SDA Bible Commentary on Revelation 11:19
Ark of his testament. The ark in the typical sanctuary was the depository of the Ten Commandments, God’s immutable moral law for all men in all ages. No believer in God in Jewish times could think of the ark without becoming immediately conscious of the Ten Commandments. John’s vision of the ark above argues eloquently that in earth’s last hours God’s great moral law is to be central in the thinking and in the lives of all who seek to serve God in spirit and in truth (see on chs. 12:17; 14:12; cf. GC 433).
Lightnings, and voices, and thunderings. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:18).
An earthquake. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:18, 19, cf. on ch. 11:13).
Great hail. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:21).
Evangelicals don’t believe any of it, of course. No law, no ark, no covenant...NO 10 COMMANDMENTS, no judgment after OSAS. John didn’t know what he was talking about? How could he, when the law was nailed to the cross AND FULFULLED BY CHRIST. That’s what the Evangelical pastors keep saying, right? Revelation 11:19 clearly says otherwise.
Break and teach is what they do.
Matthew 5:17Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
It’s bizarre.....John sees the ark of the covenant which contained the 10 commandments in heaven. Even the same language when the 10 commandments were given on earth...he sees AND HEARS in the heavenly sanctuary......”lightning and thunder.”
And all in the Sanctuary where JUDGEMENT took and takes place.
If people would read the Bible for themselves and study it and pray over it.....instead of letting their priests and pastors do their thinking for them.....they too would be amazed by this Book of God. And they would realize not one jot or tittle of the moral law, the 10 commandments has changed. And that there is a judgement.
God is going to judge every single Christian who claimed his name. Peter said “Judgement begins with the house of the Lord.” Jesus said every word will be brought into the Judgement...either good or bad.
Daniel 7 details this judgement scene. The “court was seated and the books were opened.” And a throne with “Fiery wheels”....obviously MOVEMENT in the heavenly Sanctuary.
From the holy place to the most holy place and the judgement hour is NOW. and part of this judgement will include final justice for the little horn of Daniel 7. This fake counterfeit Christian power and all she did....the horrors of so many innocents....millions. She gets wine of the wrath of God this time......Her wrath is described in Revelation.....when she had her power. Then God’s wrath to deal with her.......
God doesn’t remember confessed sins......but his memory is perfect on unconfessed and unrepentant sins. Especially gross sins.......Come out of her my people. You don’t want to be even around her when he metes out his punishment....stand clear.
Ark of his testament. The ark in the typical sanctuary was the depository of the Ten Commandments, God’s immutable moral law for all men in all ages. No believer in God in Jewish times could think of the ark without becoming immediately conscious of the Ten Commandments. John’s vision of the ark above argues eloquently that in earth’s last hours God’s great moral law is to be central in the thinking and in the lives of all who seek to serve God in spirit and in truth (see on chs. 12:17; 14:12; cf. GC 433).
Lightnings, and voices, and thunderings. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:18).
An earthquake. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:18, 19, cf. on ch. 11:13).
Great hail. As under the seventh plague (ch. 16:21).
Very interesting. Thank you for posting this. I'm always interested in what biblical scholars from faith traditions other than my own have to say about certain passages of Scripture. Here are a couple of commentaries on this verse from Catholic sources:
11:19 ark of his covenant: The throne of God in the heavenly temple. From its base issue divine judgments symbolized by violent thunderstorms and earthquakes (4:5; 16:17-18). • John sees the heavenly counterpart to the ancient ark where Yahweh sat invisibly enthroned in the sanctuaries of Israel (2 Sam 6:2; Is 37:16).
(Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)
11:19. The seer introduces the heavenly temple (the location par excellence of God's presence), paralleling the earlier mention of the temple of Jerusalem (cf. 11:1-2). The opening of the temple and the sight of the Ark of the Covenant show that the messianic era has come to an end and God's work of salvation has been completed. The ark was the symbol of Israel's election and salvation and of God's presence in the midst of his people. According to a Jewish tradition, reported in 2 Maccabees 2:4-8, Jeremiah placed the ark in a secret hiding place prior to the destruction of Jerusalem, and it would be seen again when the Messiah carne. The author of the Apocalypse uses this to assure us that God has not forgotten his covenant: he has sealed it definitively in heaven, where the ark is located.
Many early commentators interpreted the ark as a reference to Christ's sacred humanity, and St Bede explains that just as the manna was kept in the original ark, so Christ's divinity lies hidden in his sacred body (cf. "Explanatio Apocalypsis", 11, 19).
The heavenly covenant is the new and eternal one made by Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 26:26-29 and par.) which will be revealed to all at his second coming when the Church will triumph, as the Apocalypse goes on to describe. The presence of the ark in the heavenly temple symbolizes the sublimity of the messianic kingdom, which exceeds anything man could create. "The vigilant and active expectation of the coming of the Kingdom is also the expectation of a finally perfect justice for the living and the dead, for people of all times and places, a justice which Jesus Christ, installed as supreme Judge, will establish (cf. Mt 24:29-44, 46; Acts 10:42; 2 Cor 5: 10). This promise, which surpasses all human possibilities, directly concerns our life in this world. For true justice must include everyone; it must explain the immense load of suffering borne by all generations. In fact, without the resurrection of the dead and the Lord's judgment, there is no justice in the full sense of the term. The promise of the resurrection is freely made to meet the desire for true justice dwelling in the human heart" (SCDF, "Libertatis Conscientia", 60).
The thunder and lightning which accompany the appearance of the ark are reminiscent of the way God made his presence felt on Sinai; they reveal God's mighty intervention (cf. Rev 4:5; 8:5) which is now accompanied by the chastisement of the wicked, symbolized by the earthquake and hailstones (cf. Ex 9: 13-35).
(Navarre Catholic Bible Commentary)