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.
Revelation 11:15–19 ends the parenthesis between the sixth and seventh trumpets. Christ is ready to take possession of the kingdoms of the world. This expectation causes the twenty-four elders to lie prostrate and give thanks to the eternal Lord. Soon He will judge the dead and reward His servants. The elders' praise is reminiscent of their praise in Revelation 5:8–10. The imminent judgment is executed in Revelation 20:10–15, and the rewarding of the Lord's faithful servants is described in 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. The apostle Paul associated the giving of rewards with Jesus' prophesied appearing.
This chapter continues the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments. John received a measuring rod and was told to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshipers. However, he was told not to measure the court outside the temple, because the Gentiles would overrun it for three and a half years. During that time, two divinely authorized witnesses would prophesy. They would have power to summon fire from heaven and to strike the earth with plagues. At the end of their testimony the beast from the pit will kill them and leave their bodies in a street in Jerusalem. But, three and a half days later, God will resurrect their bodies and draw them up to heaven. At that time a powerful earthquake will level a tenth of Jerusalem and kill seven thousand people. When the seventh trumpet sounds, loud voices in heaven proclaim Jesus as the possessor of the world's kingdoms, and the twenty-four elders praise Jesus as the Lord God Almighty who will begin to reign. He will judge the dead but reward His servants. The chapter ends with the opening of the temple in heaven.
