Revelation of John 11:18
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The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great— and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
the nations were angry--alluding to Psa 99:1, Septuagint, "The Lord is become King: let the peoples become angry." Their anger is combined with alarm (Exo 15:14; Kg2 19:28, "thy rage against Me is come up into Mine ears, I will put My hook in thy nose," &c.). Translate, as the Greek is the same. "The nations were angered, and Thy anger is come." How petty man's impotent anger, standing here side by side with that of the omnipotent God! dead . . . be judged--proving that this seventh trumpet is at the end of all things, when the judgment on Christ's foes and the reward of His saints, long prayed for by His saints, shall take place. the prophets--as, for instance, the two prophesying witnesses (Rev 11:3), and those who have showed them kindness for Christ's sake. Jesus shall come to effect by His presence that which we have looked for long, but vainly, in His absence, and by other means. destroy them which destroy the earth--Retribution in kind (compare Rev 16:6; Luk 19:27). See on Dan 7:14-18.
Open source ↗In this chapter we have an account, I. Of the measuring - reed given to the apostle, to take the dimensions of the temple (Rev 11:1, Rev 11:2). II. Of the two witnesses of God (Rev 11:3-13). III. Of the sounding of the seventh trumpet, and what followed upon it (Rev 11:14, etc.).
Open source ↗11:18 The nations were filled with wrath when they refused to do as God commanded (see Ps 2). But things will now be different because God’s wrath has come. God will reward his holy people (see Rev 22:12) with new life as his children (see John 1:12; 20:31). • fear your name: God’s name implies his nature; fearing God’s name means accepting who he is (see “Fear of the Lord” Theme Note). • The end of the age will be the time to destroy those who have not accepted God’s love (see John 3:16-20). They will go into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15). This doom of God’s enemies is the third and final terror (11:14).
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
Then He rebukes them in His anger, and terrifies them in His fury:
The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land.
Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed.