Revelation 10-13

Heading

We looked at the Seal Judgments, the 144,000 Jews and the great multitude of Gentiles believing, and then the first six trumpets, the last 3 (5, 6, 7) containing three “woes” for the inhabitants of the earth.

We have an interlude or parenthetical statement where God gives us more background information He wants us to know.

Concise/Rough Outline

Revelation 10

A mighty angel appears and gives John a scroll to eat from his hand.

Rev 10:11 And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Revelation 11

John was to measure the temple with a reed. The temple is under control of the Gentiles for 42 months. God will send his two witnesses to prophesy for 3 1/2 years. The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will kill them. There will be celebration but they will rise again.

Then comes the 7th Trumpet. The 24 elders fell on their faces and worshiped God.

Revelation 12

The woman - who is Israel.

War in heaven between Michael and Satan, and Satan gets cast out.

War on earth. Since Satan is cast out, he turns his fury on the woman (Israel).

Revelation 13

The Beast out of the Sea. He raised up with seven heads, ten horns, ten crowns on his ten horns, and a blasphemous name on his heads. One of the heads was mortally wounded yet healed. The people who followed the dragon and gave authority to the beast worshiped the beast.

The Beast out of the Earth. Another (mentioned three times) beast came that had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. He exercises the authority of the first beast and does great signs and miracles deceiving the people. He makes all people take a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads so that they cannot buy or sell without the mark of the beast.

Revelation 10 - A Mighty Angel

Next we see the appearance of a Mighty Angel. Look at the description of the Mighty Angel (Rev 10:1-2):

Clothed with a cloud

A rainbow was upon his head

His face was like the sun

His feet were like pillars of fire

He had a little book open in his hand

His right foot was on the sea and his left foot on the land

He cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars

That sure depicts someone mighty and strong.

So who is this Mighty Angel? Some think it is Gabriel or Michael. There was a Strong Angel in Revelation 5:2, but we read that this is “another mighty angel” in verse one, so they are not the same. Some think it is Jesus, Himself. It sure resembles Jesus from chapter 1, but when we read in verse 6 that he is swearing by “Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it,” we know it cannot be Christ. The angel is calling on an authority greater than himself.

We don’t know who this angel is exactly, and that is ok. God chose not to reveal his identity, so we should be more focused on the purpose for John encountering this Mighty Angel.

The Mighty Angel stood on both land and sea. I think it’s important to note this since the text mentions this three times (v. 2, 5, 8). It’s likely an image of dominion. I think it's a picture of God putting His foot down, so to speak. Satan has been having his way with the earth, God has been patient but the angel declares “that there should be delay no longer,” referring to His coming wrath and making all things new.

In verse 2, it says that the Mighty Angel “had a little book open in his hand.” There are different interpretations to what this means, but I believe that it is clearly a book that reveals further judgment. It contains prophecies of future things to take place.

As this Mighty Angel shouts like roaring lion, John hears the angel answered by “seven thundering voices” (Rev 10:3). These voices probably come from other angelic beings who are announcing coming judgment of some kind, since thunder and lightning are associated with God's judgments throughout the Scriptures. John found their message to be enlightening so he begins to write them down, but then another voice from heaven prohibits him from writing what he heard, saying in verse 4, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."

Oliver Greene (Baptist pastor and evangelist) said, “Surely what John was forbidden to write must have been beyond human imagination and understanding.” John is writing so clearly what he is seeing and hearing that God wanted this to remain known only to John.

What is the purpose of this Mighty Angel? He comes down to earth and is swearing, or taking an oath, toward God and the key reason is found at the end of verse 6, “that there should be delay no longer.” What is the delay? The delay here is talking about the fulfillment of the mystery of God, as read in verse 7. The mystery is the future events being revealed in chapters 10-22. This is the Consummation of all things.

The 7th Angel is about to sound the 7th Trumpet. The 2nd Woe has not been completed yet, but when it is, the the 7th Angel will sound his trumpet which begins the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation.

There are good reasons to believe that we are at the midpoint of the 7 Year Tribulation. Revelation 11-19 will deal with the main events over the last 3 1/2 years.

In verses 8-11, John is commanded to eat the little book and the purpose is found in verse 11, You [John] must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. It tastes sweet, knowing the time has come to fulfill the mystery, that people will still believe the message of Christ and God will make all things right, but it is bitter because of the severe judgments to come.

Revelation 11 - Two Witnesses

This brings us to chapter 11. Let’s start by reading the first two verses, which are connected to what we just read in verse 11:

Rev 11:1-2 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

This is referring to the future Tribulation Temple, which will be the 3rd Temple.

The 1st temple was built by Solomon but then later destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Then a 2nd temple was built. The temple was rebuilt by the Jewish people under Zerubbabel with the permission of Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, following their return from exile and was completed in 516 BC. Herod the Great later expanded the building and its courtyards, but then was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Currently, there is no temple in Jerusalem, but since God is telling John to measure one, this is telling us that there will be another temple in Jerusalem at some point in the future. This is kind of fascinating because the Jewish people didn’t even have sovereignty over the city of Jerusalem until 1967. That’s less than 60 years ago. But even though they have control now, there are some serious political problems. One of the biggest is that where we believe the temple was stood now has the Al-Aqsa Mosque, or the Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site for Islam.

This seems like a major problem, but somehow, a 3rd temple will be built. Many speculate that this mosque is actually built where the outer courtyard used to be. This fits perfectly with 11:2, where God tells John not to measure the outside court. It’s very possible the Temple will be built to the side while this mosque remains in the outer courtyard.

But there is no temple now, and when we get to the New Jerusalem in Rev 21:22, there is no more temple, for God and Jesus are the temple. There will be no temple after the Millennium Kingdom. Somehow, there will be a 3rd temple built.

Why does God have John measure the temple? It is a way of signifying who belongs to Him. John only measures the temple, not the courtyard controlled by the Gentiles, or non-Jews. God is observing and measuring who is truly worshiping Him. Remember that the Jewish people will have a peace treaty with the Antichrist, they’ll have freedom to worship at the temple during the first 3 1/2 years, but then the Gentiles will tear it down at the halfway point and have control for the remaining 42 months.

Next, we will see two witnesses appear on the stage. Let’s read about them in Rev 11:3-6 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Period of Their Ministry

They witness or minister 1,260 days, which is 42 months, or 3 1/2 years. It’s disputed which half of the Tribulation they will minister in, but it seems more likely that they will witness during the 1st half of the Tribulation.

A few reasons would be:

Most scholars conclude that they will witness and do miracles during the first half. The reason is that the Antichrist’s execution of them seems to fit best with other events that will transpire in the middle of the Tribulation—such as the Antichrist’s exaltation of himself to godhood in defiance of the true God and His witnesses. Their martyrdom fits much better here, and has more impact, than at the very end right before Christ returns. Ron Rhodes

John seems to hint at a difference in time by saying the Gentiles trample the court for 42 months, and the witnesses prophecy for 1,260 days. Why not use the same terminology? Because he is differentiating the two halves, and he provides it in reverse order of how it is going to unfold. Gary Hamrick

The Purpose of Their Ministry

Who are they?

In verse 4 it refers to them as the two olive trees and the two lampstands. These two witnesses are going to represent the OT characters recorded in Zechariah 4:2-3, 11-14. They are going to be a light and testimony to the world during these dark days.

The two most popular interpretations are either Elijah and Enoch, or Elijah and Moses. I’m not going to take time to break that down this morning, and since they aren’t named, it’s more important to understand why God is sending two witnesses.

They will

Rev 11:5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.

God will protect them during their 3 1/2 year ministry. They will be evangelizing and calling for repentance, and they will be prophesying the coming judgement, right in front of the Antichrist for 3 1/2 years, and he can’t do anything against them! God provides divine protection for them during this time.

Not only can they protect themselves during this time, but Rev 11:6 says These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

God will use His witnesses to call forth mighty plagues, like we’ve read about in the OT, which is a reason why Elijah and Moses are assumed to be brought back, and they will cause it not to rain for 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. They will strike the earth with plagues whenever they wish, proving to the world that the Antichrist is not God as he is claiming to be.

When they are killed, it is not Satan winning a battle against God, God allows it to happen for His purposes.

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Revelation 12 - The Woman and War

Revelation 13 - Two Beasts