Study inRevelation

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Interlude: Visions Of The Prophetic Role

Chap 10v1-11v14Presentation 08

Introduction Between the sixth and seventh seal there is an interlude that contains two further visions. It has been suggested that the interlude is necessary to reassemble the hearers powers of concentration. We are capable of taking in only so much horror at any one sitting! Each break from the horror of judgement also serves to heighten and intensify the next judgement, to which we are exposed, until we reach the end of God’s preliminary judgements and are faced with his final judgement.

The substance of the interludes is designed to instruct the church concerning, her role in and response to, the events of world history as we approach the consummation of the age.

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Mighty Angel And The Little Scroll [10:1-11]

The mighty angel mentioned represents the Lord himself. His grace is indicated by the sun and rainbow; his judgement by the cloud and pillar of fire. The angel descends with an open scroll in his hand [cf. Ezek. 2:8-3:3].

The angel’s size causes him to appear like a great colossus with one foot in the sea the other in dry land, perhaps symbolising God’s authority over the whole earth. John was forbidden to write down what he heard!

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Mighty Angel And The Little Scroll [10:1-11]

Does this indicate that there are depths of mystery, especially associated with judgement, that are not ours to know? We wait with subdued hearts, holy fear and bated breath for the full outworking of God in history.

The oath taken by the angel, that there should be no more delay, indicates that God will not restrain his hand in final judgement forever. The ‘mystery’ mentioned in v7 is a mystery, ‘not because it is something entirely unknown, but because it would have remained unknown if God had not revealed it.’ [Hendriksen].

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Mighty Angel And The Little Scroll [10:1-11]

John, when he had obediently eaten the scroll, discovers that mystery, revealed through the seven thunders and inscribed on the scroll, is sweet to the mouth and bitter to the digestion. What is the significance of that?

While it is sweet for us and John to receive God’s Word and to understand that evil will finally be conquered and overthrown, the outcome of that Word in the world will be bitter for the Lord’s servants, many of whom are, ‘delivered not from martyrdom but through martyrdom and death to a glorious resurrection.’ Erdman

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Measuring The Temple [11:1-2]

This chapter has aroused much controversy.

The controversy centres upon how literally or symbolically we take the language. The literal view assumes that the temple will exist during the period of the church’s greatest tribulation, that the two witnesses are two individuals, that the altar will be in place and that the sacrifices will be renewed and the holy city, the literal Jerusalem.

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Measuring The Temple [11:1-2]

The symbolical view sees the temple as the church, the two witnesses as the part of the church that must suffer martyrdom and the great city as a civilisation utterly alien to the will of God.

According to the symbolical view. John is commanded to measure the temple and its worshippers, i.e. the church. To measure something was a symbolical way of declaring its preservation cf. Ezek. 40-42. It corresponds to the sealing of 7v1-8 affirming the security of the people of God, not from suffering and death but against spiritual danger.

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Measuring The Temple [11:1-2]

This security is not extended to those in the court outside the temple- a reference to those who, while outwardly belonging to the church, are not true believers.

The forty two months -1260 days [cf. also Dan. 7:25, 12:7] may have as its basis the three and a half years of judgement-drought experienced in Israel cf. Jas. 5:17 and 1Kings 17:1 and here reflects the judgements of God throughout history.

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The Two Witnesses [11:3-14]

Who are the two witnesses who during the gospel age are given power to prophesy and who are clothed in sackcloth [mourning for the sins both of Christendom and the pagan world]?

They have been identified as Moses and Elijah, or, as Elijah and Elisha. It is idle to speculate, rather we should ask what they symbolise. The number ‘two’ is used in scripture for the adequacy of testimony [Deut. 17:6 also Lk. 10:1].

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The Two Witnesses [11:3-14]

These witnesses can be said to represent those who throughout the ages have faithfully witnessed to Christ. Other symbolical expressions are used to describe them in v4 [cf. Zech. 4:3]. The symbols suggest the oil of the Spirit equipping them to be lamps - lights in a dark world cf. Matt. 5:14 ‘You are the light of the world.’

The background of v5 appears to be Jer. 5:14 and indicates the efficacy of the Word not least in prophetic condemnation. [cf. Matt. 18:15-20, Acts 5:1-11]. OT examples of the prophetic word of judgement are referred to in v6 Elijah and Moses. Neither of whom acted out of carnal vengeance or vindictiveness.

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The Two Witnesses [11:3-14]

The developing picture in v7 is of gospel witness being progressively silenced and Christ’s church being trampled underfoot. [Balance this with the teaching of Rom. 9-11 which describes a fruitful work of the Spirit in the last days that will bring many Jews into the kingdom].

The three and a half days in which the bodies of the witnesses are left lying in the street represents a short sharp burst of persecution towards the end of the age cf. Matt 24:22. It is a time when witness to Christ will appear to cease on earth.

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The Two Witnesses [11:3-14]

The powers of evil will congratulate themselves that they have won and those aligned with them will party because the troublers of their consciences, have been silenced. But when the powers of evil feel secure in their triumph, God breaks up their party!

God brings triumph out of apparent defeat. He brings life out of death and that, for God’s people, means that beyond death there lies resurrection fullness of life. We have here a picture of the fruit of our Lord’s coming in power and glory.

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The Seventh Trumpet [11:15-19]

The final judgement is announced in terms of the total victory of God and Christ. It involves the recovery of man’s dominion of the universe from its discredited satanic overlord. Christ returns to take possession of his kingdom and to reign.

The 24 elders [representatives of the OT. and NT. church] reappear at this point for the victory of Christ over the kingdom of evil is gained ‘for man’. Man is the object of God’s strategy in creation and redemption. The elders sit on their thrones until the seventh trumpet blows its note of summons for all creatures to acknowledge the accomplishment of Christ and the fulfilment of God’s glorious plan of redemption.

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