Revelation 11:19 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Revelation 11:19

Comments

The ark of the covenant was a chest which lived in the innermost part of the tabernacle and later in the same part of the temple, into which none could enter except the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement. It represented the presence of God with the children of Israel in their wanderings. Inside it was the Testimony that God gave to Moses, the ten commandments engraved on the stone tablets. Above the ark was the mercy seat, showing that in spite of the rigorous demands of the law, God would deal with his people in mercy if they came to this meeting place. The ark was a type of Christ, within whom is God’s law which he meticulously obeyed, but in whom we can find mercy if we come to God by him. The ark of his testimony could only be seen by the high priest once a year in olden times, but now it is seen by everyone. To believers it is the token of true fellowship and communion with God. They come to the mercy seat, to the throne of grace and they are received as children. But to unbelievers it is the token of final judgment, when God’s patience with sinners has ended and mercy is no longer extended. The tokens of judgment – the lightnings, voices, thunderings, earthquake, and hail – confirm this. Aaron was warned not to enter the holy of holies where the ark was situated except on the Day of Atonement, lest God appear and he die (Leviticus 16:2). But that is now the experience of the nations, who face the wrath of God. God’s invisibility is a token of mercy in harmony with his intention to create a day of grace during which sinners may plead for forgiveness. Men have rashly demanded that God show himself to them, but what they see when their wish is finally granted is a terrifying sight. Heaven’s secrets will now be uncovered but the lost will wish it were not so.

Application

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The temple of God is in heaven, not on earth as expected by those who look for a literal thousand-year millennium and a return of Christ to earth at the start of that period. The Premillennial understanding of chapters 4 to 19 is that they cover the period of the last seven years before the thousand-year reign of Christ on earth. This seven-years they see as the seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy. According to their scheme, the temple will be built by the Jews during this seven-year period, for ‘the renewal of their ancient sacrifices’. Are there then two temples of God, one on earth and another in heaven? During the Old Testament age of types and shadows, this was certainly the case, for at that time the priests served ‘the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount’ (Hebrews 8:5). Now, however, ‘We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; ² A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man’ (Hebrews 8:1-2). Our High Priest is in heaven and he serves in the heavenly temple. This is the true tabernacle or temple, which is not made with bricks and mortar by the hands of men, but built by God. When John sees the temple of God in heaven at a time when our High Priest ministers in heaven, there cannot be another temple on earth.

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Revelation 11:19 Commentary and Bible Study