Revelation 10:1-11.2

Revelation chapter 10, and I’ll read the whole chapter this morning. And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was, as it were, the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. And he had in his hand a little book, open, and he set his right foot upon the sea, his left foot upon the land, or on the earth. And he cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth, and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write, and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, seal up those things, which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea, upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, and swear by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that are therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, the things which are therein are, that there should be time no longer. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants, the prophets. And the voice which I heard from the heaven, which I heard from heaven, spake unto me again, and said, go, take the little book, which is in the hand of the earth, which is in the hand of the heaven, which I heard from heaven, spake unto me again, and said, angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth, and I went unto the angel and said unto him, give me the little book. He said unto me, take it and eat it up, and it shall be, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it up, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey, and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, thou must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. May God bless to us His holy and sacred word this morning. Up to this point, Jesus Christ has proceeded to open the seven sealed book that was given to him by God the father, as chapter five of the book of Revelation indicates to us. The seventh seal that was opened was really a Pandora’s box because when it was opened, a whole new series of judgments erupted. And those were those were the trumpet judgments. They started in chapter eight. And now we have reached the place where the seventh trumpet should sound. We’ve heard the first six trumpets in chapter nine, the sixth trumpet, beginning with verse 13, had sounded. And now we’re ready for the seventh trumpet, but there’s this dramatic pause. And at this point, two visions are inserted before the seventh trumpet sounds in chapter 11 and verse 15. And the first is the mighty angel in the little book in chapter 10. And the second is the measure measuring of the temple and the two witnesses. And that’s in chapter 11 verses 1 to 14. Because of the specifically stated contemporary nature of the book, according to Revelation 1, 1 to 3, we are interpreting the book from a partial preterist viewpoint. That we’re saying that most of the book is history. It’s past. And so we’re looking at it from that perspective, even though there will be some things that are still to be fulfilled. As we get into the later chapters of the book. Here we have the mighty angel in the little book. Christ is the mighty angel. He is listed here and we’re told about him in verses 1 to 7. We have the appearance of Christ in the first four verses of this chapter. You’ll notice he’s clothed with a cloud, an expression which calls to mind the glory cloud that is associated with Jehovah’s presence. Exodus 33, Exodus 34, for example, give us that idea. Christ is said to come with the clouds in chapter 1 and verse 7, when we talked about the theme of the book. It’s a symbol that seems to be used several places in the book of Revelation that coming on a cloud to depict some type of divine judgment. Christ appeared in the Old Testament as the angel of the Lord. So it’s not an unusual thing for him to be declared as a mighty angel here. But in the Old Testament, the mighty angel of the Lord was worshipped as God himself, and he also should be worshipped here in the New Testament the same way. He’s no created angel, but the word angel actually means messenger, and so we could classify him as the messenger of the Lord or the messenger of Jehovah. He has a rainbow upon his head. Now, if you remember, when you… had that portrayal of the throne of God in Revelation chapter 4, there was a rainbow about his throne. And so to have the rainbow about the head of this angel indicates some type of divine presence. His face is as it were the sun, according to this chapter. Now, if you’ll recall in chapter 1 in verse 16, this is the same thing. that was said about Christ when he appeared on John and gave him the vision with regard to the seven angels being in Christ’s hand and him being among the seven churches and so forth. And you recall on the Mount of Transfiguration, when Christ appeared there, his face shown as the sun. So all these are indications of the divine presence of Christ. His feet is pillars of fire. Again, course, to Christ’s earlier reference in chapter 1 and verse 15, you have the same type of phraseology. So these extra phrases or information about Christ indicate to us. We should look back to chapter 1 and see we’re talking about the same person here. In his hand, he has a little book open. Now, what do you think this little book is? What is this little book? Of course. He’s open to seal it. It’s open now. Yes. And so this is the book that he had taken in chapter 5. The lamb took from God the Father, from the throne, and he begins to open it. Well, it’s open. So he has it in his hand. And in the book, we find these were the judgment. The seals were sort of like the index page of a book, giving us the general indication of the judgments. As Ezekiel says in chapter 2, verses 9 and 10 about the same book, same type of book. There was written there in Lamentations, Mourning and Woe, and that’s what we see coming out of this book that Christ is opening. His voice is as a lion roareth. You recall that Jesus in chapter 5 was portrayed as the lion of the tribe of Judah. And in the Old Testament, when Jehovah spoke. For example, in Amos chapter 1 in verse 2, there was a divine roar. Is it like he’s lion-like in his speaking? Here’s what it says in Amos 1-2. The Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. And the habitations of the shepherd shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither. His voice is as thunder here. This seven-fold thunder matches the voice of Jehovah that we sing about. When we sing Psalm 29, the Psalm talks about the voice of Jehovah in breaking the cedars of Lebanon. It shakes the mountains of the earth or the land. It shoots forth lightning bolts. It causes animals to calf. It topples the entire forest. It causes the people. It, it is. speak of his glory in the temple and so forth. So we have the same idea, I think, with this thundering voice. That he has a foot on the sea and on the land. The sea and the earth here is a sort of a scriptural formula that covers everything. All the world, if you would. To have a thing. foot on each indicates his sovereignty over all the peoples of the earth and those of the seas, on the islands of the seas and so forth. In other words, Jews and Gentiles, all the world is seen as being under his feet. Kings and military leaders put their feet on the necks of those that they’ve conquered according to scripture, like in Joshua 10, 10, 24 of their defeated enemies. It’s a sign of their power over them. So I take it in this sense that Christ has things under his feet here. This is the appearance of Christ. Any questions about this? We’ve covered this in the past. I didn’t spend a lot of time on it. I sort of hit the highlights and went through this quickly. All right. We have the seven thunders that are mentioned in verses 3 and 4. Now, John alone seems to hear the voices of the Seven Thunders. It is not intended for the church at large to hear. And so he is told not to write down what the Seven Thunders said. And the important point here is that God wanted the church to know that there are some things that God does not intend to reveal that they are to remain secret or hidden from us. It’s foolish to try to search for an answer. What do the seven thunders mean? What did they say? It’d be mere guesswork, and I think it would be sinful in the sense that if God didn’t want us to know what it was, you know, To speculate about it, I think, is foolish. The secret things belong unto the Lord. But those that are revealed belong unto us and our children forever. Geronomy 2929. Well, if God didn’t want to reveal it, he didn’t want us to know what it was. And here, if you read some of the historicists on the book of Revelation, you see some of the absurdity of the historicist. and I think it’s worth noting, they have an interpretation. Some said these are the seven crusades. Or the seven wars between the Reformation and the French Revolution. Or the seven papal anathemas denouncing Luther and the Reformation. They come up, they’re trying to give us an answer to what God says, these things remain secret. John like Paul was caught up into the third heaven, into paradise, if you would. He heard unspeakable words, which it’s not lawful for a man, otter. And so he’s not allowed to tell us. It would appear, in general, though, that the seven thunders are some type of judgment. We’re just not told what they are. This would be like the seven seals and the seven trumpets, I think, and the context of the lying, roaring, and so forth, and the Old Testament, like the withering of the mountaintops and stuff. It seems like a judgment. judgment that is fallen. But we’re just not told what it is. The seventh thunders. Any question about the seven thunders? Then we have the promise of delay no longer in verses five to seven. Let me read that. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven and swear by him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the earth and the things that therein are, and the sea and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer. But in the days of the voice of the angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery, or the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants to prophets. Since God in the Old Testament swears by an oath, many years, times. It’s not unbecoming Christ to swear by an oath. He’s co-equal with God the Father. The martyrs under the altar that we read about in Chapter 6 have been crying out for vengeance, that God would judge those who put them to death. And they were told that they had the rest for a little season, and then God would be. judge and avenge them. Christ would avenge them. So when Christ swears that there should be time no longer here in verse 6, he does not mean there’s not going to be any more time itself. What he means is there is not going to be any more time to wait. These things are now going to be fulfilled that he has promised those who have cried out. No longer delay. in the completion of the vengeance against the enemies of the people of God, especially the Jewish adversaries in particular. This oath continues with a statement in verse 7 that the mystery of God should be finished. On Scripture, a mystery is something formerly unknown, but now has been made known by God. The mystery is something formerly unknown. is that God has called out for himself a people other than Israel. Ephesians 3 through 9 gives an example of that. A similar language. Paul talks about the mystery that’s been committed to his cause as a missionary to preach the gospel of the Gentiles and so forth. And we can compare that to this. This was prophesied in the Old Testament prophets that the God, would go to the Gentiles and now it will come to pass. The Gentiles are fully accepted by God as part of the spiritual temple that he is building. Ephesians 2, 12, and 19. As we shall see, the physical temple with its separating wall is going to be destroyed. Chapter 11 will be hearing about the destruction of the temple. and so this is going to, this has to take place, and to stop all the Old Testament sacrifices, and to show that no longer will God be worshipped in just one place, that anywhere now a people can worship the Lord God. The Christ’s redemption has made the temple worship obsolete. So this is the background. here of this idea of no longer delay. Any questions about that? So that’s Christ, the mighty angel and what is associated with him. Now, let’s move on to the bittersweet book in verses 8 through 11. And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again and said, go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel, which stands upon the point. the sea and upon the earth and I went under the angel and said to him, give me the little book. He said unto me, take it, eat it up. It shall make thy belly bitter, and it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it up, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey. As soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said out of me, thou, must prophesy again before many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. Now the eating of the little book is identical to the actions of the prophet Ezekiel as we’ve already read in chapters two and three, three, one to three in verse 14 in particular. In both cases, there is a two-fold response. When he eats the book, both prophets here, John and Ezekiel, it’s sweet to the taste, but afterwards it makes his stomach bitter. Both of the indications, both cases are the same here. Ezekiel’s little book related to his prophecy about Jerusalem’s destruction at the hands of the Babylonians, 586 BC. John’s little book, relates to his prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem 70 AD. At the hands of the Romans, similar situations. There were some things joyous and glad about this divine message. We can understand that because Christ is avenging his people who have martyred. Israel has become an enemy of the people of God. a hindrance to the gospel of Christ so we can understand in some ways this would be a joyous occasion. But in other ways, it had to be solemn and sad for John to witness the destruction of his nation, the destruction of the glorious temple at Jerusalem. And so in some ways, there’s some bitterness to it. So there’s both aspects that we can see here. But it’s necessary for the advancement of the people of God that national Israel and the temple with its ceremonial worship be removed. But all that glorious history is now gone. And that’s bittersweet. However, you notice that John here is given a commission in verse 11 that he is going to testify beyond his own land, Israel. You notice it says here that the gospel. was intended for many people’s nations and tongues and kings. You’ll testify. This indicates to me, and again, I remind you, that the Great Tribulation doesn’t come at the end of human history. The indication here is after all these judgments that we’re going to be reading about, John’s ministry is going to continue. There’s going to be something beyond all the catastrophic events in the first part of this book. And he will be testifying in the Gentile to the Gentile to the the Gentiles about the things of the Gospel of Christ. Any question now about the mighty angel or the little book? We’ve covered some of these things in the past, so I’m sort of scooting over it quickly this morning. All right. Let’s take a look at the first couple of verses of Chapter 11. Here we have now the second scene, the second interlude here. or vision that is included here. And that has to do with the measuring of the temple and the two witnesses. Let’s see if we can cover the measuring of the temple. And it was given me a reed like onto a rod, and the angel stood saying, rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and them that worship therein, but the court which is without the temple, leave out. Measure it not. For it is given unto the Gentiles, and the Holy City shall be tread under foot 40 and two months. We have the temple measured here. These verses prophesy of the impending destruction. of the physical temple at Jerusalem in 70 AD. There is, I believe, a clear reference here to Christ’s teaching in the Olivet discourse about the destruction of Jerusalem. If you want to hold your place here, but turn with me to the book of Luke chapter 21. We’ve read these verses of. before, but I think it’s worth noting. Revelation 21, excuse me, Luke 21, verses 20 to 24. Jesus says this, and when ye shall see Jerusalem come past with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is not. Let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains, let them which are in the midst of it depart out, and let not them that are in the countries enter therein too. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, to them that give suck in those days, where there shall be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be let away. captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be troddened down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. You’ll notice the similarity of verse 24 with verse 2 of Revelation 11. This trotting down of the Gentiles and so forth. Jesus speaks here of the First Century Temple. You’ll notice in chapter 21 and verses 5, this is the temple he’s talking about, the contemporary temporal of his own day. His disciples ask him, saying, master, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when these things shall come to pass? And he said, take heed, I’m sorry, five to seven. And as some spake of the temple and how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, as for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down. And they ask him, saying, master, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign, when these things shall come to pass? It’s a prophecy concerning his own generation. And look at verse 32, the same chapter. Verily I send you, this generation shall not pass till all be fulfilled. when Charles Riley comments on this chapter and tells us, apparently the temple will be rebuilt. How is that apparent? This temple is the same one that existed in John’s Day. We’re talking 70 AD. And therefore, we differ with the futurist and say, no, you can’t rebuild a temple here that’s not mentioned as being rebuilt. This is the temple that was the temple that was, the one John was familiar with. So the Gentiles shall tread underfoot the Holy City for 42 months, or 1, 260 days, according to verse 3. Same amount of time. This is three and a half years. Foy Wallace, Jr. in his book, says this on Revelation, he says this, Vespascian received his, commissioned from Nero and declared war on Jerusalem February, AD 67. The siege ended with the fall of Jerusalem, the burning of the city and the temple, in August 8070. This computation of dates yields the 42 months for Jerusalem to be trodden underfoot. The times of the Gentiles were fulfilled when the Romans completed the destruction. of Jerusalem. And so this whole period of time was three and a half years. Now, before the destruction of the temple, John is told to measure a specific part of the temple. This is a more complex part of this vision, because the measuring signifies, it seems, the preservation of something in the temple, or of the temple. This was God’s way of separating the holy from the profane, what will be divinely protected from what will be destroyed. Although the temple complex was rather large, the Greek word for temple here is Naos. And this Greek word is a word that’s important because it speaks about the inner temple, which we would close. as the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place. That, in some sense, seems to be spared. This is only the priest could go into this part of the temple. This is where the altar of golden incense, which is associated with the prayers of the saints, would be located. Them that worship therein would be the priest. And they seem to be measured for preservation. Now, the imagery, suggest here that only the actual essence of the temple, and that is the true worship by God’s faithful priest, is protected. The externality is a temple. The material part of the whole temple is going to be destroyed, including the holy place and so forth. But what that represents is going to be spared. Remember, the Old Testament worship was really symbolic of the true spiritual worship that we have now. It was figurative in nature. Hebrews 8.5 teaches that the earthly temple was an example and shadow of heavenly things. So the earthly or external temple is a copy or a pattern. that Moses was shown of the heavenly temple above. Something of that nature, according to Hebrews, chapter 8,5, 924. Revelation 11, it seems like that God is removing the earthly copy, and he’s telling us that the only thing that’s going to be remained is the true essence of worship, which is what we’re what heaven, the heavenly worship is about. The church is the true temple of God, according in the New Testament. And it is the habitation of God through the Spirit. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 21 and 22. The people of God are a kingdom of priest. Revelation 1-6 and 510 indicate that. Other scripture references all. so we could look at. These are the ones that are allowed to approach God in the most intimate manner. God’s people offer up their prayers on the heavenly altar of incense, as we saw in chapter 5, chapter 6, chapter 8 of the book of Revelation. So God preserves these things, but the outward external aspect of the temple is going to be destroyed. The hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, Samaria’s Mount Garazim, nor yet at Jerusalem, the temple complex, worship the Father. John 421. So we have the measuring here of the temple. Any questions about this? This was a more, somewhat more difficult passage to interpret here, but it seems that that is what is being said. Why don’t we stop at this point? And we’ll pick up with the Lord willing with the two witnesses in our next study.