Revelation Lesson 6

Adult Class

March-June 2006

Revelation 8-11

Lesson 6

We have watched a series of amazing visions that threaten severe judgment upon the earth. Now we are treated to another series of seven events. In the former case, seven seals revealed the will of God. In this case, seven angels with trumpets announce the judgment of God upon the persecutor of His people.

The seventh seal is broken and we're treated to a dramatic pause-silence reigns for half an hour. Seven angels are given trumpets, then another angel steps forward with a censer including incense and the prayers of the saints. He presents the mixture before God, then filled the censer with fire and cast it down to the earth. This is the answer to the prayers of the saints.

With the first trumpet, a cascade of hail and fire with blood falls upon the earth and a third of the earth and the trees, along with all the green grass, is burned up.
With the second trumpet, a mountain on fire falls into the sea and a third of the sea turns to blood, a third of the creatures die and a third of the ships sink.
With the third trumpet, a star falls upon the fresh water and a third of the rivers and springs turn fatally bitter.
With the fourth trumpet, the sun, moon and stars are darkened by a third and a third of day and night are disturbed.

These four events seem to signify natural disasters upon the earth as a judgment from God. These events fall indiscriminately and create terrible chaos on the earth. And that's not all. An eagle announces that things will become terrible for those who are on the earth!

Revelation chapter 9 opens with the fifth trumpet blast. A star fallen from heaven is given the key to the Abyss. This is a rare word in the Bible and means a "bottomless pit" that is associated with the home of demons, especially in Luke 8:31. When the Abyss is opened with the key, smoke bursts out and from the smoke, locusts swarm. These are ordered not to harm any plants (normal food for locusts and the normal disaster associated with locusts) or any of the people of God, but only to torment those opposed to God.

These locusts don't kill, but they inflict great pain for five months (normal span of locust plague) and their king is named "Destroyer." This judgment seems to symbolize the power of evil turned back upon itself. The demonic forces only hurt those opposed to God and His people.

When the sixth trumpet sounds, John sees a truly fantastic vision. Four angels who were held at the Euphrates (Rome's frontier border) are released and they lead an invading cavalry of "twice 10,000 times 10,000" to kill a third of humanity (apparently not including God's people). They are very splendid and very vivid. Although this is catastrophic, it does not signify the end of the world. There are survivors of this onslaught, and the purpose of the signified natural disasters, inwardly focused evil and invaders from beyond Rome's borders was to bring about repentance. Yet these people still did not repent of their terrible actions. There remains one trumpet left to sound, but before that there is an interlude and another scene is presented to John.

A glorious angel appears, with a small scroll in his hand, and he stands astride the land and the sea. He lets out a tremendous shout and in response seven thunders speak. John begins to write the words of the seven thunders (in the Bible thunder is a warning), but he is stopped and told neither to write it nor to reveal it. There is no point to offering further warnings-this judgment is concluded.

The angel takes a very strong and formal oath and declares "There will be no more delay!" God has waited long enough and His purpose is about to be made known fully. When the seventh trumpet is about to sound, God will fulfill the words of the prophets. The full destruction of the Roman Empire is at hand.

John is given the scroll and commanded to eat it. The taste is very sweet in his mouth, but it becomes bitter in his stomach. This is very similar to Ezekiel's experience in Ezekiel 2-3 when he was commissioned to proclaim woe to the nation of Israel. John here declares disaster on many peoples, nations, languages and kings-the composition of the Roman Empire.

Chapter 11 opens with another scene reminiscent of Ezekiel. John is given a measuring rod and told to measure the temple, but not the outer court, the "Court of the Gentiles." It will be given into their power for 42 months/1260 days-the period we earlier identified as a brief but intense time of persecution. It is important for us to remember that when John saw and wrote these visions, the temple in Jerusalem had been destroyed for over 20 years. When Ezekiel saw his vision of temple measurement, it was a message of protection and restoration of God's people.

John writes of two witnesses-a symbol of strength. For a short time, the holy city is trampled but these witnesses work powerfully. They are not harmed until they are finished, then a beast from the Abyss (center of demonic activity) attacks, overpowers and kills them. Their bodies are left in the streets and the people of the earth celebrate and congratulate themselves. Then after three and a half days, they are suddenly raised to life and vindicated as they ascend to heaven. At that moment a great earthquake knocks down a tenth of the city.

Note: the work of the witnesses happens in three stages. First, their message spreads with power. Then, it is crushed by the power of the Roman Empire (the beast from the Abyss we identified earlier) and the enemies are happy. Finally, the message springs back to life and is vindicated, to the rage and distress of the enemies. This compares very closely with the progress of the gospel message during the first centuries.

There are some other things to note:

These are not literal witnesses-they are also called olive trees and lampstands.
There is no literal temple that is measured.
The beast is not literal, but a figure of the Roman Empire.
The city is described as: Sodom (evil), Egypt (oppressive) and Jerusalem (godless). It is not literally Jerusalem.

The final trumpet sounds and a strong declaration is made: the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. The elders worship and declare that the wrath has come. Reward and punishment are meted out. The temple (in heaven!) is opened, glory is revealed and power and disaster are unleashed.

Victory is declared. The dark days of persecution have passed, but now God is triumphant. These splendid visions comfort the earliest Christians since they are assured that God will be victorious and the Roman Empire will not continue to persecute.