At the blowing of every previous trumpet (in response to the prayers of the saints!), events occurred on earth that were destructive to human life. With the sounding of the seventh trumpet events also occur on earth that are destructive to human life (Revelation 12:1–17). But this time John first records a heavenly response to the trumpet, one of triumph and exaltation, and thus of great encouragement to John and his readers on earth. God spells out that the overriding theme of the trials described in coming chapters is one of divine victory over Satan and his demons, and so of security for God’s people. Christ Jesus sits triumphantly enthroned over the kingdom of the world and so every detail of events throughout the New Testament era, no matter how threatening, is securely under his feet. The devil is not king!
The twenty-four elders’ prayer of thanksgiving in the face of what they know will occur as recorded in Revelation 12:1–17 and Revelation 13:1–18 underlines Paul’s instruction to the Thessalonians: Give thanks in all circumstances
(1 Thessalonians 5:18). The great enmity of the devil and the fierce rage of the nations simply never justify a mood of discouragement and despair in the church of Jesus Christ.
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”