end of sorrow in sight. God made us that way. Hope can be genuine or false, little or great, personal or political. It is the duty of a leader to inspire hope. God is our Leader! God, in the midst of chaos and confusion, provides a reason for His people to experience genuine hope and confidence. Believe Him.
I. Hope Is Inspired By An Announcement of Triumph (V. 15)!
v This announcement of triumph is rooted in OT scripture.
1. The LORD promised Abram and his descendents a land to call their own (Gen 12:1-3). It is literal, geographical, and political. In spite of all Israel’s failures, God has remained faithful to His covenant!
2. The kingdom spoken of in our text by the angelic choir is a probable reference to Psalm 2:1-6 where the rebellion of the nations will ultimately be crushed!
3. The kingdom is a recurring NT theme (Matt 6:10)! “It is the messianic kingdom that Jewish and NT expectation centered on, and it is that coming which is announced here.” (Osborne)
4. Peter was still curious about the kingdom in Acts 1:6-7! He understood fully that God will establish His reign… in His time!
5. “The sound of the seventh trumpet peels back the veil of heaven and introduces the reader to a heartening announcement.” (Patterson)
v This announcement of triumph is an evident answer to the prayers of God’s people (Matt 6:10)!
1. This is the event God’s people have anticipated!
2. Loud heavenly voices proclaim the ultimate triumph of God the Father and Christ His Son, the Messiah and Anointed One!
3. “The historical future tense conveys a sense of absolute certainty of the events mentioned.” This will take place!
4. There is a spiritual kingdom (2 Cor 4:4, Eph 6:12, Col1:13)!
5. Israel has been promised a physical kingdom (Ezek 28:25-26).
6. Those engulfed in the chaos, disorder, and despair of tribulation must be given HOPE. Their only hope lies in the promises of God, who cannot and will not lie!
7. Beware of rampant false hope, religiously, politically, economically, et al.
“Hope is a result of being able to see beyond the present chaos, confusion, and carnage, and catch a glimpse of God’s promises.”
II. Hope Is Instilled By An Anthem of Expectation (Vv. 16-18)!
v The anthem resounds from the twenty-four elder choir (v. 16).
1. This book is more about the character and the worship of our sovereign God than the future of man!
2. The 24 elders are “representative of the people of God, the 12 tribes of Israel, and the 12 apostles of the Lamb.” (Patterson)
3. The response of worshipers indicates their heartfelt gratitude and understanding of who God is and what He is doing!
v The thanksgiving anthem is directed to the Sovereign God (v. 17)!
1. He’s God Almighty, having and exercising irresistible power.
2. He’s the eternal God (Isa 57:15)!
3. He’s the all-powerful, uncontainable, uncontrollable God who utilizes His unlimited resources to establish His reign!
v The anthem concerns what will take place in the future (v. 18)!
1. Nations are in rebellion against God, if He exists (Ps 2)! They reject accountability and demand autonomy! Their anger and frustration is no match for God’s wrath!
2. More often than not, ”thumos” describes human anger and “orge” is reserved to describe “a settled disposition of God against all that corrupts and distorts His creation.” (Patterson)
3. What is described here is a heightened intensity! God gave man the earth on loan to exercise dominion, not use, abuse, and pollute. God is going to repossess His creation!
4. The elders anticipate the end of the tribulation and ultimate triumph of our God and the resurrection of OT believers.
5. “In a sense there has never been a time when all the cosmos, including the kingdoms of this world, have not belonged to the Lord. But there is also a sense in which, under the overarching rule of divine providence, satanic forces have been allowed to exercise limited sovereignty in the world. This is manifest continually throughout history through rogue nations, selfish and blood-thirsty dictators, and power-hungry expansionist nations.” (Patterson)
6. Those resurrected are described as servants, prophets, saints, and God-fearers, both significant & insignificant (Dan 12:1-3). Thy kingdom has come – a literal kingdom. The millennium is only the foyer of eternity!
7. At that time God will destroy those still alive who had participated in the demolition and destruction of His planet.
III. Hope Is Inspired By An Assurance of His Presence (V. 19)!
v God reveals what He’d previously revealed to Moses (Ex 25:40)!
1. The temple had always been a symbol of God’s presence and therefore a tremendous source of hope for His people!
2. The Ark of the Covenant, another symbol of His presence and His faithfulness to His promises, also spoke of His provision (manna), authority (rod), and His guidance (tablets).
3. The mercy seat was a symbol of His compassionate tolerance and love in not giving them what they deserved!
4. Even the noises are indicative of His presence!
v God, in the midst of chaos, confusion, and hopelessness, provides hope for His people! That’s who He is, the God of all hope, the Source of all genuine hope for those who run to Him (Rom 15:13)!
With a God like this, there is no excuse for hopelessness!