Revelation 11:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

"And Your wrath has come, and the time to judge the dead, and to give reward to Your servants, the prophets and saints, and to those who fear Your name, small and great. And to destroy those who destroy the earth." This points to the time of the resurrection of the dead, when recompense will be given to each according to his works. By prophets, saints, and those who fear God, one should understand three degrees of people: those who bear fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold. The Apostles will inherit the first place and the twelve thrones. By small and great, we think, are meant either the lesser and higher saints, or the small as sinners humbled in the life to come, and the great as the righteous.

It is said that when the voice was heard, the elders worshiped God, offering their thanksgiving, and said: “We thank Thee, O Lord God Almighty, Who art and Who wast.” “Who art and Who wast” should be referred to the Holy Trinity. Yet “Who art” most fittingly corresponds to the notion of the Father, and “Who wast” to the Son, since “Thou art” is true of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We do well when we say, “Who art,” meaning the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Therefore the thanksgiving of the elders is offered to the Holy Trinity.

In truth, though the impious rose up, You ruled from the beginning of time. Now You, the Judge, have suppressed their malice, and it has vanished. "The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble" (Ps 98:1). "The time to judge the dead and to give reward," and so forth. This accords with the order of the Gospel narrative. First all men are gathered before the Judge. Then those found on the right are placed in the many mansions in the Kingdom of the Father. The impious are cast out from the borders of the Kingdom and handed over to the fire of condemnation.

Men always agree in one thing: to persecute those who bear witness to the truth. But the dread Judgment of God is not far from such people.