<p>11:19 <i>And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His covenant, and there followed lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake and great hail</i>- John was already viewing a Heavenly temple scene. The opening therefore refers to the opening of the most holy; and there is seen the ark. First century Jews were fascinated with the location of the physical ark. Here it is revealed- in heaven. There was an association of the covenant with Israel, and the ark of the covenant. The loss of the ark and its disappearance was a sign that the covenant with Israel had been suspended. But the ark was never known to have been destroyed, just as the covenant has as it were disappeared, been suspended, but not ended. And so the vision of the ark in Heaven is the sign that the covenant with Israel shall be remembered and revealed; and following from that are more judgments upon those who had once destroyed her. The lightnings, thunders, hail etc. are all the language of judgment; this is the promised destruction of those who had destroyed Israel (:18), in recognition of God's resumed covenant with Israel.</p><p>The ark over which the <i>shekinah</i> glory dwelt was as it were the throne of God; the idea is that Yahweh shall again be enthroned upon Israel. That the throne of God is represented by the ark of the covenant is shown by comparing Rev. 11:19 and 4:1-5:</p><div align=center><table border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=0>    <tbody>        <tr>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p><b>Rev. 11:19&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b></p>            </td>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p><b>Rev. 4:1-5</b></p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;The temple of God was opened in&nbsp;Heaven&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>            </td>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;A door was opened in Heaven&quot;</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;There was seen in the temple the ark of His   testament&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;A throne was set in Heaven, and one sat on   the throne. . . there <br />            &nbsp;was a rainbow round about the throne&quot;.</p>            </td>        </tr>        <tr>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;There were lightnings, and voices and   thunderings&quot;</p>            </td>            <td width=436 valign=top>            <p>&quot;Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and   thunderings and voices&quot;</p>            </td>        </tr>    </tbody></table></div><p>The throne in Rev. 4 was surrounded by cherubim, as was the &quot;throne&quot; of the ark of the covenant.</p>