Revelation Session 15
Notes
Transcript
The Little Scroll and The Two Witnesses
The Little Scroll and The Two Witnesses
Revelation 10:1-11:14
I. Setting the Stage
I. Setting the Stage
Spiritual blindness is part of the judgement itself
We are in the trumpet cycle still but the judgement pauses again like it did between the 6th and 7th seal.
God inserts a spiritual perspective before the final trumpet:
In Revelation 7 God reassures believers before the 7th seal
In Revelation 10-11 God reassures believers before the 7th trumpet
1 Then I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
2 and he had in his hand a little scroll which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the earth,
3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. And when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”
5 Then the angel, whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth, lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He proclaimed good news to His slaves, the prophets.
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”
10 And I took the little scroll out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
11 And they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
1 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, saying, “Get up and measure the sanctuary of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2 “And leave out the court which is outside the sanctuary and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
3 “And I will give authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
5 And if anyone wishes to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wishes to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 These have the authority to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; they also have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.
7 And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9 And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
II. Historical & Geographical Background
II. Historical & Geographical Background
John is writing to churches under Roman pressure, where:
• The empire claimed ultimate authority
• Emperor worship was expected
• Faithful Christians were increasingly marginalized
Key Realities:
1. Prophetic witness was dangerous
Speaking truth could cost you your life
2. Public testimony mattered
Faith was not private–it was visible
So when John speaks of “witnesses,” the audience immediately hears: this is about us.
III Exposition of the Angel & the Little Scroll
III Exposition of the Angel & the Little Scroll
1 Then I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
Let us look a this description:
Clothed with a cloud
Rainbow over his head
Face like the sun
Legs like a pillar of fire.
Key Question: Is this Christ?
Arguments FOR Christ:
Cloud = divine presence (Daniel 7:13)
Rainbow = throne imagery (Rev 4:3)
Face like the sun = Christ glory (Rev 1)
Authority over land and sea
Argument AGAINST Christ:
He is explicitly called an angel (angelos = messenger)
Christ is never called “another angel” in Revelation. The first “strong angel” appears in 5:2)
He swears by another (Hebrews 6:13)
Conclusion:
This is a high-ranking, authoritative angel representing God, reflecting His glory—but not Christ Himself.
God often sends messengers that reflect His authority without being Him (think Moses, Sinai, etc.)
2 and he had in his hand a little scroll which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the earth,
The angel’s stands in authority over all creation. Nothing is outside of his jurisdiction. But what is that little scroll.
It is most likely not the same scroll in chapter 5 as this one is little, opened, and to be eaten.
The best understanding of its significance is that it is God’s revealed message that must now be proclaimed, especially concerning judgement and redemption
3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. And when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”
“He cried out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring” Important imagery: it signifies authority, judgment, divine announcement:
8 A lion has roared! Who will not fear? Lord Yahweh has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
But then look at what happens, John is about to write as he has been doing, ordered to do. But he is told:
“Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.”
Why withhold this? This is an important moment not only in Revelation and in all of Scripture but in life: God reveals, but not everything.
29 “The secret things belong to Yahweh our God, but the things revealed belong to us…”
Meaning:
Some things are revealed → we proclaim
Some things are hidden → we trust
This must be understood for those of us who want to decode everything in Revelation as not all prophecy is meant to be fully understood.
5 Then the angel, whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth, lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,
The angel swears that there will be no more delays. This does not mean that everything will end immediately.
It means that God’s plan is moving to its appointed completion without delay. This answers the question raised earlier:
Revelation 6:10 “How long, O Lord?”
The answer: Not much longer
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He proclaimed good news to His slaves, the prophets.
Anticipating what will take place in 11:15
But what mystery? Something once hidden, now revealed in God’s plan, let us look:
9 making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Him
10 for an administration of the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth in Him.
26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,
27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
So what is the mystery here?
Salvation of His people
Judgement of evil
Establishment of His kingdom
This is God’s full redemptive and justice plan reaching completion. And notice
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He proclaimed good news to His slaves, the prophets.
This is the fulfilment of all that God has been saying all along. So what do we have so far?
The angel represents God’s authority
The scroll represents God’s revealed message
The stance shows global authority
The thunders remind us that not everything is revealed
The oath declares that God’s plan is reaching completion
The mystery is the fulfillment of redemption and judgment
This passage corrects two dangerous tendencies:
The need to know everything
You do not need to know everything in order to obey
The illusion that God is delaying forever
a. Because it feels like evil is winning
b. Judgement is absent. But God is saying, “I am not slow, I am precise”
God’s patience is real but not endless
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
Notice that now we are dealing with an opened scroll. Nothing is hidden anymore
John must go not and take it. John has moved from observer to participant. look at what he is commanded to do with it
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”
That may sound a bit strange… but it is not biblically new:
1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll.
3 And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your words became for me joy and gladness in my heart, For I have been called by Your name, O Yahweh God of hosts.
What does eating the scroll mean?
Not: (this is information)
Reading it
Studying it
But: (this is transformation)
Absorbing it
Letting it shape you
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”
10 And I took the little scroll out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
Why is the same word that is sweet… Become bitter?
Because the message includes
Judgment
Wrath
Rejection by the world
And not just that:
👉 It also includes the cost of proclaiming it. Think about it:
• You preach truth → people resist
• You call sin what it is → people push back
• You stand firm → you may suffer
So the bitterness is: Emotional, Spiritual, Experiential.
and this is not just for John. This is the pattern for Prophets, Apostles, Pastors, faithful believers. Take a look:
14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the wrath of my spirit, and the hand of Yahweh was strong on me.
Ezekiel goes out “in bitterness of spirit”
7 O Yahweh, You have enticed me, and I was enticed; You were stronger than I, and You prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all day long; Everyone mocks me.
8 For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I call out violence and devastation Because for me the word of Yahweh has resulted In reproach and derision all day long.
9 But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot prevail.
So the Word of God comforts and burdens at the same time. The bitterness does not mean you can stop in the case of John he had to continue to prophesy:
11 And they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
John received the message, he internalized it, felt its weight, and now he has to speak it. Notice the magnitude of the proclamation: it is global, universal proclamation.
There is no, “this is hard, take a break”
Take aways from this section
You cannot proclaim what you have not internalized
Many repeat truth without internalizing it
God’s pattern is eat first. Speak after.
If the Word is only sweet to you, you don’t fully understand it
If all it feels like is encouragement and comfort but never burden or grief over sin
then you’re only hearing part of the message.
Faithful witness always comes with emotional cost
many quit here because they want sweetness of truth without the bitterness of opposition.
but you do not get one without the other
The calling does not stop because it is hard
John is told prophesy again
that is the standard
not speak when it’s easy
not speak when its received well
speak because it is true
IV. Exposition of Measuring The Temple & The Two Witnesses
IV. Exposition of Measuring The Temple & The Two Witnesses
1 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, saying, “Get up and measure the sanctuary of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
Often in Scripture, a measuring rod is not for construction – it is for :
Ownership, evaluation, and protection. John is told to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshipers. That last one is what matters the most. He is measuring people not just space
What is the temple here? (This is the first major interpretive decision.)
Options:
1: Literal Temple (Future Jerusalem)
Common in dispensational premillennialism
A rebuilt temple during the tribulation
2: Symbolic Temple (More Consistent)
In the NT, the temple is:
16 Do you not know that you are a sanctuary of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
19 So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, is growing into a holy sanctuary in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
The Temple = the people of God
Not a a building but a community. This would mean that the measuring here is to mark it out as belonging to God and under His care.
1 Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there was a man with a measuring cord in his hand.
2 So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see how wide it is and how long it is.”
3 And behold, the angel who was speaking with me was going out, and another angel was coming out to meet him
4 and said to him, “Run, speak to that young man, saying, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited without walls because of the multitude of men and cattle within it.
5 ‘Indeed I,’ declares Yahweh, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”
So the meaning is that God is identifying and securing his people. Compare that to
Revelation 7:
God seals His servants on their foreheads
They are marked out as His
They are protected from divine judgment (not from suffering)
“ …altar, and those who worship in it.”
John is told to measure the altar which is the place of sacrifice/ worship and the worshipers. this is about true worship.
2 “And leave out the court which is outside the sanctuary and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
The outside is left unmeasured. It has been given to the nations. Again God has made a distinction between His people and those who are not.
Inner temple (measured) = God’s people
Outer court (unmeasured) = exposed to the world
Two key ideas:
1. The Church Is Protected…
Measured → known by God
Secure → spiritually preserved
2. But the Church Is Also Persecuted
Trampled → suffering
Opposed → pressured
Now these people on the outside will be persecuting (trampling) the people on the inside, for how long? 42 Months. Scholars have link this to other Scriptural passages:
25 ‘He will speak words against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
7 And I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they complete shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
11 “But from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
These are all describing the same event or set of circumstances
A. 42 Months
42 months / 12 months = 3.5 years
B. 1260 Days
Using the prophetic calendar (30-day month)
1260 / 30 = 42 months = 3.5 years
42 months = 1260 days = 3.5 years
time = 1 year
times = 2 years
half a time = 0.5 year
We need to remember these numbers because we will see them again in chapter 12. The question is, are these symbolic or literal.
The point here is that it is a limited period of tribulation:
Theological Summary:
The temple = the people of God
Measuring = God’s ownership and protection
Inner court = true believers
Outer court = exposure to the nations
42 months = limited period of suffering
1. If You Belong to God, You Are Measured
You are:
• Known
• Marked
• Secured
Not one of His people is overlooked.
2. Spiritual Security Does Not Mean Physical Safety
We want:
• Protection from suffering
God promises:
• Protection through suffering
3. Not Everyone in the “Temple Area” Is Truly Measured
Outer court exists.
👉 Not everyone who associates with God’s people belongs to God.
That’s a sober warning.
4. God Sets Limits on Suffering
42 months. That means:
• It has a start
• It has an end
👉 Suffering is real—but restricted (continue)
3 “And I will give authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Authority is given not assumed. They are not self-appointed nor self-empowered. They are commissioned by God
The time frame is the same as the trampling 1260 days
This is a time of intense pressure and witness. The entire period where the church exists in a hostile world
Clothed is Sackcloth signifies mourning, repentance, urgency. This tells you that the tone of their message is not casual, it is not polished, and not culturally adjusted. This is Critical
The church is not called to entertain the world–but to confront it with truth
The church is not called to entertain the world–but to confront it with truth
Now let us talk about the identity of these witnesses:
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Zechariah 4 where Olive trees = source of oil (Spirit’s power)
Lampstands = light (witness) Remember that lampstands in Rev 1 are the churches.
Who are the two witnesses:
View 1: Two Literal Individuals
Moses & Elijah (common)
Or two future prophets
View 2: Symbolic of the Church
Lampstands already = churches (Rev 1)
Their mission = global witness (v.9–10 context)
Their experience = matches the church
They proclaim truth, face opposition, appear defeated, ultimately vindicated. Remember:
8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth.”
It all seems to line up. But remember we are dealing with symbolic language. What Jesus said literally, John says using symbolic language. But why two witnesses? This is legal language:
“…at the mouth of two or three witnesses a matter shall be established.”
Now John begins to talk about the power of the church. Look at
14 Therefore, thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, “Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire And this people wood, and it will devour them.
This is not literal, but the message is clear concerning the power of the Word. John does the same thing Jeremiah did:
5 And if anyone wishes to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wishes to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6 These have the authority to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; they also have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they wish.
Shut the sky (Elijah - 1 King 17)
Turn water into blood, Strike the earth with plagues (Moses - 7)
He is combining the greatest prophet “Elijah” and the greatest lawgiver “Moses” this witness carries the full authority of God’s revelation The Law and the Prophets
7 And when they have finished their witness, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them.
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9 And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
v7.Their witness has a start and a finish. They are not cut off early, that have actually finished. God determine the extent of your witness, not the world.
v7. is the first mention of the beast. This develops further in chapter 13. But here he represent anti-God power, organized opposition, spiritual evil working through worldly systems.
v.7 And He makes war against them… the world is not neutral toward truth it is hostile. I have heard a lot of people say “politics do not belong in the pulpit” but the truth is that politics have invaded the church.
v7. But after all of that power “He will overcome them and kill them. They seem defeated.
v8. Their bodies will lie in the street… no burial = ultimate dishonor, public humiliation
V8. Great City is not one literal city it is Sodom = moral corruption, Egypt = oppression of God’s people and Jerusalem = Jesus was crucified. This is the world system in rebellion against God… Not just Rome or Jerusalem but everywhere.
V9. this is worldwide. and without burial which means humiliation and no honor, disgrace
V10 and the defeat is publicly celebrated with gift giving celebrations
v10. because these prophets tormented people with truth. Truth is obnoxious to whose who despise it.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Excellent—this is the turning point. Everything that looked like defeat gets reinterpreted by heaven. If you land this well, it will reshape how your people think about suffering, faithfulness, and outcome.
1. “After the Three and a Half Days” (v.11) This connects directly to what just happened:
Their bodies were exposed
The world was celebrating
Truth appeared silenced
Now:
👉 God interrupts the narrative
Why 3½ days? Not a full, complete period (like 7) A cut-short time of apparent defeat
It communicates: The victory of the world is real—but brief
2. “The Breath of Life from God Entered Them” (v.11)
This is unmistakable OT language:
Genesis 2:7 → God breathes life into Adam
Ezekiel 37 → dry bones come to life
Meaning:
👉 This is not symbolic of “revival” or “influence”
This is: Divine resurrection power
God Himself reverses what the world thought was final.
3. “They Stood on Their Feet” (v.11)
It signals:
Vindication
Restoration
Public reversal
4. “Great Fear Fell on Those Who Saw Them” (v.11)
Notice the shift: v.10 → celebration v.11 → fear
👉 Reality just broke through their illusion
They thought: Truth was gone God was silent
Now they realize: They were wrong—and God is not absent
5. “Come Up Here” (v.12)
This is divine summons. The same pattern you see with Christ:
Death
Resurrection
Ascension
6. “They Went Up into Heaven in the Cloud” (v.12)
Cloud again = divine presence.
They are received by God
They are vindicated publicly
The Earthquake and Judgment (v.13)
Divine intervention and Judgment
Results:
A tenth of the city falls
7,000 people killed
The rest are terrified
9. “They Gave Glory to the God of Heaven” (v.13)
This is debated.
Two options:
1. True Repentance
They genuinely turn to God
2. Forced Acknowledgment (More Likely)
10. “The Second Woe Has Passed” (v.14)
This closes the section. You’ve now seen:
The witnesses
Their ministry
Their death
Their vindication
And now:
👉 The stage is set for the seventh trump
V. Eschatological Views
V. Eschatological Views
chart...
VI. Application
VI. Application
1. You Are the Witness
1. You Are the Witness
Not someone else.
Not a future prophet. You.
In your home
In your workplace
In your church
2. Expect Resistance, Not Applause
2. Expect Resistance, Not Applause
If you’re waiting for culture to affirm truth—you’ll stay silent.
Jesus already told us: The world will hate you.
3. Speak the Whole Truth—Even the Bitter Parts
3. Speak the Whole Truth—Even the Bitter Parts
Don’t soften:
Sin
Judgment
Repentance
The scroll is sweet and bitter.
4. Do Not Measure Faithfulness by Results
4. Do Not Measure Faithfulness by Results
The witnesses died—and were still faithful.
That’s the standard.
Not numbers.
Not applause.
Not visible success.
5. Your Vindication Is Certain
5. Your Vindication Is Certain
Even if:
You’re ignored
Rejected
Misunderstood
God will raise what the world tries to bury.
Closing Thought
Closing Thought
Session 14 showed you how dark the world can become.
Session 15 shows you what God expects from His people in that darkness.
Not retreat.
Not silence.
Not compromise.
Witness.
