Revelation 11:19: And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Some scholars believe this verse should be part of Revelation chapter 12¹ because they say it begins a new vision of the church.² However, this verse is appropriately placed at the end of chapter 11 because it completes John's introduction to the Third Woe.³

The image of a temple in heaven symbolizes the sign of the Son of Man⁴ that will be given as the last heavenly sign of the Second Coming during the Third Woe.⁵ John explains the events surrounding this sign in Revelation chapter 15,⁶ after the flashback chapters of Revelation chapters 12 to 14 are concluded. In other words, after the flashback in Revelation chapters 12 to 14, Revelation 15:1 will resume with the sign of the Son of Man right where John left off with the same sign here in Revelation 11:19.

The lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and earthquake, and great hail introduce and summarize the seven final Vial Plagues of the Third Woe⁷ that occur simultaneously with the Second Coming, as described in Revelation chapter 16.⁸

John saw the temple of God ... opened in heaven in the likeness of the earthly temple at Jerusalem that was familiar to him.⁹ The temple opened in heaven to symbolize the veil or curtain of heaven rolling back like a scroll¹⁰ at the Second Coming to reveal Jesus Christ.¹¹ When the veil of heaven opens, as foreseen by John, Christ will descend in the clouds¹² from his heavenly throne as King of kings.¹³

In Revelation 11:19, John saw the veil of the temple in heaven opened between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies¹⁴ so that John could see the ark of his testament¹⁵ (covenant)¹⁶ in the Holy of Holies.¹⁷ The ark of the covenant symbolizes Jesus Christ¹⁸ and his enduring covenant¹⁹ to protect his righteous people.²⁰ John saw the ark (Christ) in the midst of the Vial Plagues of the Third Woe to symbolize that Christ will fulfill his protective covenant with righteous Israel at the Second Coming.²¹ The symbolism comes from the time of Joshua when the ancient Israelites entered the promised land with the ark of the covenant ahead of their company²² to give them power over their enemies.²³ Similarly, the ark seen by John symbolically goes before Christ's saints in the clouds of heaven at the Second Coming²⁴ to indicate that Christ will protect them from the Vial Plagues as he restores Israel to her promised lands.²⁵

The ancient ark of the covenant also represented the throne of God,²⁶ which means the ark in the heavenly temple symbolizes God's throne in his celestial kingdom.²⁷ From his heavenly throne, the Father²⁸ directs seven final angels to pour out the seven Vial Plagues of the Third Woe.²⁹ These Vial Plagues will include lightnings, voices, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.³⁰ The Vial Plagues are actually poured out in Revelation chapter 16.³¹ Anciently, the ark of the covenant was a source of death and plagues on Israel's wicked enemies.³² The deadly Vial Plagues that destroy the wicked in this verse and in Revelation chapter 16³³ are the antitype for the destruction of Israel's ancient enemies.³⁴ The Vial Plagues of the Third Woe will destroy the wicked and their earthly kingdoms,³⁵ thereby cleansing the earth for the coming millennium.³⁶

After the Second Coming, the earth will become Christ's footstool³⁷ where the wicked cannot stand.³⁸ Nevertheless, Christ will mercifully spare those that live at least a terrestrial law at his Second Coming.³⁹ His mercy is symbolically expressed by the mercy seat that sits atop the ark of the covenant seen in John's vision.⁴⁰

And there was war in heaven.... And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.

— Revelation 12:7, 9-10