(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
[NOTE:
As we move on through this particular book it might be worth while
reminding ourselves that this is a book of prophecy and prophecy
often uses analogies and other picture forms that leave it open
to different interpretations. Although these notes may make occasional
references to this, what we provide are only meant as very basic
notes to aid the reader digesting what they read, and any deeper
comments about schools of interpretation etc. are beyond this
goal.]
GO
TO Ch.11
FRAMEWORKS:
Revelation 10: The Little Scroll
v.1-7
The Angel, the Little Scroll & the Seven Thunders
v.8-11
John eats the little scroll
[
Note: Chapter 10 and the first half of chapter
11 are the Interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets]
v.1-7
The Angel, the Little Scroll & the Seven Thunders
v.1
(enter a powerful
angel) Then
I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed
in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the
sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
v.2,3
(he holds a
little scroll and brings seven thunders) He
was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted
his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he
gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the
voices of the seven thunders spoke.
v.4
(John is told
not to record them) And
when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard
a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have
said and do not write it down.”
v.5
(the angel declares
his authority) Then
the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised
his right hand to heaven.
v.6
(he acts on
God's behalf) And
he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens
and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and
the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more
delay!
v.
7 (the seventh
trumpet will complete the work) But
in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,
the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced
to his servants the prophets.”
v.8-11
John eats the little scroll
v.8
(John is told
to eat the scroll) Then
the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more:
“Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who
is standing on the sea and on the land.”
v.9
(he is warned
of its effect) So
I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll.
He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach
sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.' [ Ezek.
3:3 ]”
v.10
(that proves
true) I
took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted
as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach
turned sour.
v.11
(he is told
to prophesy) Then
I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations,
languages and kings.”
[Comment:
This ‘interlude' so far introduces an angel who brings a prophetic
scroll that John is to eat. There are, mysteriously seven thunder
messages but they are clearly to be hidden for some future date.]
Revelation
11 :
The Two Witnesses & The Seventh Trumpet
v.1,2
Measuring Instructions
v.3-6
The Two Witnesses
v.7-10
The Death of the Two Witnesses
v.11-14
The Resurrection & Ascension of the Two Witnesses
v.15-19
The Seventh Trumpet: The Third Woe
v.1,2
Measuring Instructions
v.1
(he is now instructed
to measure the temple…) I
was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure
the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers.
v.2
(… but not include
the outer court which the gentile unbelievers inhabit for three
and a half years) But
exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been
given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for
42 months.
[Note:
the period of three and a half years appears in various forms.
Now seven in scripture is taken as number of ‘perfection or completeness'.
Three and a half seem to signify a set period designated by God
which is only part of the total time for God's plans to be fulfilled.]
v.3-6
The Two Witnesses
v.3
(two witnesses
for God whose ministry lasts three and a half years [see above])
And
I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260
days, clothed in sackcloth.”
v.4
(?the church
and Israel? or simply anointed men of God) They
are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand
before the Lord of the earth.” [See
Zech 4:3,11,14]
v.5
(their words
have destructive effect in defence) If
anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours
their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must
die.
v.6
(like Elijah
their prophetic words have power to bring drought, and like Moses
they have the power to bring plagues) They
have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain
during the time they are prophesying; and they have power
to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every
kind of plague as often as they want.
v.7-10
The Death of the Two Witnesses
v.7
(eventually
the enemy will arise and kill them) Now
when they have finished their testimony, the beast
that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and
kill them. [ Note first
mention of ‘the Beast']
v.
8 (they lie
in Jerusalem) Their
bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is
figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was
crucified.
v.9
(for three and
a half days [see comments on 3 ½ above] they are visible
to the world [?by TV?]) For
three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language
and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
v.10
(there will
be rejoicing that they are gone) The
inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate
by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented
those who live on the earth.
v.11-14
The Resurrection & Ascension of the Two Witnesses
v.11
(yet shortly
they are raised from the dead) But
after the three and a half days the breath [or
Spirit - see Ezek. 37:5,14] of life from God entered
them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who
saw them.
v.12
(and they ascend
to heaven) Then
they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”
And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked
on.
v.13
(an earthquake
hits Jerusalem and many are killed) At
that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the
city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake,
and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of
heaven.
v.14
(this was all
part of the second woe the 2nd trumpet announced) The
second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
v.15-19
The Seventh Trumpet: The Third Woe (see
8:13)
v.15
(heaven announces
a new phase of the kingdom) The
seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there
were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The
kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and
of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
v.16
(the elders
give thanks) And
the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before
God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
v.17
(this seems
a new fuller phase of the reign of God [see below]) saying:
“We
give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and
who was, because you have taken your great power and have
begun to reign.
v.18
(the time for
the Final Judgment has come) The
nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has
come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants
the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great
and small— and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
v.19
(heaven is opened
- ?in readiness) Then
God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen
the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
[
Comment: The Seventh Trumpet
The
heralding of the seventh trumpet (7 = complete or perfect?) appears
to herald a significant change:
All
of these things seem to suggest the end of the phase of life on
the old earth, and getting ready to bring an end, usher in the
Final Judgment and the new heaven and new earth, all of which
appear later in the book. It is suggested that the big overview
feeling of chapter 12 makes a division in the book so that what
follows is a recap of what has been covered within the judgments
of chapters 6 to 11 but seen from a different angle. We'll see
if this works out.]
Summary
of Chapters 6 to 11:
ch.6
– first 6 seals opened
ch.7
– Interlude: martyrs & survivors
ch.8
– Seventh seal & first 4 trumpets – judgments on the earth
ch.9
– 5 th & 6 th trumpets – torture & death of 1/3
ch.10
– Interlude Pt.1 – the little scroll
ch.11
– Interlude Pt 2 – the two witnesses, & the Seventh Trumpet
heralding the end
Differences
between seals & trumpets:
Seals
1-4 – general descriptions of a conqueror, violence, famine &
death with various causes
Seal
5 – martyrs calling for justice
Seal
6 – cataclysmic earth upsets
Seal
7 – silence for half an hour
Trumpets
1-4 – third of earth, waters & sky burned up
Trumpet
5 & 6 – torture then death of third of world's population
Trumpet
7 – heralds the end