The Way - Day 221 (Revelation 11)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Revelation 10:1-11:14
This Scripture passage offers a brief break in God's judgments upon the earth. In Revelation 9, the fifth and sixth trumpet judgments were released and one-third of all mankind was put to death by the works of the four fallen angels (9:13-19). Instead of repenting in response to God's wrath, mankind continued in blatant sin and evidenced their disregard for God's law (9:20-21).
At the beginning of Revelation 10, John writes about an angel who descends from heaven with the scroll (title-deed of the earth). The angel cries with a loud voice and "…seven thunders uttered their voices" (10:3). As John was about to write about the seven thunders, a voice tells him to "…seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered" (10:4). God wanted this event to be concealed until His time.
 
The same angel who brought the scroll from heaven raises his right hand (10:5) and swears by God "…that there should be delay no longer" (10:6). The “delayed” event had long been referred to as the mystery of God spoken of by the prophets (10:7). Many scholars agree that this mystery is the destruction of sinners and the establishment of Jesus' kingdom on earth. The angel was simply announcing that the time was almost here.

The same voice that told John not to write about the seven thunders (10:4) instructs him to take the book (scroll) from the angel and eat it (10:8-9). When John ate it, he wrote that the scroll "…was as sweet as honey.” But after he had eaten it, his stomach became bitter (10:10). This may signify that God's words are sweet, but His judgment upon the rebellious causes a bitter outcome. The voice then commands John to "…prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings" (10:11). The command for John to prophesy again was an instruction to preach these judgments as a warning to all those who would reject Jesus Christ as Savior.
 
John is then given a measuring stick and commanded to measure the "temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there" (11:1). This action may illustrate God's ownership of the temple; however, John is told that his measurements should not include the outside court where the Gentiles would have been permitted to gather. The exclusion of measuring this court probably symbolizes God's judgment upon the unbelieving Gentiles who would persecute God's people for 42 months (three and a half years), which is the last half of the seven-year tribulation period (11:2). This tyranny will come from the evil forces of the Antichrist.

During the final 42 months (three and a half years) of the tribulation period, God will give power to His two witnesses, who will prophesy and preach repentance and salvation to those on earth. They will be given special protection from anyone who would try to harm them (11:5) and power to control nature to bring judgment on mankind (11:6). After their ministry is brought to completion, they will be put to death.

"…the beast [Antichrist] that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city [Jerusalem]." (Revelation 11:7-8)

When the witnesses are killed, many people will rejoice and leave their bodies in the streets for three and a half days to show their hatred for these two witnesses (11:9-10). After three and a half days, God will miraculously resurrect these two witnesses and great fear will fall on all inhabitants of the earth (11:11). A loud voice from heaven will call these witnesses to ascend into heaven (11:12) and a great earthquake will accompany this event. A tenth of Jerusalem will be destroyed as a result of this earthquake and 7,000 people will die (11:13). In response to this display of power, many people "…gave glory to the God of heaven" (11:13).

Revelation 11:15-12:17
The seventh angel sounded a trumpet ushering in the last trumpet judgment. The announcement from this angel brought voices from heaven who were giving thanks to God for the establishment of His soon-coming kingdom on earth (11:15). The twenty-four elders (Revelation 4:4), who represent the church, also fall down on their faces and worship God for His eventual reign (11:16-18).
 
After the rejoicing of the people and twenty-four elders, John writes…

 "…the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail." (Revelation 11:19)

The ark of the covenant was an item in the Old Testament place of worship. It symbolized the presence of God and His payment for sin. The Old Testament ark embodied the one John was now seeing in heaven.

A great sign (symbol) then appears in heaven and a woman with child cries "…out in labor and in pain to give birth" (12:1-2). This woman is not a literal woman, but represents Israel who oftentimes in the Old Testament was pictured as being married to God (Genesis 37:9; Isaiah 54:5-6). A second sign (symbol) appears in heaven – a great, fiery red dragon" (12:3). John describes this dragon as "…having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads" (12:3). The identity of this dragon is Satan, who John clearly identifies in Revelation 12:9. John writes about the actions of the dragon (Satan).

"…drew a third of the stars [angels] of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child [the Messiah] as soon as it was born [Herod demanding the death of all male children]." (Revelation 12:4)
The picture is clear. God promised a deliverer from sin (Genesis 3:15) but Satan’s priority was to make sure that this deliverer would not survive. John continues to write about the woman (Israel). She "…bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her child was caught up [Jesus' ascension] to God and His throne" (12:5). Jesus did survive Satan's attacks and rose victoriously from the dead to sit at the right hand of God.
But now John sees the woman (Israel) fleeing into the wilderness "…where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (12:6). The time spoken of here is the last three and a half years of the tribulation period when Satan will do his best to terrorize Israel; however, God promises to protect them. The prophet Daniel gives some insight on what will happen during this time. For the first three and a half years, the Antichrist will make a peace covenant with Israel, but at the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation he will break that covenant, discontinue temple worship, and defile temple worship (Daniel 9:27). This is called the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24:15-22 and as a result of it, many Jews will flee for their lives.

Mimicking the chaos which is happening on earth, war will break out in heaven when Michael and his angels fight Satan and his angels (12:7). Satan and his angels will lose this battle and be cast to earth for the last time. They will become very angry and take their wrath out on the inhabitants of the earth (12:12). He will first go after Israel, but they will be given God's special protection (12:13-16). In frustration, Satan will then take out his wrath on anyone who names the name of Christ (12:17).
 
Although this is devastation that Satan will pour out in the last days, let’s remember that he is already destroying the people of the earth. He seeks to destroy their lives through temptation, sin, and discouragement. Those who follow Christ must offer hope through Jesus Christ to help win the battle for souls now.

Dear God, make me a person who spreads the message of hope to those on earth. Use me at my job, in my neighborhood, and in my dealings with people every day to offer salvation to those without Jesus Christ.