Religion Scripture Readings

3. (13-14) The identity of the great multitude.

Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

a. Then one of the elders answered: It was important that John know the identity of this great multitude. But he didn’t know that he should ask, so one of the elders prompts him to ask.

b. These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation: This vast multitude, from every tribe and tongue and nation, are those rescued for God’s kingdom in the period of the great tribulation.

i. They have had trouble on the earth during the great tribulation. In the ancient Greek grammar of this passage, “the” is emphatic. This was a time of great tribulation for this multitude. This has led many to believe that most, if not all, of these are martyrs from the great tribulation.

ii. The presence of so many tribulation saints is a powerful statement of God’s grace and mercy. Even in this time of judgment and wrath on the earth, many are saved.

iii. Because the great multitude are mentioned right after the 144,000, many and thought that they are - at least in part - due to the work of those 144,000 servants of God. Perhaps the 144,000 are evangelists who help reap this huge harvest for the kingdom during the great tribulation.

c. Washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: Those saved in the great tribulation are saved just like everybody else, by the blood of the Lamb. Even if they are martyred, their martyrdom does not save them. Only the work of Jesus can cleanse and save.

i. “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Not one of them became white through his tears of repentance, not one through the shedding of the blood of bulls or of goats. They all wanted a vicarious sacrifice, and for none of them was any sacrifice effectual, except the death of Jesus Christ the Lord. They washed their robes nowhere but in the blood of the Lamb.” (Spurgeon)

ii. White by blood is an interesting phrase; we don’t think of things being made white by blood! But the blood of Jesus cleanses us: Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isaiah 1:18)

4. (15-17) What this great multitude does, and how it is blessed.

Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

a. They are before the throne of God: In heaven, the redeemed enjoy the immediate presence of God. They can come right into the throne room and be with God. There are no barriers, no waiting lists.

i. These saints knew affliction on earth, and they triumphed over it. But it wasn’t their affliction that saved them. It was Jesus and their relationship of faith with Him. “Affliction of itself does not sanctify anybody, but the reverse. I believe in sanctified afflictions, but not in sanctifying afflictions.” (Spurgeon)

b. And serve Him day and night: In heaven, the redeemed serve God. We don’t know exactly how, but they do. “Heaven is not only a place of rest from earthly toil but also a place of privileged service” (Walvoord)

c. He who sits on the throne will dwell among them: In heaven, God will dwell with His people. This is the ultimate fulfillment of King David’s great desire in Psalm 27:4: One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

d. The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them: In heaven, the redeemed will know the loving care and nurture of their Savior. He will protect them from every affliction (they shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat). He will also provide for their every need (lead them to living fountains of waters).

i. Doesn’t Jesus shepherd us now? Isn’t He close to us and caring for us now? Yes, but in heaven it will be so much more. “The true Christian life, when we live near to God, is the rough draft of the life of full communion above. We have seen the artist make with his pencil, or with his charcoal, a bare outline of his picture. It is nothing more, but still one could guess what the finished picture will be from the sketch before you.” (Spurgeon)

e. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes: In heaven, the redeemed will know no more sorrow or pain. The hurt and the struggle of this earthly life are gone, and tears are a thing of the past, because God will wipe away every tear.

i. What tender love! We think of a mother’s loving hand, brushing away the tears from her child’s face. God loves us with that kind of nurturing care.

ii. We also understand from this that every tear will only be wiped away in heaven. On this earth, we have our share of pain and tears to endure and bring to God. He shows His love now with sweet consolation and strength for our tears; but one day - in heaven, not now - He will wipe them away forever.

iii. This passage does not have the idea that in heaven, we will weep over our wasted life or unconfessed sin, but God will still wipe those tears away. That idea may be a powerful, guilt-inducing motivator, but it has nothing to do with the meaning of this verse. “The point is that the grief and tears of the past, speaking of their trials in the tribulation, will be over when the get to heaven . . . God will wipe away all tears resulting from their suffering on earth.” (Walvoord)

iv. Many wonder, “How can there be no sorrow in heaven if we have relatives or loved ones who perish in hell? Won’t we be sorry for them?” Spurgeon answers well: “Now, how is this? If you will tell me, I shall be glad, for I cannot tell you. I do not believe that there will be one atom less tenderness, that there will be one fraction less of amiability, and love, and sympathy - I believe there will be more - but that they will be in some way so refined and purified, that while compassion for suffering is there, detestation of sin shall be there to balance it, and a state of complete equilibrium shall be attained. Perfect acquiescence in the divine will is probably the secret of it; but it is not my business to guess; I do not know what handkerchief the Lord will use, but I know that he will wipe all tears away from their faces, and these tears among them.”

 

Revelation 8 - The First Four Trumpets
A. The seventh seal is loosed.

1. (1) Silence in heaven.

When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

a. When He opened the seventh seal: The sealed scroll was introduced in Revelation 5, and the seals were opened one by one up to the sixth seal in Revelation 6. We waited for the last seal to be opened, and the contents of the scroll to be revealed - but then were given a pause with Revelation 7 and the revealing of the 144,000 and the great multitude out of the great tribulation. Now the idea of a pause between the sixth and the seventh seal is emphasized by this silence in heaven for about half an hour.

i. This silence is striking; some have seen it as “breathing space,” or, as the angels silent so the prayers of the saints can be heard, perhaps even the cry of the martyrs of Revelation 6:9-11.

ii. More likely, this silence in heaven demonstrates a sober, awestruck silence at the judgments to come, now that the seals are off and the scroll can be opened.

b. Silence in heaven for about half an hour: A half-hour silence is not long, but things seem long or short in their context. If a preacher were to stop his sermon and remain silent for ten minutes, it would seem like an eternity. Since heaven is a place of constant praise and worship to God (Revelation 4:8-11), silence for about half an hour is a long time.

 

2. (2) Seven angels with seven trumpets.

And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.

a. The seven angels who stand before God: According to Jewish tradition, there are seven angels who stand in God’s presence. Apparently, based on this verse, that traditional idea was accurate.

b. And to them were given seven trumpets: In the Old Testament, trumpets sounded the alarm for war, and threw the enemy into a panic, or they called an assembly of God’s people. These seven trumpets will sound as God’s battle-alarm during the great tribulation.

3. (3-6) The other angel with the golden censer.

Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

a. Then another angel: Some see this angel as Jesus, functioning as a mediator and because of Old Testament references to Jesus as “the Angel of the Lord.” Others say it can only be a mere angelic being because the specific ancient Greek word for another means “another of the same kind.”

b. A golden censer . . . the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God: Prayer and incense are often associated in the Bible. The idea is that just as incense is precious, pleasant, and drifts to heaven, so do our prayers. So here, before anything happens at the opening of the seventh seal, the prayers of God’s people come before the Lord God.

i. Significantly, the prayers of God’s people set in motion the coming consummation of history. “More potent, more powerful than all the dark and mighty powers let loose in the world, more powerful than anything else, is the power of prayer set ablaze by the fire of God and cast upon the earth.” (Torrance)

ii. 2 Peter 3:10-12 indicates that there is a sense in which we can hasten the Lord’s coming by our holy conduct and godly lives. But here we see that we can also hasten the Lord’s coming through prayer, even as Daniel asked for a speedy fulfillment of prophecy regarding captive Israel (Daniel 9), we can and should also pray Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20)

iii. “It is not said that the angel presents these prayers. He presents the incense, and the prayers ascend with it. The ascending of the incense shows that the prayers and offering were accepted.” (Clarke)

c. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth: As God’s people pray for the resolution of all things, their prayers are touched by the fire from the altar in heaven, and then “thrown” back down to earth. All things will not be resolved on this earth until judgment comes, and when the prayers of God’s people “come back” to earth, they bring the groundswell of judgment (noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake).

d. So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound: We waited for the seven seals to be opened, and saw them loosed one by one. But when the seventh seal was finally loosed, the end did not immediately come. It set in motion seven trumpets that would sound upon the earth.

i. How do the seals and the trumpets relate to each other? Some people believe they poetic and repetitive, and John describe the same events with different words and details in both the seal and trumpet judgments. “This is typical of John’s method. He goes over the ground again and again, each time teaching us something new. There is more to the End than we can readily take in. Every series of visions brings out new facets of it.” (Leon Morris)

ii. How do the seals and the trumpets related to each other? Some people believe they are sequential, and that the seventh seal contains the seven trumpets, and the seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls of judgment. But there are problems with a sequential approach. For example, are the people of Revelation 6:15-17 mistaken about Jesus’ return? They don’t seem to be. But if the trumpets simply follow in sequence to the seals, then it is a striking display of God’s mercy in stretching out the end and allowing repentance.

iii. Since John brings a report from eternity, it is difficult to assign a chronological and sequential element to these judgments. It is most important to emphasize that they are real, even if their sequence is hard to pin down with certainty.

 

B. The first four trumpets.

1. (7) The first trumpet brings a plague on vegetation.

The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

a. Hail and fire followed, mingled with blood: Blood may indicate the color or the result of the phenomenon described here. We don’t know if the hail and fire was red in color or if it brought forth red blood, but one way or another this should be understood straightforwardly, without escaping into a creative symbolism.

i. “Many eminent men suppose that the irruption of the barbarous nations of the Roman empire is here intended. It is easy to find coincidences when fancy runs riot.” (Clarke)

ii. “The truth is, if earth, trees, and grass do not mean earth, trees, and grass, no man can tell what they mean. Letting go the literal signification of the record, we launch out upon an endless sea of sheer conjecture.” (Seiss)

b. A third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up: Because of this hail and fire, trees and grass are destroyed - one-third of the vegetation of the planet is burned up during the great tribulation.

i. How will this happen? Many wonder if it will happen through phenomenon we know today, like nuclear war, fallout, pollution, meteors, and so forth. These ideas are interesting and possible, but they should never obscure the essential truth: God brings judgment. He isn’t a passive bystander. This is not “nature” taking its course.

ii. God may use whatever method He desires to bring judgment, but people on earth know these events are from God, and do not think them to be merely natural disasters (Revelation 16:9; 16:11; 19:19).

2. (8-9) The second trumpet two brings a plague on the sea.

Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

a. Something like a great mountain: John carefully says that this is not an actual mountain (note the use of like), but it is a blazing mass as large as a mountain.

b. A third of the sea became blood: This disaster is a cataclysm, perhaps a meteor that crashes into the sea and results in great oceanic upheaval with residual pollution. Researchers today say that this sort of phenomenon has happened many times in the history of the earth, sometimes resulting in great ecological upheaval and disaster. Here, the result is that a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. The blood may be either the cause or the effect of the widespread death in the oceans of the world.

c. The sea may be a specific reference to the Mediterranean and not a reference to all oceans. For a person in the world John lived in, the Mediterranean Sea was the sea, and they really had little knowledge of other oceans.

c. It is common to take this great mountain as a symbol for a nation that will be judged. It is true that mountains are sometimes used as figures of governments or nations (Jeremiah 51:25; 51:27; 51:30). But in this context, the symbol doesn’t make sense. What does it mean that the great mountain is burning with fire? What does it mean that it was thrown into the sea? What does the sea symbolize? Who are the living creatures in the sea? What are the ships on the sea? What is their destruction a symbol of? All these questions make us say that the best solution is to see this as some literal mass of land, probably a meteor or asteroid, falling into the sea and bringing ecological disaster.

3. (10-11) The third trumpet brings a plague on fresh waters.

Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

a. A great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch: We may easily associate this with a comet or meteor crashing into the earth and bring ecological disaster. But God may have something else in mind also.

i. “Some say the star means Attila and his Huns; others, Genseric with his Vandals falling on the city of Rome; others, Eleazer, the son of Annus, spurning the emperor’s victims, and exciting the fury of the Zealots; others, Arius, infecting the pure Christian doctrine with his heresy, [and so on and so on]. It certainly cannot mean all these; and probably none of them. Let the reader judge.” (Clarke)

b. The name of the star is Wormwood: Wormwood is a very bitter substance, and proverbial for bitterness and sadness.

c. A third of the rivers . . . a third of the waters: The proportion of ecological disaster stays the same. In each one of the trumpets, a third of an ecological system is destroyed in judgment.

4. (12-13) The fourth trumpet brings a plague on the heavens, and darkness on the earth.

Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

a. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night: This does not describe a one-third lessening of light, but one-third of the day and night are plunged into absolute darkness. As Jesus said: the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light (Matthew 24:29).

b. Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet: The angel’s woes are well founded, because one-third of the earth’s population will die in the next three trumpets.

i. The ancient Greek words for angel and eagle are very close in spelling. Some ancient versions say that it is an eagle flying through the midst of heaven, making this cry.

5. Observations on the first four trumpets.

a. These first four trumpets reveal the severity of God’s judgment. He attacks all the ordinary means of subsistence, such as food and water; and He attacks all the ordinary means of comfort, and knowledge, such as light and the regular rhythm of days.

i. Man has come to see these aspects of the created order as impersonal, perpetual forces. During the great tribulation, God proclaims His Lordship through their agonizing disruption.

ii. We know the great humility that comes upon men in the midst of something like an earthquake, because they know that “nature” is not as reliable as they had thought. With these four trumpets, that effect will be multiplied greatly.

b. The first four trumpets also reveal the mercy of God’s judgment; these are partial judgments striking only one-third, and are meant to warn and lead a rebellious world to repentance before the final curtain. For now, God spares more than He smites.

 

Revelation 9 - The Fifth and Sixth Trumpets
A. The fifth trumpet brings demonic locusts from the bottomless pit.

1. (1) A star fallen from heaven.

Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.

a. Then the fifth angel sounded: This is the fifth angel sounding a trumpet. There were seven seals, followed - thematically if not chronologically - by seven trumpets. In their arranged order, they are similar.

i. The first four seals and trumpets presented judgments directed against the earth. In the first four seals, these were the “four horsemen” bringing tyranny, war, famine, and death on the earth. In the first four trumpets, these were the ecological destruction of the vegetation, seas, fresh waters, and sky.

ii. The last three seals focused upon heaven: the cry of the martyrs, cosmic disturbances, and the heavenly prelude to the seven trumpets. But the last three trumpets will speak of hell, in terms of the demonic.

b. I saw a star fallen from heaven: The text clearly shows us that this star is a person (to him), not a literal star. The verb tense (fallen) indicates that he already had fallen.

i. But who is this star? Suggestions have included Nero, a fallen angel, an evil spirit, Satan, the Word of God, a good angel, or even Jesus Himself.

ii. In the context, this star is best seen as an angel; whether he is a good or bad angel depends on his relation to the angel of the bottomless pit in Revelation 9:11. If the angel of Revelation 9:1 one is the same as the angel of Revelation 9:11, it is an evil angel - perhaps Satan himself. If it is a different angel, it may be a good angel sent by God to open up this bottomless pit for the purposes of judgment.

c. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit: That this star is fallen makes us associate him with Satan, or another high ranking evil angelic being. But the fact that he is given the key to the bottomless pit makes us not want to associate him with Satan. The idea that Satan is the “master of hell” is foreign to the rest of the Scriptures. He will be hell’s victim, not ruler.

i. At the same time, we notice that the key is given to this being, and that it is given at a specific time and for a specific purpose that furthers God’s plan. This angel - evil or good - serves God’s purpose, even if he does not intend to.

d. Where is the bottomless pit? The most straightforward answer is that it is in the center of the earth, because there, one might say that all is “top” and nothing is “bottom.” But the “bottomlessness” of the pit may be symbolic.

i. The abyssos is a prison for certain demons (Luke 8:31; 2 Peter 2:4, and Jude 1:6). This is probably the same place as this bottomless pit. More generally, this place is considered the realm of the dead, the same as Hades (Romans 10:7).

e. Revelation 9:1 is a good example of how the Book of Revelation is wrongly spiritualized in its interpretation. Some commentators say that the star is the word of God, the pit is human nature, and the lesson is that if the gospel is rejected, horrors are unleashed. But this is far from the plain meaning of Revelation 9:1.

3. (2-6) Locusts from the bottomless pit.

And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

a. Out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth: These are obviously not “natural” locusts. They avoid plants and attack men like scorpions attack. They are “A visual representation of the hordes of demons loosed upon the earth.” (Walvoord)

i. The idea is simply that as part of the judgment of the great tribulation, God will allow demonic hordes, previously imprisoned, to descend upon the earth like a swarm of destructive locusts. They are not, as some have suggested, heretics, Muslims, Turks, Saracens, Jesuits, monks, or Protestants!

b. Those who have the seal of God on their foreheads (the 144,000 and perhaps more) are protected, but none other are. This is an inescapable judgment of God.

c. They were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months: Their purpose and period is expressly governed by God, and the purpose of all this to bring repentance (Revelation 9:20-21).

d. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them: Death will offer no escape from this prolonged torture. Their power is described like the power of scorpions, and the bite of a scorpion, though extremely painful, is rarely fatal.

i. They will desire to die: The tormented ones want to die, as Paul did in Philippians 1:21-23, but for a completely different reason and result than Paul. For Paul, death led to eternal blessing, but for these tormented ones, death is a leap from the frying pan of present torment into eternal fire.

ii. The idea of “Death as an escape” is a demonic deception. The infamous murderers of Littleton, Colorado made chilling home movies before their killing spree. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold left behind a videotaped document spelling out their motivation. In the last segment of tape, shot the morning of the murders, Harris & Klebold are dressed and say they are ready for “our little Judgement Day.” Then Klebold, looking tense, says goodbye to his parents. He concludes, “I didn’t like life too much. Just know I am going to a better place than here.” What tragic deception to think - on the day you will commit terrible murders - that you will go “to a better place.” There was no escape in death for Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. Now is the time of repentance, to escape from sin, and to be restored.

4. (7-10) The appearance of these locusts.

The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.

a. The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle: Many attempts have been made to show that this is an accurate (though poetic) description of natural locusts. But this approach misses the obvious demonic connection.

i. Why would God call them locusts if they are not literal locusts, but demonic spirits who swarm and destroy like locusts? Among other reasons, because locusts are agents of God’s judgment. This is a consistent Old Testament figure in passages like Exodus 10:4-14; Deuteronomy 28:38; 1 Kings 8:37; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Joel 1:4, and Amos 4:9.

b. Like horses . . . like gold . . . like the faces of men . . . like women’s hair . . . like lion’s teeth: The repetition of like indicates something other than a literal description is intended. The total impact of this picture is one of unnatural and awesome cruelty.

i. Suggestions that these locusts actually describe something such as the “helicopter gunships of the Antichrist” are interesting, but purely speculative, and don’t fit all the details.

ii. “There seems to be no alternative to concluding that God, satisfying the age-long desire of those wicked spirits to possess bodies of their own, has created bodies for them, bodies appropriate in demonic appearance to the character of the demonic inhabitants.” (Morris)

iii. “There can be no specific answer to the question of exactly who or what is symbolized by the plague of locusts. All we can know for sure is that in the period immediately before the end the wicked will be subjected to a time of unprecedented demonic torment. Exactly how this will take place will remain unknown until disclosed by history itself.” (Mounce)

5. (11) The leader of these locusts.

And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

a. And they had as king over them: This is another indication that these creatures are not literal locusts. The Bible tells us that literal locusts have no king, and these do. Proverbs 30:27 says, The locusts have no king, yet they all advance in ranks.

b. Whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon: Their king is given a name. Abaddon and Apollyon both have the same thought of destruction or torment (perdition).

c. The angel of the bottomless pit: Since this is the king of these locusts, and since he has the name Abaddon or Apollyon, this is obviously Satan himself or another high-ranking leader of demons.

6. (12) The worst is yet to come.

One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

 

Man, I want to already be with our Savior when all this takes place....

 

Well, when you put it that way, yes. My selfish nature was exposed.

 

True enough, although there is this passage....

But I am hearing what you're saying...

 

you know it..and this is just warming up, so to speak..

 

you have a good point..but with everything going on, you will just as easily become a martyr..and I would rather avoid that..

 

B. The sixth trumpet: an army of destruction.

1. (13) A voice from the altar.

Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

a. I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar: In the tabernacle and temple of Israel, the golden altar was the altar of incense, which was a representation of the prayers of God’s people.

b. The four horns of the golden altar stood at each corner. Atoning blood was applied to the horns. From these horns, John hears a voice. In this, John recalls a persistent theme: the prayers of God’s people play a large role in the end-times drama.

2. (14-15) The angels and their mission.

Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.

a. Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates: These four angels have no necessary connection with the four angels of Revelation 7:1. They may be the same four angels or they may not be. Whomever they are, they are prepared for the hour and day and month and year of the unleashing of this judgment.

i. Were released: “Most of Satan’s angels are yet free - being the principalities against which we wrestle, but some terrible offenders of high rank have been bound.” (Newell)

ii. This assumes these are “bad” angels; they may or may not be, but they probably are evil angels. No matter what, they are servants of the divine purpose.

b. Were released to kill a third of mankind: The demonic locusts described earlier in the chapter were restricted to tormenting mankind. But these four angels have the authority to kill on a massive scale.

i. These angels have a specific sphere of activity (a third of mankind), and are only activated in God’s timing. They execute God’s will in God’s timing.

c. The great river Euphrates: Why are these angels of judgment connected with the Euphrates River? The Euphrates was a landmark of ancient Babylon. It was the frontier of the Israel’s land as fully promised by God (Genesis 15:17-21). It was also the boundary of the old Roman Empire, which will be revived under the Antichrist.

ii. The Euphrates is also associated with the first sin (Genesis 2:10-14), the first murder (Genesis 4:16), the first organized revolt against God (Genesis 11:1-9), the first war confederation (Genesis 14:1), and the first dictatorship (Genesis 10:8-10).

3. (16-19) Description of the army led by these angels.

Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed; by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

a. The number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million: Is this number literal or symbolic? “It is possible that the number is not to be taken literally, but simply suggests an army that is impossible to count and is greater than anything mankind has ever seen.” (Hocking)

b. Breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone: They are given a weird, grotesque description. This is a powerful picture of horror, destruction and demonic association.

c. Does this speak of a natural or a supernatural army? An army of men or an army of demons?

i. If this describes a natural army of men, then the weird description might speak of modern, mechanized warfare. John may describe modern machinery in the only terms he can, and the result is this weird, grotesque, terrifying account.

ii. But, a human army this size has never been seen. The total size of all armies - on both sides - at the height of the Second World War was only 70 million. In 1965 China claimed to have an army and militia of 200 million, but this claim was doubted by many. Even if such an army was assembled, and marched towards the west, it is hard (but not impossible) to see such an army killing a billion or more people - a third of mankind.

iii. Therefore, perhaps the safest interpretation is to see this as a literal 200 million strong army, but a demonic army invading earth. This continues the idea of the demonic army like locusts described earlier in the chapter.

4. (20-21) The response of man.

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

a. But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent: In general, mankind shows no repentance, despite the presence of some pretty overwhelming “signs and wonders.”

b. That they should not worship demons, and idols: Instead, man continues with his idol worship in a “business as usual” sort of way. They continue in their worship of demons, whether their worship is witting or unwitting.

i. It is amazing to see how quickly things return to “normal” after some calamity such as an earthquake. We are so quick to forget God’s lessons, even the lessons that come in judgment.

c. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts: This list of sins is a striking accusation against our present age. Certainly, our modern world is characterized by murders, sorceries (associated with the taking of drugs), sexual immorality and thefts.

 

Revelation 10 - No More Delay
A. The mighty angel.

1. (1) A mighty angel comes down from heaven.

I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

a. I saw still another mighty angel: Revelation 9 left off with the sounding of the sixth of seven trumpets, which usher in the end of all things. Now, instead of the seventh trumpet, we have another interlude until Revelation 11:15.

i. These interludes serve a dramatic purpose, but also show mercy in allowing more opportunity for repentance. It is as if God brings things to the brink, then pulls back a little to grant mankind more time to repent.

b. Another mighty angel coming down from heaven: Many have identified this mighty angel, this messenger, as Jesus because some of the imagery also applies to Him. Revelation 1:15-16 also describes Jesus with His countenance . . . like the sun shining in its strength.

i. But, angels are never clearly identified with Jesus in Revelation or in the New Testament, though He is clearly associated with the “Angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament. A better identification is with Michael, because there are also similarities to this mighty angel and to Michael as he is described in Daniel 12:1 and 12:6-7.

c. A rainbow was on his head: Not only is the rainbow a reminder of God’s promise to man, but it is also a natural result when the sun shines through a cloud.

d. Whoever his exact identity, “clearly this angel has come from the very presence of God” (Barclay), and shows great might and authority.

2. (2-3) The angel cries out, and seven thunders utter their voices.

He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.

a. He had a little book open in his hand: Is this little book the same as the scroll no one except Jesus could open in Revelation 5:1-7? If one takes the mighty angel to be Jesus, then it very well could be. But John does use different words to describe the scroll of Revelation 5:1 and the little book written of here. It is probably best to see them as different, yet probably closely related. The little book is perhaps an “abridged version” of the disposition of all things, the portion that John himself will see and write about.

i. “The contents of the little book are nowhere revealed in Revelation, but they seem to represent in this vision the written authority given to the angel to fulfill his mission.” (Walvoord)

ii. Clarke on the little book: “Meaning probably some design of God long concealed, but now about to be made manifest. But who knows what it means?”

b. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land: the angel’s stance projects his authority over both land and sea. His authority is either direct (if the mighty angel is Jesus), or indirect (if this is indeed an angelic being as a messenger of God).

i. His stance “Indicates complete authority over the entire earthly situation.” (Walvoord)

ii. He has his feet on both land and sea “To show that he had the command of each, and that his power was universal, all things being under his feet.” (Clarke)

c. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices: This relates the same idea of the thunderous voice of God as described in Psalm 29, seven times repeating the phrase the voice of the Lord.

i. The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon. He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth, and strips the forests bare; and in His temple everyone says, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:3-9)

3. (4) John is commanded not to write what the thunders said.

Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

a. I was about to write . . . do not write them: Of course, this irritates many commentators and sets speculation running wild. What did they say that John must not tell us?

b. If John is not permitted to tell us what they said, why should he even record the incident? One result of it should be to let us know there are secrets in the prophetic scenario, mysteries that should keep our exposition and prediction humble.

i. “This illustrates the principle that while God has revealed much, there are secrets which God has not seen fit to reveal to man at this time.” (Walvoord)

ii. “Let us not proceed as though all has been revealed.” (Morris)

 

4. (5-7) No more delay.

The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

a. Raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever: The mighty angel gives a solemn oath declaring that the end is irrevocably set in motion, that there should be delay no longer. There is absolutely no turning back.

b. The mystery of God would be finished: What mystery? One important aspect of this mystery is that it has been declared to His servants the prophets.

i. Remember that in Biblical vocabulary, a mystery isn’t something no one knows. A mystery is something no one could know unless it was revealed to him. If you could know it by intuition or personal investigation, it isn’t a mystery, because mysteries must be revealed. Therefore, something can be known and still be a mystery in the Biblical sense, if it would never have been known if it wasn’t revealed.

c. It’s hard to say what this precise mystery of God is, because the phrase - or its equivalent - is used for a many different aspects of God’s plan.

The ultimate conversion of the Jews is called a mystery (Romans 11:25)
God’s purpose for the church is called a mystery (Ephesians 3:3-11)
The bringing in of the fullness of the Gentiles is called a mystery (Romans 11:25)
The living presence of Jesus in the believer is called the mystery of God (Colossians 1:27 — 2:3)
The gospel itself is called the mystery of Christ (Colossians 4:3)
d. In this context, the mystery of God probably refers to the unfolding of His resolution of all things, the finishing of His plan of the ages.

i. “The mystery of God which is declared as subject to fulfillment is unfolded therefore in the Old Testament in the many passages which speak of the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth.” (Walvoord)

ii. Possibly, the mystery also regards the great question “Why does God allow Satan and man to rebel and go their own way?” The idea may be that this question, this unanswered mystery, is coming to an end under rule of Jesus. God is beginning the end, the resolution of all things, the gathering together (resolution, summing up) of all things in one in Jesus (Ephesians 1:10).

iii. God freely acknowledges that life today is full of mysteries; but it will not always be so. A day will come when all questions of this age will be answered.

B. John is commissioned to preach.

1. (8-9) Curious instructions.

Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

a. Take and eat it: John is commanded to take the little book from the mighty angel and actually eat it.

b. Because an invitation give to take the little book, some take this to say that God never forces His revelation on anyone, and we always must be willing to take what He has offered. That may often be the case, but it would be news to Paul on the road to Damascus.

2. (10-11) A book both sweet and bitter.

Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

a. I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it: In Ezekiel 3:1-3, the prophet was also commanded to eat a scroll, the revelation of God to Israel. “This figure of eating the book is familiar, and suggests the feeding of the soul on the Word of God.” (Morgan)

i. John can only proclaim the Word of God if he has taken it in; “Such an action symbolized the reception of the Word of God into the innermost being as a necessary prerequisite to proclaim it with confidence.” (Johnson)

b. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter: This little book is initially sweet to the taste, but becomes bitter in John’s stomach. “Every revelation of God’s purposes . . . is ‘bitter-sweet,’ disclosing judgment as well as mercy.” (Swete)

i. “When he came to think upon it, it was either so mysterious that he could not comprehend it, or the matter of it was so sad that it gave him great trouble.” (Poole)

ii. Any effective communicator of God’s Word has experienced both the sweetness and bitterness that is associated with His Word

iii. Those who believe the church is raptured after the great tribulation argue that the scroll is bitter because the lot of the faithful is bitter in the last days. Mounce is an example of this approach: “The sweet scroll which turns bitter is a message for the church. Before the final triumph believers are going to pass through a formidable ordeal.”

c. You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings: Whatever the content of the scroll, it is connected to John’s command to prophesy to all men. This is not a message just focused to the church.

i. John’s prophecy speaks of the fate of the entire world, not just one nation, empire or emperor, such as the Roman Empire.

 

I also like the way ABM put it..

 

Revelation 11 - The Two Witnesses
A. The temple of God.

1. (1) John is instructed to measure the temple, the altar and its worshippers.

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.”

a. A reed like a measuring rod: In Ezekiel 40-43, there is an extended passage where a temple is measured. The temple in Ezekiel is the temple of the millennial earth, but this temple seems to be before that temple. The temple in Ezekiel is measured extensively, including the outer courts (Ezekiel 40:17-19).

i. There are a few other Biblical examples of measuring. In Zechariah 2, a man measures Jerusalem, a scene that evidently shows God’s coming judgment on the city. In Revelation 21, the New Jerusalem is measured.

b. Rise and measure the temple of God: Sometimes in the Old Testament, the idea of measuring communicates ownership, protection, and preservation. When Habakkuk prophesies, He stood and measured the earth (Habakkuk 3:6), the idea is that the Lord owns the earth and can do with it as He pleases. When this temple is measured, it shows that God knows its every dimension, and He is in charge.

i. God is in charge. This is one of the glorious, mighty themes of the Book of Revelation. Revelation 11:17 again uses the title Almighty for God. The Greek word for Almighty is pantokrater, and it describes “the one who has his hand on everything.” Nine out of the ten times this word is used in the New Testament, it is used in Revelation. This temple will be the scene of great horror and great glory, but God is in charge of it all!

c. The temple of God: The identity of this temple is an important matter of interpretation. Many see this temple as a symbol of the church.

i. Paul describes the church as a temple: Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19-21)

ii. Peter describes the church as a temple: You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:5)

iii. However, if this temple in Revelation 11 is a symbolic representation of the church, why should it be measured? What is the significance of the courts and the altar - and if the church itself is the temple, who are the worshippers (those who worship there)? There is too much specific detail here for this to be using the generalized picture of the church as a temple unto God.

d. It is more likely that this is the temple that must be on the earth for the fulfillment of what Daniel, Jesus, and Paul said about the abomination of desolation.

i. The prophet Daniel told us the Antichrist will break his covenant with the Jews and bring sacrifice and offerings to an end; the Antichrist will defile the temple by setting something abominable there (Daniel 9:27; 11:31, and 12:11).

ii. Jesus said to look for an abomination standing in the holy place, which would be the pivotal sign that the season of God’s wrath was upon the earth (Matthew 24:15-16 and 24:21).

iii. Paul told us that the Antichrist would sit in the temple as God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

iv. The concept of the abomination of desolation is often spiritualized with explaining it as idolatrous worship established in the hearts of God’s people (His “temple”). But in what sense can people be called God’s temple if they worship the Antichrist - an emissary of Satan himself? Certainly, this isn’t the most plain or straightforward interpretation. The simplest explanation of all these passages is to see a real Jewish temple in Jerusalem, yet to be built – but coming soon.

e. In point of fact, today there are Jews very interested in rebuilding the temple and resuming sacrifice, and are making preparations to do that exact thing even now.

i. Today you can visit the Temple Institute in the Jewish Quarter of the old city in Jerusalem. There, a group of Jews absolutely dedicated to rebuilding the temple attempt to educate the public and raise awareness for a new temple. They are trying to replicate everything they can for a new temple, down to the specific pots and pans used for sacrifice.

ii. Israel is a nation again, and efforts to rebuild the temple are for real. The main Jewish group leading the charge to rebuild the temple is an organization called Faithful of the Temple Mount, who say they will continue their efforts to re-establish the Jewish temple on the Mount. One leader in the group said, “We shall continue our struggle until the Israeli flag is flying from the Dome of the Rock.” In Israel, there are students being trained for the priesthood, learning how to conduct animal sacrifices in the rebuilt temple.

iii. It is important to understand that most Jews – religious or secular – do not care one bit about building a temple. And if there were one rebuilt, sacrifice would be difficult in a day of aggressive animal rights activists! Yet, there is a small, strong, highly dedicated group who live to see a rebuilt temple – a temple which will fulfill prophecy.

iv. Rightly, Christians get excited when they see efforts to rebuild the temple. At the same time, we should understand that the basic impulse behind rebuilding the temple is not of God at all – the desire to have a place to sacrifice for sin. Christians believe that all sacrifice for sin was finished at the cross, and any further sacrifice for sin is an offense to God, because it denies the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

v. Orthodox Jews consider that the Messiah will rebuild the temple; however, the man they may initially embrace as their Messiah may in fact be the Antichrist: I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. (John 5:43)

2. (2) The outer court of the temple.

But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

a. The outer court need not be measured because it has been given to the Gentiles. Perhaps this is because the outer courts of this rebuilt temple include the Islamic Dome of the Rock shrine, which currently stands on the temple mount and is a point of great contention between Jews and Muslims.

i. When the city of Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 a.d. by the Romans, they destroyed the city so completely that the foundations of the old temple are not easily found. Most have long assumed that the Dome of the Rock shrine stands on the place of the old temple. But new research gives some evidence that the temple may have stood to the north where the Dome of the Rock shrine is today, and that if the temple were to be rebuilt at its old place, the Dome of the Rock shrine would be in its outer courts. If this is the case (and the research is by no means settled), then it would explain why the angel told John leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles.

b. The holy city (Jerusalem) will be tread underfoot for a period of forty-two months, which equals 1260 days (three and one-half years). This “trampling” by Gentiles probably takes place in the last half of the final seven year period described by Daniel 11:26-27 - when the Antichrist pours out his fury on the people of Israel (as described in Revelation 12:13-17 and Matthew 24:15-28).

c. Greek scholar A.T. Robertson says that to tread underfoot means “to trample with contempt.”

 

B. The two witnesses.

1. (3-6) The ministry of the two witnesses.

“And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

a. My two witnesses: This introduces two of the more interesting characters of Revelation, the two witnesses. The character of their ministry is prophetic (they will prophesy); they preach and demonstrate repentance (clothed in sackcloth), and they have an effective ministry (I will give power).

i. The two witnesses indeed ministry with power. “Such power, in fact, that they are able to witness for 1,260 days in spite of the antagonism of the world.” (Walvoord)

b. These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands: The witnesses have an unique, continual empowering from the Holy Spirit, as shown in Zechariah’s olive trees and oil lamps picture (Zechariah 4:2-3; 4:14).

i. The passage from Zechariah had its first application to two men in Zechariah’s day: Joshua and Zerubbabel. “Just as these two witnesses were raised up to be lampstands or witnesses for God and were empowered by olive oil representing the power of the Holy Spirit, so the two witnesses of Revelation 11 will likewise execute their prophetic office.” (Walvoord)

ii. In the picture from Zechariah, oil lamps are filled directly from olive trees which “pipe” oil right to the lamps. This is a picture of continual, abundant supply. If we will be witnesses, we must first have something to witness – our own personal encounter with Jesus Christ. Then, we must have the power of the Holy Spirit to bring forth the story of what we have witnessed effectively.

iii. “In this book of the Revelation the Holy Ghost borrows all the elegancies and flowers in the story of the Old Testament, thereby to set out the story of the New in succeeding ages.” (Trapp)

c. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies: The two witnesses have special protection from God, similar to Elijah’s in 2 Kings 1.

d. These have power to shut heaven . . . they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire: The two witnesses have the power to bring both drought and plague, similar to the power Elijah (James 5:17-18) and Moses (Exodus 7-12) had.

e. In the ancient Greek grammar, all the nouns used to speak of the two witnesses in this passage are in the masculine gender. The two witnesses are definitely two men.

2. (7-10) The death of the two witnesses.

When they finish their testimony, the beast 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 which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

a. The two witnesses are killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit (first introduced in Revelation 9:11, most likely Satan himself) but their ministry is not cut short. They fully accomplish their task (when they finish their testimony).

i. Praise God, we cannot be taken off of this earth until we finish our testimony. The devil does not have power over our lives. We are witnesses of the Lord, and He will protect us until our testimony is finished.

ii. This passage illustrates the difference between being a witness and giving testimony. Witness is not something we do; it is something we are. Giving testimony is what a witness does.

b. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified: The two witnesses are killed in the city of Jerusalem, which is described in three illustrative terms.

As Sodom, speaking of immorality
As Egypt, speaking of oppression and slavery
As the great city, a term often applied to “Babylon,” the headquarters of Antichrist (Revelation 16:19; 17:18; 18:10; 18:16; 18:18; 18:19; 18:21)
i. If, during the first three and one-half years, Jerusalem’s leadership is in league with the Antichrist, it is easy to see how these titles apply. Any city in love with the Antichrist, or entering into a covenant with him, could be called Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon.

c. Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another: The earth sees and rejoices over the deaths of the two witnesses. The fact that this is seen by all people, tribes, tongues, and nations is perhaps an oblique prophecy of modern mass media.

i. It is amazing – and not far-fetched at all – to think of a live, worldwide broadcast on CNN, “Live from Jerusalem,” and seeing the amazing scene described here taking place.

ii. The idea is also that the world treats these two witnesses in a humiliating manner. “To have his dead body lie in view of all was the worst humiliation a person could suffer from his enemies.” (Johnson)

iii. Make merry, and send gifts to one another: Donald Grey Barnhouse tells of a Christmas card with Revelation 11:10 on its cover - a terrible misquoting of the Scriptures!

d. Because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth: The preaching of these two witnesses and their call to repentance was a torment for many, because they could not stand to hear the truth while they loved their lie.

3. (11-14) The reviving of the two witnesses.

Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

a. They stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them: As this happens before the eyes of the watching world, the enemies of these two witnesses are horrified and astonished.

b. Come up here: The earth is not worthy of these two witnesses, so God simply calls them home, and they ascended to heaven in a cloud.

c. In the same hour there was a great earthquake: An earthquake brings judgment, and moves many to give glory to God. But it remains to be seen if this will become true repentance unto salvation.

4. The identity of the two witnesses.

a. Many interpreters see them as symbolic of the entire church in the tribulation period, or as symbols of the law and the prophets. But how can so many specific details in their ministry be reconciled with such a symbolic interpretation?

b. The most plain and straightforward interpretation sees them as two real individuals, not symbolic representations.

i. Unfortunately, the list is not short of modern nuts who think they are one of the two witnesses. I think that if you added them all together, there would be about 144,000 of them!

c. Who they are must not be terribly important, or we would have been told exactly who they are!

i. Generally, if the two witnesses are identified with any two individuals from the past, the leading candidates are Elijah, Moses, or Enoch. Or, perhaps these are merely two believers ministering in the spirit and power of these great men, even as John the Baptist went forth in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17 and Matthew 7:12-13).

ii. Some think Enoch is one of the witnesses because:

He was carried up to heaven by God (Genesis 5:25).
iii. Some think Elijah is one of the witnesses because:

His ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (2 Kings 1 and James 5:17-18)
He was carried up to heaven (2 Kings 2:11)
Enemies of Elijah were destroyed by fire (2 Kings 1)
It is specifically prophesied that Elijah will return before the end of the age (Malachi 4:5-6)
Elijah had a unique “conference” with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6)
iv. Some think Moses is one of the witnesses because:

His ministry seems like one of these two witnesses (Exodus 7:20-21)
God seems to have a special purpose for the body of Moses that Satan wanted to defeat (Jude 1:9)
The enemies of Moses were destroyed by fire (Numbers 16:35)
Moses had a unique “conference” with Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-6)
v. Some believe the two witnesses must be Enoch and Elijah, because neither of them died a natural death and were instead carried to heaven, and Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for men to die once - so Enoch and Elijah must return to die on the earth. This is a misunderstanding of Hebrews 9:27, which is a principle rather than an absolute, immutable law. For example, Lazarus and others were raised from the dead and apparently died twice - yet this does not disprove Hebrews 9:27. The entire church on earth at the time of the rapture will not die, but be carried to heaven. Hebrews 9:27 stands as a principle, and there are a few notable exceptions which ultimately serve to prove the rule, not deny it. There may be good reasons for considering Enoch and Elijah the two witnesses, but the principle of Hebrews 9:27 is not among those good reasons.

C. The seventh trumpet.

1. (15) The seventh trumpet finally sounds.

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

a. Then the seventh angel sounded: The seventh seal brought forth a profound silence (Revelation 8:1); the seventh trumpet initiates joy at the inevitable resolution. There can’t be a more glorious proclamation than this: The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!

b. Have become the kingdoms of our Lord: In the ancient Greek grammar, the verb tense of have become indicates an absolute certainty about Jesus’ coming and reign, even before the fact is accomplished.

c. How can there be such joy, when the King is not reigning completely yet? At the headquarters at a successful political campaign on election night, there is joy, even though it will be a while until their candidate is actually installed into office. The joy anticipates a certain result.

2. (16-18) The twenty-four elders worship God.

And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, and those who fear Your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

a. We give You thanks: This thanksgiving isn’t to thank God that He has already done this; but that the hour has come for it to take place, and that these things are permanently set in motion.

b. “In their praise, impending events are set forth, to be more fully described later.” (Morgan) Now comes the fitting time for judgment, reward, and destruction.

c. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come: God’s punishment fits the crime; there is nothing arbitrary about it. The nations are angry with God and He responds with wrath; those that destroy the earth are themselves destroyed.

d. The nations were angry: The world is angry because God comes to rule.

i. The world wants anything but the reign of God! As it says in a parable in Jesus, We will not have this man to reign over us (Luke 19:14).

ii. “Religion is decent, but surrender to God is intolerable to the nations of this world.” (Newell)

iii. The wrath of men is impotent, but the wrath of God is omnipotent. The wrath of men is wicked, but the wrath of God is holy.

3. (19) The temple in heaven is opened.

Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

a. The ark of His covenant was seen in His temple: The ark refers to God’s throne, the place where the previously mentioned resolution will come from.

b. It is called the ark of His covenant - in the Old Testament, this was the earthly representation of God’s throne - to emphasize God’s faithfulness.

i. The ark of the covenant is “The symbol of God’s faithfulness in bestowing grace on His people, and inflicting vengeance on His people’s enemies.” (Alford)

c. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail: The great and awesome phenomenon at the opening of the temple and the revelation of the ark show that the presence of the Lord is there; it is reminiscent of God’s manifested presence at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16-19).

 

I love the Psalms. They uplift, direct, encourage, exhort, etc., etc.

Whenever I'm not having such a hot day, there is always encouragement in the Psalms. This is one such passage...

Psalm 42: 1-2; 5