Reading Revelation 11:15-19. The Ultimate Mic Drop: God's Kingdom Reigns Now!
- Thad DeBuhr
- May 30
- 7 min read
Do you ever feel like Christian teaching about heaven and "getting raptured out" of this world misses something vital? Many of us have been taught that God's ultimate plan is to rescue us from a broken earth and take us to a distant, ethereal heaven. But what if that popular idea, while comforting to some, is a profound misunderstanding of God's true intentions as revealed in Scripture? What if, instead, the Bible clearly shows us a God who is actively breaking through the veil between heaven and earth, not to abandon His creation, but to reclaim it, restore it, and finally deal with all the forces of chaos and destruction once and for all?
Setting the Scene: Suffering love wins!
Today we're looking at a part of the Bible that feels less like a quiet walk in a park and more like a huge, booming concert with the ultimate "mic drop" moment: Revelation 11:15-19. You might think this big announcement of God taking over would be at the very end of the Bible, and you'd be partly right – there are similar powerful scenes later on. But putting it here reminds us that the book of Revelation isn't a simple story that just moves from one event to the next in perfect order. Instead, it shows us different angles of one huge, important truth: God, through Jesus, is setting up His rule right in the middle of all the world's problems.
Think of Revelation like you're looking through a kaleidoscope. At first, you hold it up to your eye and look in to see a fascinating scene. You pause for a moment to study the shapes and colors. Then, you give it a little twist, and the scene changes. Suddenly, before your eyes, the colors have changed, and the shapes are different but familiar. Another twist brings more of the same. While the view changes as you twist it, the actual content is always the same, you're just seeing it differently as you shift it around. I get a sense that this is similar to what John is experiencing and sharing with his audience. Same content, described differently as he sees different angles or views of it all.
The book of Revelation, much like another Bible book called Daniel, is really all about God's kingdom. But this idea has been badly misunderstood by many Christians. The common mistaken idea is that God's kingdom is only "Heaven"—a place far away from our messy world, a place people go to after they die. This thought that God just wants to save people from earth and bring them to heaven misses the whole point. Revelation powerfully shows that this popular idea is wrong. God's kingdom isn't just for heaven; He made the whole world, and His main goal is to take back and fix His entire creation, making it beautiful and perfect again, just like it was before human rebellion messed it up. This, surprisingly to some, is also the main message of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) too!
The confusion often comes from the book of Matthew using the phrase "kingdom of heaven" while other Bible books use "kingdom of God." Matthew, who was writing to Jewish people, used "heaven" as a respectful way to refer to God's name, which was a common Jewish custom. It was never meant to suggest that God's true kingdom is only in heaven and that earth is just some temporary testing ground.
Here in Revelation 11, it's super clear: the living God is directly challenging the powerful forces of the world, announcing that He is now in charge. And how does He rule? Through His Anointed One, Jesus, who is also called "the Lamb." The message is powerful and often hard to accept: "Love that suffers wins everything." History proves this is true. The early followers of Jesus, facing intense beatings, torture, and death from the Roman Empire, actually grew the most during those times. As one early leader famously said, "The blood of those who die for their faith is the seed of the church." This truth has been shown to be real again and again throughout history.
Now, what's left is for God to destroy those who destroy the earth. This is the real meaning of God's judgment. Too often, judgment is seen as only negative or destructive, stopping people from getting what they want. This is a big lie. God's judgment is how the Creator, in His goodness, responds to everything that ruins His creation. His deep plans, hinted at earlier in chapters 4 and 5, are for His beautiful creation to be saved from evil, from things that go against creation, and from chaos. It's time for death itself to die.
This part of Revelation shows a huge shift, a moment when the earth itself seems to shake at the power of what's happening in heaven. For the only time in the whole book, John tells us that God's special building in heaven was opened, showing His throne room filled with a victorious song. And then, in a dramatic way, "the ark of his agreement appeared inside." Jewish people had long wondered about the return of the ark, which was an old symbol of God's promise to His people. Its appearance here means that God has absolutely kept His promises. He said He would do it, and now, He has done it. He has taken His great power and started to rule.
There's more to this Reading Revelation 11:15-19 STUDY GUIDE
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN FURTHER FOR:
Questions to chew on and discuss (or for your journal)
A Journey Group Discussion Starter (use in your small group time)
Modern Day Application Ideas
Want to watch the video version of the Daily Bible Podcast Episode that corresponds to this blog post? Here you go!
Questions for You to Chew On and Discuss
How does understanding that Revelation shows different sides of God's kingdom, instead of just a straight timeline, change how you see the book as a whole?
If God's kingdom is about taking back and fixing the whole world, not just saving people to go to heaven, how should that change what's important to us and what we do as Christians right now?
The Bible says, "Love that suffers wins everything." How have you seen this idea play out in your own life or in the world around you? Why do you think this message is often "unwelcome" or hard to hear?
Journey Group Discussion Starter
Think about the idea that God's judgment is about destroying those who destroy the earth. How does this change your understanding of God's judgment from something that's just punishment to something that actually fixes and restores creation?
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Modern-Day Application: Go from "reading Revelation" to applying the lessons and principles:
This passage tells us to completely change how we think about God's kingdom. Instead of just waiting to be "taken away" from a broken world, we are called to be active players in fixing it. Here are a few ways we can put these ideas into practice:
Embrace suffering love: The early church didn't just survive persecution; they often grew because of it. When we are willing to love, serve, and tell others about Jesus, even when it's hard or costly, it's a powerful force for God's kingdom. Look for chances to show Jesus' love in tough situations.
Invest in creation: If God cares about taking back His whole creation, then we should also care about the well-being of the earth and everyone in it. This can mean taking care of the environment, speaking up for fairness, and working to help those who are suffering.
Live as kingdom citizens now: Don't wait for heaven to experience God's rule. Live now as if God is king over everything, letting His values of fairness, peace, and love guide your daily choices and interactions. Challenge the idea that this world doesn't matter or that it's just something to escape from..
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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We've journeyed through the Bible, verse by verse, for over 15 books now! We take each passage and break it down into easy-to-understand chunks of plain English. Along the way, we uncover fascinating historical details and explore the cultural context, truly bringing the scriptures to life in a way that resonates. Forget dusty footnotes and words that send you reaching for a thesaurus – we make God's Word approachable and meaningful for everyone. And because we know you're eager to dig even deeper, make sure to subscribe to the Daily Bible Podcast and catch the video podcast each day that complements these blogs!
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