A Study Of The Book Of Revelation
Lesson No. 13: Chapter 10

Date: October 22^nd, 2003, Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Class
Speaker: John Phillis
Note: Much of the information for this Study of Revelation was taken from the book “Revelation Through First Century Glasses” by W. B. West. Other sources: “The Living Word, Study of Revelation, Parts I & II” by Dr. Frank Pack; “Revelation” by Jim McGuiggan; “Commentary on Revelation” by Homer Hailey; “Commentary on Revelation” by Burton Coffman; “The Book of Revelation – Spiritual Sword Lectureship, October 18 – 22, 1998”; “Commentary on Revelation” by Howard Winters; “Revelation for Christians Today” by Lonnie Woodruff; “Unlocking Revelation” by J. Stafford North.

Objective in Studying this Chapter:

1) To examine the first vision in the interlude between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets

2) To offer an explanation concerning the significance of this vision

A Brief Introduction

In Revelation, chapter 8, verse 13, we saw that an angel (or an “eagle,” depending on your translation) flying through the midst of heaven declaring, “Woe, woe, woe,” three “woes,” three trials/tribulations, three terrible things, which were about to be revealed as the three remaining trumpets will sound.

In chapter 9, we have looked at the fifth and the sixth trumpets as they sounded, two of those three “woes” being revealed with the sounding of those two trumpets. The first “woe” in the sounding of the fifth trumpet was the smoke coming up from the bottomless pit, which was opened, and those creatures, called “locusts,” but with the tails of scorpions, permitted to torture, to torment mankind.

Then, the sixth trumpet sounds and those two hundred million horsemen come forth, men of battle on these steeds of battle. The picturesque language speaks of their fierceness, their hostility and all those kinds of things. As we saw, those represent the evil forces of this world and their involvement in this world. No, they are not given authority over the world itself. No, they don’t have the carte blanche [full authority] ability to overtake all of mankind, but, rather, they are here. They were there in John’s day; they’re still here today. We are dealing with the forces of evil.

In chapter 9, verse 21, we see that man, in spite of these terrible things which come upon mankind and are permitted to come upon mankind, does not repent (speaking, now, in the aggregate, the whole) [meaning that, perhaps, a few will repent, but most of mankind will not repent].

We begin with chapter 10. We see that, similar to the vision, the interlude that John saw in chapter 7 between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals, so here in this vision in chapter 10 and the first part of chapter 11 occurs something of an interlude. There’s something else that is going on here related, of course, to the context—not completely separate—but something of an interlude. This interlude occurs between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and the sounding of the seventh trumpet. And John will have another vision that is going to be different from, perhaps, what he has seen before.

In the 10^th chapter and the first part of the 11^th chapter, the certainty of “the end” is affirmed. Indeed, “the end” is at hand, “the end” is near. That doesn’t mean that we have some revelation about when “the end” will occur. We are in the last days; we have been in the last days for more than 2,000 years. But “the end” is affirmed as we look at this 10^th chapter.

In chapter 10, John is further commissioned to testify, to prophesy, concerning the things that he will see, particularly reassuring the church that a time of judgment is going to come. This time of the evil forces of the world being allowed to prey upon, to torment, the church—those who are part of the family of God—will come to an end. God never, in ALL of Revelation, leaves very far away the question of the care of His church.

THE MIGHTY ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK (VERSES 1-7)

A Reading of Revelation 10:1-7

“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. 2 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, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 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.’

5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven [some translations say, “raised his right hand to heaven”] 6 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, 7 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.”