June 22nd, 2026
by Lars Dahl
by Lars Dahl
The world seems to spin faster every day. Political upheaval, moral decline, global instability, it's easy to feel like everything is spiraling out of control. Yet, in the midst of our uncertainty, an ancient vision recorded in Revelation 11 offers a perspective that should anchor every believer's heart: **God's glory will not be ignored.**
The Power of Divine Witnesses
The eleventh chapter of Revelation introduces us to two witnesses who possess extraordinary authority. They have power to shut heaven so no rain falls, to turn waters to blood, and to strike the earth with plagues. These aren't comic book heroes or mythical figures, they represent God's testimony in a world that has turned its back on Him.
After three-and-a-half days of lying dead in the streets, something miraculous happens. The breath of life from God enters them, and they stand on their feet. Great fear falls on those watching. Then a loud voice from heaven calls out: "Come up here." They ascend in a cloud while their enemies watch in stunned silence.
This isn't just ancient symbolism. It's a powerful declaration that Jesus Christ will not be ignored forever.
Immediate and Unmistakable Response
What follows is immediate: a great earthquake strikes. A tenth of the city falls. Seven thousand people are killed. The precision is striking, not vague symbolism, but specific, measurable judgment. God's response is neither random nor coincidental; it's divine judgment connected to divine vindication.
Throughout Revelation, earthquakes signal God's intervention, His judgment, and His majesty. Even in wrath, God is precise and purposeful. The exact number of casualties underscores the seriousness and reality of divine judgment.
But here's what's remarkable: the remnant, those who remain, respond differently. Unlike the ungodly masses who have mocked and rejected truth, these few give glory to the God of heaven. Whether this represents genuine repentance or forced acknowledgment, the result is the same: God is publicly recognized.
A Choice We All Face
This brings us to a sobering reality: You can bow to Jesus now by grace, or bow to Him later in judgment. The apostle Paul wrote that one day "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" Philippians 2:10-11. The question isn't whether we'll acknowledge Him, it's when, and under what circumstances.
People can reject and mock the truth for a while, but not forever. The vision in Revelation shows us that God's plan moves forward steadily, regardless of human resistance. The second woe passes, and the third comes quickly. Judgment is not stalled. The end advances exactly as God has determined.
The Seventh Trumpet: A Kingdom Announcement
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, heaven erupts in proclamation: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" Revelation 11:15.
This is the announcement that every competing kingdom will be put down, every rebellious power overthrown. Jesus Christ will reign openly and forever over all. The phrase "forever and ever" emphasizes the eternal, unchallenged, unending rule of Christ.
Think about that for a moment. We're living in a time when it seems like darkness is winning, when evil appears to have the upper hand. But heaven's perspective is radically different. Even before the final battles are fought, heaven declares: the game is over, and God has won.
The Proper Response: Worship
The twenty-four elders, representing heavenly worship and the redeemed people of God, respond to this announcement by falling on their faces before Him. These are honored heavenly representatives seated on thrones, yet they get off their thrones to bow.
Their words carry profound weight: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned" Revelation 11:17.
Notice the language: "Lord God Almighty" emphasizes His absolute authority. "The One who is and who was and who is to come" points to His eternal nature, He's not trapped in time; He rules over all of it.
When they say God has "taken" His great power and reigned, they don't mean He was previously powerless. Rather, this is the moment when He openly and decisively displays the reign that has always been His by right.
What This Means for Today
So where does this leave us? If we're honest, we sometimes feel shaken by politics, global instability, and moral decline. We wonder if God really has things under control. We question whether He's at work in our lives when things look grim.
This vision in Revelation anchors the heart with a crucial truth: Christians guided by the Holy Spirit do not put eternal confidence in temporary kingdoms.
God's power is not theoretical. He's not a distant spectator watching history unravel. He is the Almighty, actively working His purposes in ways we often cannot see.
Worship as Identity
Here's where this becomes deeply personal. If God is truly present, then worship is not about performance, personality, or who has the best voice. Worship is not about who raises their hands highest or who feels the most emotion.
Worship is the child of God recognizing the presence of the Father.
When we belong to Christ, we're not strangers trying to impress God. We are sons and daughters brought near by grace. We carry a new identity, a new family name, and a new spiritual nature. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
This means worship isn't just something we do on Sunday. Worship becomes part of who we are because the Father has put something of Himself in us. When a child knows who their Father is, something begins to change in them.
Living in Light of Eternity
The vision of Revelation 11 isn't meant to frighten us into submission. It's meant to reorient our perspective. In a world that feels chaotic and uncertain, we serve a God whose reign is absolute and eternal.
The kingdoms of this world are temporary. Political powers rise and fall. Cultural trends shift like sand. But the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ stands forever.
As we navigate the challenges of our day, let's remember: worship says, "Father, You are the center. I belong to You. Shape my heart until people can see Your nature in me."
The question isn't whether Christ will reign, heaven has already declared that settled. The question is: will we live today in light of that eternal reality?
The Power of Divine Witnesses
The eleventh chapter of Revelation introduces us to two witnesses who possess extraordinary authority. They have power to shut heaven so no rain falls, to turn waters to blood, and to strike the earth with plagues. These aren't comic book heroes or mythical figures, they represent God's testimony in a world that has turned its back on Him.
After three-and-a-half days of lying dead in the streets, something miraculous happens. The breath of life from God enters them, and they stand on their feet. Great fear falls on those watching. Then a loud voice from heaven calls out: "Come up here." They ascend in a cloud while their enemies watch in stunned silence.
This isn't just ancient symbolism. It's a powerful declaration that Jesus Christ will not be ignored forever.
Immediate and Unmistakable Response
What follows is immediate: a great earthquake strikes. A tenth of the city falls. Seven thousand people are killed. The precision is striking, not vague symbolism, but specific, measurable judgment. God's response is neither random nor coincidental; it's divine judgment connected to divine vindication.
Throughout Revelation, earthquakes signal God's intervention, His judgment, and His majesty. Even in wrath, God is precise and purposeful. The exact number of casualties underscores the seriousness and reality of divine judgment.
But here's what's remarkable: the remnant, those who remain, respond differently. Unlike the ungodly masses who have mocked and rejected truth, these few give glory to the God of heaven. Whether this represents genuine repentance or forced acknowledgment, the result is the same: God is publicly recognized.
A Choice We All Face
This brings us to a sobering reality: You can bow to Jesus now by grace, or bow to Him later in judgment. The apostle Paul wrote that one day "every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" Philippians 2:10-11. The question isn't whether we'll acknowledge Him, it's when, and under what circumstances.
People can reject and mock the truth for a while, but not forever. The vision in Revelation shows us that God's plan moves forward steadily, regardless of human resistance. The second woe passes, and the third comes quickly. Judgment is not stalled. The end advances exactly as God has determined.
The Seventh Trumpet: A Kingdom Announcement
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, heaven erupts in proclamation: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever" Revelation 11:15.
This is the announcement that every competing kingdom will be put down, every rebellious power overthrown. Jesus Christ will reign openly and forever over all. The phrase "forever and ever" emphasizes the eternal, unchallenged, unending rule of Christ.
Think about that for a moment. We're living in a time when it seems like darkness is winning, when evil appears to have the upper hand. But heaven's perspective is radically different. Even before the final battles are fought, heaven declares: the game is over, and God has won.
The Proper Response: Worship
The twenty-four elders, representing heavenly worship and the redeemed people of God, respond to this announcement by falling on their faces before Him. These are honored heavenly representatives seated on thrones, yet they get off their thrones to bow.
Their words carry profound weight: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned" Revelation 11:17.
Notice the language: "Lord God Almighty" emphasizes His absolute authority. "The One who is and who was and who is to come" points to His eternal nature, He's not trapped in time; He rules over all of it.
When they say God has "taken" His great power and reigned, they don't mean He was previously powerless. Rather, this is the moment when He openly and decisively displays the reign that has always been His by right.
What This Means for Today
So where does this leave us? If we're honest, we sometimes feel shaken by politics, global instability, and moral decline. We wonder if God really has things under control. We question whether He's at work in our lives when things look grim.
This vision in Revelation anchors the heart with a crucial truth: Christians guided by the Holy Spirit do not put eternal confidence in temporary kingdoms.
God's power is not theoretical. He's not a distant spectator watching history unravel. He is the Almighty, actively working His purposes in ways we often cannot see.
Worship as Identity
Here's where this becomes deeply personal. If God is truly present, then worship is not about performance, personality, or who has the best voice. Worship is not about who raises their hands highest or who feels the most emotion.
Worship is the child of God recognizing the presence of the Father.
When we belong to Christ, we're not strangers trying to impress God. We are sons and daughters brought near by grace. We carry a new identity, a new family name, and a new spiritual nature. As 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
This means worship isn't just something we do on Sunday. Worship becomes part of who we are because the Father has put something of Himself in us. When a child knows who their Father is, something begins to change in them.
Living in Light of Eternity
The vision of Revelation 11 isn't meant to frighten us into submission. It's meant to reorient our perspective. In a world that feels chaotic and uncertain, we serve a God whose reign is absolute and eternal.
The kingdoms of this world are temporary. Political powers rise and fall. Cultural trends shift like sand. But the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ stands forever.
As we navigate the challenges of our day, let's remember: worship says, "Father, You are the center. I belong to You. Shape my heart until people can see Your nature in me."
The question isn't whether Christ will reign, heaven has already declared that settled. The question is: will we live today in light of that eternal reality?
Lars Dahl
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