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victory in the future

Revelation 11:1-19

Revelation 11:1 Then I was given a measuring reed like a rod, with these words: “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there.
Revelation 11:2 But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the sacred city for forty-two months.
Revelation 11:3 I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”
Revelation 11:4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the land.
Revelation 11:5 If anyone wants to wrong them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies; if anyone wants to wrong them, he must be killed in this way.
Revelation 11:6 They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the land with every plague whenever they want.
Revelation 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the wild animal that comes up out of the depthless place will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them.
Revelation 11:8 Their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city, which figuratively is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
Revelation 11:9 And some of the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb.
Revelation 11:10 Those who live on the land will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the land.
Revelation 11:11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
Revelation 11:12 Then they heard a loud voice from the sky saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to the sky in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.
Revelation 11:13 At that moment a violent earthquake took place, a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand humans were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of the sky.
Revelation 11:14 The second woe has passed. Notice, the third woe is coming quickly!
Revelation 11:15 The seventh agent blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in the sky saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ages and ages.
Revelation 11:16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God,
Revelation 11:17 saying, We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your slaves the prophets, to the devotees, and to those who fear your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the land.
Revelation 11:19 Then the temple of God in the sky was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, an earthquake, and severe hail.

victory in the future

The age in which we live is often one where the people of God and the word of God are in conflict with the kingdom of the world. This chapter reveals that – in the future – that will change. When the seventh trumpet blows, the “kingdom of the world (will become) the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (15).

THere is both persecution from man and protection from God in this chapter, but the most important truth revealed is that the victory will eventually come. The time given for the nations to trample the holy city is limited. The future victory is certain.

LORD, give us strength to endure whatever we might face as we witness to your gospel. We know that the victory you promise is sure.