“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” — Revelation 11:15
The book of Revelation gives us this glimpse of what is still to come. Here in chapter 11, the seventh trumpet sounds, and heaven erupts in ecstatic worship: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah.” However, for today, I just want us to notice the verb “has become.” From the vantage point of John’s vision, from Heaven’s vantage point, the reign of Christ is so certain and so unstoppable that it is spoken of as already finished. But on earth, we know—we’re not there yet.
Right now, kingdoms still rise and fall. Rulers, power brokers, Presidents, dictators, Kings, & Queens still vie for influence. Meanwhile, injustice keeps spreading. Tears still flow. Suffering still stings. We live in a world where sickness, disease, war, and death still rob us of those we love. We are reminded daily that we are not yet living in the reality that we long for. This is because Revelation 11 is a reminder and a proclamation: what is now is not what always will be.
One day…
The trumpet will sound, and the reign of Christ will be revealed in full.
Every tear will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4).
All mourning, crying, suffering, and pain will be no more because Death will be defeated.
The kingdoms of this world finally submit to the reign of the true King.
Until that day, we live in the tension between reality and hope. We grieve what is broken, but we hope in what is certain. Although we struggle with sin and sadness, we trust in the victory already secured at the cross. We live in the “not yet,” but we fix our eyes on the “one day.”
What part of your life right now reminds you that the kingdom has not yet come in its fullness? Where do you see glimpses of the “not yet” in the midst of this reality? How can you hold that tension with hope in the certainty of Christ’s coming reign?
Josh Rose
Family Pastor