By Jim Poelman —May 26, 2021

Scripture Reading — Revelation 11:15-19

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah.” — Revelation 11:15

When our children were young, I sometimes used a “heads-up” call as I read a story to them. “Now listen carefully to what comes next,” I would say. I did this because some parts of a story are key to under­standing the whole.

As we read the story of the ­seventh trumpet call, we need to pay close attention and ­listen carefully. This part of God’s ­story is key to understanding who we are and what we are called to do in this world. As God’s witnesses, we need to know that God’s kingdom is advancing right now, even though it may seem at times that the world is thoroughly corrupt and controlled by the forces of evil.

This part of God’s story is shouted by “loud voices in heaven” and reinforced by the twenty-four elders seated around God’s throne. Listen carefully to what heaven announces: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

We need to listen carefully because heaven’s reason for rejoicing is often missed. In our everyday lives, we tend to think that God’s kingdom will come someday and that Jesus, the Messiah, will then “reign forever and ever.” But the announcement is not in the future tense. The ­seventh trumpet call an­nounces that God’s kingdom claims the kingdom of this world now. And this present reality ­changes everything for all who live by faith in Jesus.

Prayer

Jesus, please give us ears to hear that you are King, now and forever! Amen.

抬起头，注意听！

读经——启示录 11:15-19

“世界的国度已经成为我们主和祂弥赛亚的国度。” — 启示录 11:15

当我们的孩子还小的时候，我有时会在给他们读故事时使用“单挑”的方式提醒他们： “现在仔细听听接下来会发生什么，”我会说。我这样做是因为故事的某些部分是理解整体的关键。

当我们阅读《启示录》中天使第七次吹号的故事时，我们需要密切关注并仔细聆听。故事的这一部分是要了解我们是谁，以及我们被呼召在这个世界上做什么的关键。作为上帝的见证人，我们需要知道上帝的国度现在正在推进，尽管有时世界似乎已经彻底败坏并被邪恶势力控制。

这部分神的故事是由“天上的大声音”所呼喊，并得到坐在神宝座周围的二十四位长老的加强。仔细聆听天上的宣告：“世界的国度已经成为我们的主和祂弥赛亚的国度，祂要作王，直到永永远远。”

我们需要仔细聆听，因为常常会错过天上欢欣的理由。在我们的日常生活中，我们倾向于认为上帝的国度总有一天会到来，而弥赛亚耶稣会“永远作王”。但该宣告不是未来时态，第七次吹号宣告神的国度己经取代这个世界的国度。对于所有因信耶稣而活的人来说，这个当前的现实改变了一切。

祷告

耶稣，请让我们注意听，明白祢就是现在和永远的王！阿们