Revelation 16:17

The sound of noise from the city! A voice from the temple! The voice of the LORD, Who fully repays His enemies! “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children. Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the LORD. “Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God. “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you who love her; rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her; that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.” (Isa. Isa. 66:6-11)

Even in the finality of the statement by God attending the pouring forth of the seventh bowl, the full effects of the judgment have yet to play out and will not be finally behind until we reach Revelation Rev. 20:4+. Even then, after the Millennial Kingdom, some cleanup operations remain. Satan will be loosed to lead the unfaithful in one last rebellion (Rev. Rev. 20:7-10+) which will be put down by God. The unbelieving dead will be resurrected, judged, and undergo the second death (Rev. Rev. 20:11-15+). The millennial heaven and earth will flee away (Rev. Rev. 20:11+) to be recreated (Rev. Rev. 21:1+) and then God will repeat this pronouncement in its absolute final sense—when death is no more and sin has been forever vanquished. “It is done!” (Rev. Rev. 21:6+). The eternal state has then begun.

Some may object to the interpretation of a statement of such finality found here by God as being other than that which ushers in the eternal state. Yet Scripture is clear that there are numerous “finishings” of God, depending on the task at hand: “So when Jesus has received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John John 19:30).

Notes

¹ At the sounding of the seventh trumpet, declaration is made of the eventual result of the completion of judgments, but the final judgments themselves remain future.