What does Revelation 11:19 mean?
John reports in this verse that the temple in heaven opened, and he saw the ark of the covenant in the temple. In Old Testament times the ark symbolized God's presence. It contained the tablets of the law, an urn of manna, and Aaron's rod that budded (Hebrews 9:4). The ark disappeared during the Exile, but it never lost its significance. The appearance of the ark in heaven indicates that's God's presence and protection continue for His people. Wars and earthly calamities cannot destroy the ark's significance. Similarly, no power on earth can rob believers of the presence and protection of their Lord. Hebrews 13:5 holds Jesus' promise: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Because of His promise, the writer of Hebrews writes in verse 6: "So we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'"At the end of the trumpet judgments, powerful phenomena accompanied what John heard and saw in heaven. These same phenomena occurred at the end of the seal judgments (Revelation 8:5). It seems all nature gave its "amen" to what God was doing.