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Scripture Reading: Rev. 10—11
The great tribulation will be a period of three and a half years (Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 12:14), which is forty-two months (11:2; 13:5), or twelve hundred and sixty days (11:3; 12:6), which is the last half of the last week in Daniel 9:24-27, beginning from the sixth seal, very close in time to the first five trumpets (Rev. 6:12-17; 8:7—9:11). A certain kind of tribulation on the earth will have begun before this time, but not in an intensified way. As we have seen, the second through fourth seals are a picture of the damage occurring from the time of the Lord’s ascension to the end of this age. These damages are natural calamities. At the sixth seal, however, there is a sudden supernatural change in the signs in the heavens — the sun, the moon, and the stars — and on earth. At this time, the Lord begins to sound an alarm to the people on this earth. He warns them that this earth is not trustworthy, and because the Lord will shake this earth, they should not become settled in it.
The earthquake of the sixth seal is the beginning of the supernatural calamities. After the sixth seal there are the four trumpets. The first trumpet damages the third part of the earth and the trees, the second trumpet damages the third part of the sea and the things in it, the third trumpet damages the third part of the springs and rivers, and the fourth trumpet damages the third part of the sun, the moon, and the stars. God intends these four trumpets to be a warning to the people on the earth not to trust it and settle down on it. However, although God will shake the earth and judge the third part of the earth, the sea, the fresh waters, and the things in the heavens, there will not yet be any direct injury to human beings. In this way the sixth seal and the first four trumpets are only alarms, warning those people dwelling on this earth that they need to repent before God, turn from the earth, and seek God.
Following this warning, the tribulation will be intensified. By the time of the fifth trumpet, Satan will have been defeated in heaven and cast out of heaven to the earth. Then he will do whatever he can to damage the earth. Satan will open the pit of the abyss to release the multitude of evil things, the demon-possessed locusts with tails like scorpions who sting men’s bodies and cause suffering for five months. We cannot realize such a thing because we have never experienced it.
The sixth trumpet brings even more intensified tribulation — two hundred million horsemen who kill the third part of men. At this point, one-third of the earth, one-third of the sea, one-third of the fresh waters, and one-third of the heavens have been damaged. Now, because men would not be warned by the first four trumpets but continue to do things against God, one-third of the population is cut off.
At the time of the fifth trumpet Satan is cast to the earth, and at the same time Antichrist rises from the abyss to be the king of the evil things from the pit of the abyss. Moreover, the fifth trumpet as the first woe has something of scorpions (9:10), whereas the sixth trumpet as the second woe has something of serpents (v. 19). The Lord Jesus mentioned both serpents and scorpions in Luke 10:19. The serpent represents Satan, and scorpions are related to serpents. This indicates that during the time of the fifth and sixth trumpets, Satan will come down to this earth, and along with his incarnation, Antichrist, he will damage the earth.
These facts make it clear that the great tribulation of three and a half years will be intensified at the time of the fifth and sixth trumpets. Then, after the sixth trumpet, something even more serious occurs. The wrath of God will be exhausted in the seven bowls which will intensify the fearful damage and calamities.
Revelation 10:1—11:13 is the second insertion in this book, between the sixth and seventh trumpets. As we have seen, chapter 7 is the first insertion, between the sixth and seventh seals, and later we will see that there is a third insertion between the sixth and seventh bowls (16:13-16). Why is there the need of an insertion between the sixth and seventh trumpets? It is because this point is very close to the time when the Lord Jesus will come back to take possession of the earth, which He has redeemed and which He has the full right to possess. Moreover, at the time of the sixth trumpet and before the seventh, the two witnesses come to the earth to testify strongly to people that they must repent to God. At least these two matters are mentioned in the second insertion.
Revelation 10:1 says, “I saw another strong Angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud.” Chapter 8 also speaks of “another Angel” (vv. 3-5). That Angel is Christ Himself. Clothed with a cloud indicates that this is a time prior to that spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. In Revelation 14:14, which corresponds to 1 Thessalonians 4, the Lord sits on a cloud, but in Revelation 10:1 He is clothed with a cloud, that is, hidden in a cloud.
Revelation 10:1 continues, “And the rainbow was upon His head, and His face was like the sun, and His feet like pillars of fire.” The rainbow indicates that when the Lord Jesus comes back to take possession of the earth by His judgment, He will remind Himself of His covenant concerning the earth. Fire, as mentioned in verse 1, is for judgment, and pillars signify strength and steadfastness.
Verse 2 says, “And He had in His hand a little opened scroll. And He placed His right foot on the sea and the left on the land.” This scroll is the same one mentioned in chapter 5. In chapter 5 He took the scroll, and now He has it in His hand. For someone to set his foot on something, as in 10:2, means that he is taking possession of it, just as God told the people of Israel to possess the land of Canaan by treading it with the soles of their feet (Deut. 11:24; Josh. 1:3). This indicates that at this time the Lord is ready to come back to possess the earth and the sea.
Verses 3 through 6 say, “And He cried out with a loud voice just as a lion roars. And when He cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, and I heard a voice out of heaven saying, Seal the things which the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them. And the Angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up His right hand to heaven 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 shall be delay no longer.” That the Angel lifted up His right hand to heaven indicates that Christ is ready to judge the earth and possess it through His judgment. That there shall be delay no longer means that there will be no more time of toleration in God’s judgment upon the earth.
Verse 7 says, “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel when he is about to trumpet, then the mystery of God is finished, as He has announced the good news to His own slaves the prophets.” At this time there is no more mystery; everything is completed and unveiled. God announced this good news to the prophets. In the Old Testament time God preached a kind of glad tidings to the prophets concerning His eternal purpose; now at this point what He preached is accomplished. This is a great verse, telling us that at the time the seventh trumpet is sounded, the mystery of God is finished.
Verses 8 through 10 say, “And the voice which I heard out of heaven, I heard again speaking with me and saying, Go, take the opened scroll in the hand of the Angel who is standing on the sea and on the land. And I went to the Angel and told Him to give me the little scroll. And He said to me, Take it and devour it, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey. And I took the little scroll out of the hand of the Angel and devoured it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth; and when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.” When we take the word of God, it is very sweet, but when we begin to experience it, we often taste bitterness.
Verse 11 continues, “And they said to me, You must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” The word again is very important. Chapters 4 through 11 compose the first section of prophecy in this book. The second section of the prophecy of this book is chapters 12 through 22. From this point, John must prophesy again in the second section.
At the time between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet, the Lord Jesus is ready to come back to take possession of this earth through His judgment. As such, He is the One with the scroll, the “title deed,” in His hand. He has the right to take possession of this earth because He has redeemed it. At this point He is ready, and the time is near, for the seventh trumpet is about to be sounded. At the trumpeting of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God will be completed.
Revelation 11:1 says, “And there was given to me a reed like a rod, and someone said, Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship in it.” Revelation 21:15 mentions a golden reed for measuring, but there it is not like a rod. A rod is used for judgment. In chapter 11 there is still the need of judgment because of the sinful and worldly things on the earth. In chapter 21, however, there is no need of a rod because there is nothing left to judge in the New Jerusalem. To measure something is with the intention of taking possession of it. Hence, the reed in 11:1 is for measuring with judgment in order to possess.
The temple of God mentioned in verse 1 is the temple in the heavens, and the altar is not the altar of burnt offering but the incense altar, because it is with the temple, not outside of it. The measuring of the temple of God and the incense altar in the heavens indicates that during the great tribulation the heavens will be preserved from being damaged, because in that three and a half years Satan will be cast out of heaven and down to earth.
Verse 2 continues, “And the court which is outside the temple cast out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.” The outer court of the temple signifies the earthly temple and Jerusalem on the earth. That it is not measured means that God will give it up and will not take possession of it. The holy city, Jerusalem, will be given up to the Gentiles to be trampled for forty-two months. The insertions in the book of Revelation speak about matters close in time to the events in the nearby chapters. This is why we say that the last half of the last week, the forty-two months mentioned in verse 2, will begin with the sixth seal, which is very close to the time of the first five trumpets in chapters 8 and 9.
Verse 3 says, “And I will cause My two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” According to the ancient Jewish calendar, a month had thirty days. Three and a half years, that is, forty-two months times thirty, is a thousand two hundred and sixty days, as in verse 3. During the last half of the last week of this age, the two witnesses will come to prophesy, clothed in sackcloth. According to the Old Testament, for people to put on sackcloth means that they are mourning, not joyful (Isa. 22:12; Joel 1:13). Revelation 11:4 says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth.” The olive trees and the lampstands are seen in Zechariah 4. The two olive trees produce oil for the lamps of the lampstand, so they are called the two sons of oil (v. 14).
Bible students are of two schools of opinion concerning these two sons of oil. The first school says that these two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah, whereas the second school says that they are Moses and Elijah. All Bible students agree concerning Elijah, but they disagree whether the other is Enoch or Moses. We should understand who the two witnesses are according to the record of what they will do. Some things they will do are what Moses did in Egypt, and other things correspond to what Elijah did. In addition, Revelation 11:4 says that the two witnesses stand before the Lord of the earth. On the mountain where the Lord was transfigured, Moses and Elijah came to stand before the Lord (Matt. 17:1-13). Moreover, after Moses’ death, Satan contended with Michael for the body of Moses (Jude 9). Michael must have sought to preserve the body of Moses for a definite reason, which was for him to appear on the Mount of Transfiguration and to be one of the two witnesses. During the great tribulation God will send Moses and Elijah back to give a strong testimony for Him.
Verses 5 through 7 say, “And if anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone desires to harm them, thus must he be killed. These have the authority to shut heaven that no rain may fall during the days of their prophecy; and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to smite the earth with every plague as often as they desire. And when they have completed their testimony, the beast who comes up out of the abyss will make war with them and will overcome them and kill them.” Shutting heaven is what Elijah did (1 Kings 17:1), and turning water to blood is what Moses did (Exo. 7:17, 19). The beast here is Antichrist, the man of sin. He is not an ordinary person but an extraordinary one coming up out of the bottomless pit. This beast will make war with the two witnesses.
Revelation 11:8 says, “And their corpses will be on the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.” This great city is Jerusalem. By this time the earthly Jerusalem will become full of sin like Sodom and worldly like Egypt. Verses 9 and 10 continue, “And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations see their corpses for three and a half days, and they will not allow their corpses to be placed in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them and make merry; and they will send gifts to one another because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.” Three and a half days is similar to the three days in which the Lord was in the tomb (Luke 24:46) and the four days in which Lazarus was dead (John 11:39). Because the two witnesses are “troublemakers,” people will celebrate when they are killed and will leave their bodies on the street.
Revelation 11:11-12 says, “And after the three and a half days, the breath of life out of God entered into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those beholding them. And they heard a loud voice out of heaven saying to them, Come up here. And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.” This indicates that the two witnesses will be raptured. Then verse 13 says, “And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and seven thousand men were killed in the earthquake, and the rest became terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” Literally, men in verse 13 is “names of men,” or as Robert Govett says, “men of names,” implying people of renown.
The last half of the last week, that is, the three and a half years, will be the period of the great tribulation. During this time these two strongest of witnesses will come to give a strong testimony to the earth. They will be killed by Antichrist, resurrected miraculously as a testimony to the whole earth, and raptured in a special rapture to the heavens.
Revelation 11:14 marks the beginning of the seventh trumpet. It reads, “The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.” The second woe is the sixth trumpet, and the third woe is a part of the seventh trumpet. Verse 15 continues, “And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” At the time the seventh trumpet sounds, the mystery of God will be finished, and the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of God and Christ.
Verses 16 through 18 say, “And the twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, We thank You, Lord God the Almighty, He who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have reigned. And the nations became angry, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give the reward to Your slaves the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Your name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” Your wrath in verse 18 is the wrath of the seven bowls, the final wrath of God on the world. In addition, at the close of this age, before the millennium, the dead will be judged concerning who should share in the resurrection of life before the millennium and who should be left to the resurrection of condemnation after the millennium at the judgment of the great white throne.
The giving of the reward to His slaves the prophets occurs before the millennium. At the start of the thousand years the Lord will reward His servants, and at the end of the thousand years the Lord will judge the resurrected dead. Destroying those who destroy the earth is carried out in part in Revelation 16 through 18. The Lord destroys the religious Babylon, for example, in chapter 17 and the material Babylon in chapter 18. By this we can see that the seventh trumpet includes many matters, even the things into eternity future.
Revelation 11:19 is a crucial verse, which says, “And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened, and the Ark of His Covenant was seen in His temple; and there were lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and great hail.” The lightnings, voices, thunders, and earthquake correspond exactly to 16:18, indicating that these two verses refer to the same time.
Careful students of the Bible realize that the book of Revelation with twenty-two chapters has two sections. The first eleven chapters form one section, and the last eleven form another. In chapter 4 there is a throne in heaven with a rainbow; the prophecy in the first section is under the vision of this throne. In chapter 11, however, there is another vision, not of the throne but of the temple in heaven, and not with a rainbow but with an Ark. The throne with a rainbow is the source and center of the prophecy of the first section of this book, whereas the temple with the Ark of the Testimony is the source and center of the prophecy of the second section.
As we have seen, the throne refers to God’s authority, and the rainbow refers to God’s covenant concerning the earth. Therefore, the first section of the prophecy of this book tells us that the very God who is on the throne with authority is about to execute His judgment on this earth. However, while judging this earth, He still remembers His covenant.
The second section of the prophecy of Revelation is not a direct continuation of the first section. It may be compared to Genesis 2, which is not a direct continuation of Genesis 1. Genesis 1 gives a complete record of God’s creation in a general way, but more details are needed in order to show us God’s eternal purpose. In chapter 1 alone it is difficult to see the eternal purpose of God. These details are in Genesis 2, which contains many figures, telling us that man was created with three parts in order to partake of the tree of life so that he will be transformed to be gold, bdellium (pearl), and onyx, the precious materials for the building up of the New Jerusalem as the eternal “Eve,” the eternal wife of the Lamb.
The prophecy in the first section of Revelation unveils matters extending into eternity, but it only gives a general record of how God, who is on the throne in the heavens, comes to judge the earth to clear up the situation so that He may reign on the earth for eternity. It does not show us the purpose of God in detail. Therefore, there is the need of a supplement, the second section of this book, to give us details concerning God’s eternal purpose and how God will fulfill His purpose as the One who dwells in the temple with His testimony. Now God is not only the One on the throne but also the One in the temple. He is not only the One with a rainbow but the One with the Ark of the Testimony.
The first section of Revelation shows us God’s judgment to clear up the things on the earth, based on the fact that He is the unique One with authority on the throne and a rainbow as a reminder to Him. The second section, however, speaks not merely of God’s judgment but of how God has an eternal purpose to build up a temple as a habitation for Himself with Christ, the Ark of the Testimony, as the content. God is the One who dwells in the temple with the testimony for His expression and satisfaction. Therefore, the second section speaks of God doing things to prepare a habitation, a temple, for Himself that He may have His testimony within it as its content.
In the first part of the prophecy of this book, from chapter 4 to chapter 11, we cannot realize what God is seeking after. We can only see that God, as the One on the throne with the rainbow, is judging to clear up the situation on the earth. In the second section, however, we can trace what God is seeking after. He desires to have a habitation with His testimony. Now He is in the temple, but one day the temple will be replaced by a city. God is not satisfied with the temple in which He dwells, so He is preparing another, bigger habitation, which is the city of New Jerusalem. In this city there is no more temple (21:22).
In the temple in 11:19 there is not a rainbow but the Ark of the Testimony, that is, Christ. Christ, the testimony of God today, is in the temple in the heavens, but God needs to work Him into the city. Then the city will take the place of the temple in the eternity to come, and Christ will be the very Ark of the Testimony in that city. Today this Ark of the Testimony is in the temple, but God’s intention is to work this Ark from the temple into the city. This is the central thought of the second part of this prophecy.
