ADULT

Lesson CommentarySummer Quarter, 2020

CONTENTS

About the Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Lesson 1 The Thunder Judgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Revelation 10:1-11

Lesson 2 The Two Witnesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Revelation 11:1-14

Lesson 3 The Great War on Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Revelation 11:15—12:17

Lesson 4 The Beasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Revelation 13:1-18

Lesson 5 The Saints and Martyrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Revelation 14:1-20

Lesson 6 The Seven Last Plagues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Revelation 15; 16

Lesson 7 The Victory of the Lamb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Revelation 17

Lesson 8 The Fall of Babylon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Revelation 18

Lesson 9 The Marriage of the Lamb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Revelation 19:1-10

Lesson 10 The Coming of Christ in Glory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103 Revelation 19:11-21

Lesson 11 The Millennial Kingdom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Revelation 20:1-15

Lesson 12 The New Heaven and New Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .123 Revelation 21:1—22:5

Lesson 13 Behold, I Come Quickly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134 Revelation 22:6-21

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Vol. 21, No. 1, Summer Quarter, 2020. Editor in Chief: Kyle W. Elkins, kyle.elkins@bogardstore.org Business Manager: Dean Grigsby, dean.grigsby@bogardstore.org © 2020, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928 www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482

American Baptist AssociationThrough-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons

2029 John 13—21

Ezra; NehemiahHabakkuk; HaggaiMalachi; Esther

1 Peter2 Peter

1, 2, 3 JohnJude

2020

EzekielDaniel

ZechariahRevelation 1—11 Revelation 12—22

Genesis 1—11Job

2021 Genesis 12—50 Matthew 1—13 Matthew 14—28 Exodus

2022 Romans

LeviticusNumbers

DeuteronomyHebrews

JoshuaJudgesRuth

2023 Acts 1—14 Acts 15—28

1 Samuel2 Samuel 1—4

1 Chronicles 1 —10Mark 1—8

2024 Mark 9—16

2 Samuel 5—241 Chronicles 11—29

1 Kings 1; 2

James1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians

Psalms 1—72

2025 Psalms 73—150 Galatians

1 Kings 3—222 Chronicles 1—24

2 Kings 1—13Joel; Obadiah

1 Corinthians

2028 Ephesians

1 Timothy2 Timothy

Titus

JeremiahLamentations2 Kings 24; 25

2 Chronicles 36

John 1—12

Winter Spring Summer Fall

2026

ProverbsEcclesiastes

Song of SolomonLuke 1—13:21 Luke 13:22—24

Hosea; Amos;Micah; Jonah;

2 Kings 14—162 Chronicles 25—28

2027 2 Corinthians

Isaiah 1—392 Chronicles 29—32

2 Kings 17—20Nahum

Isaiah 40—662 Kings 21—23

2 Chronicles 33—35Zephaniah

PhilemonPhilippiansColossians

About the WritersRecognized for their knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Holy

Scriptures, the writers of the Adult Lesson Commentary are faithful pastors, teachers and spiritual leaders among the Lord’s churches. The following are a few biographical notes about these men.

Dr. David Harris was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, in 1953. He was saved at age nine and baptized by the authority of Harmony Missionary Baptist Church where he surrendered to preach at age sixteen and was later licensed and ordained. He graduated from Glendale High School in 1972 and entered the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock the same year. He received his Bachelor, Master and Doctorate Degrees in Bible Languages from the Little Rock school.

He has pastored the Pine Grove MBC near Holly Grove, Arkansas; Hickory Ridge MBC of Hickory Ridge, Arkansas; Westlawn MBC of Texarkana, Texas; Calvary MBC of Van Buren, Arkansas; First Immanuel MBC of Pine Bluff, Arkansas; and presently serves the Temple MBC of Benton, Arkansas. He is a current member of the faculty of the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock where he has taught for twelve years and where he serves as assistant editor of the Searchlight published by the Seminary. Before he began to write the Adult Lesson Commentary for New Testament Studies, he had twenty years experience writing for Bogard Press and the Baptist Sunday School Committee. He has previously written Jr. High Sunday School, Jr. High BTC and the Adult Quarterly. He may be contacted at drdavidharris@hotmail.com.

Roger W. Stewart was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he attended Central Baptist Church throughout his entire childhood. He was saved and baptized at age nine. At age seventeen, he announced his call to preach before graduating from Northside High School in 1984. He soon found himself a student at the Missionary Baptist Seminary where he earned a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1991. Meanwhile, Brother Stewart married Gena Ashlock in 1986 and was ordained to the gospel ministry by Victory Missionary Baptist Church in Sherwood,

Arkansas, later that same year. God blessed the Stewart’s with two boys—Brett in 1989 and Hayden in 1991. After pastoring in Michigan for nine years, Brother Stewart returned to Southeast Arkansas where he was afforded the opportunity to complete his Master of Theology (2006) and Doctor of Theology (2008) degrees at the Missionary Baptist Seminary. He is pastor of Olive Branch Missionary Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He has served ABA churches in Holly Grove, DeWitt and Star City, Arkansas as well as in Coloma, Michigan. He is currently a member of the Standing Missionary Committee where he serves as Clerk. Brother Stewart is Vice President of the Alumni Association for the Missionary Baptist Seminary. He may be contacted at drrwstewart@sbcglobal.net.

Michael McCoy grew up attending Bethlehem Mis-sionary Baptist Church near Ola, Arkansas. He was saved at the age of 13 and surrendered to the ministry in 1995 at the age of 19. Brother McCoy has pastored Little Elm Missionary Baptist Church in Farmington, Arkansas, since 1997. A graduate of the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, he also holds a BA in History and Classical Studies from the University of Arkansas as well as an MA and PhD in Ancient Medi-terranean History from the University of Arkansas. He and his wife, Amy, married in 1998 and have two daughters, Ava and Allison.

He may be contacted at mtmccoy@gmail.com.

The book we refer to as the book of Revelation sits in just the right place as the last of the sixty-six books of the Bible. The Revelation is the summation and consummation of all divine written revelation. It is the one book which brings all the other sixty-five books together. It ties up all the loose ends, so to speak, and shows how the many prophecies of Scripture will be fulfilled in the personal, visible appearing of Jesus Christ and in the establishment of His righteous rule over the earth. While the Revelation answers the question, How will it all end? There are still things we do not know or understand. While it is true that a special blessing is pronounced on those who hear, read and keep the prophecies of this book (Revelation 1:3), it is also true that we do not yet have a perfect understanding of end-time events. This is one reason there are different opinions about it. We do the best we can to rightly interpret the book, but we should all realize we do not know everything. There will be times when we become acutely aware of our lack of understanding, as in the case of the seven thunders which are spoken of in today’s lesson; nevertheless, we can rest in the assurance that God has revealed to us everything we need to know in order to live a life pleasing to Him. It may not be everything we want to know, but it is everything we need to know. A similar thing may be said of the life of Christ which is chronicled in the four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Near the conclusion of his account, John spoke of Jesus and said, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30). And in the last verse of his work, he said, “There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25). The point is that even though John did not tell us everything Jesus did, he told us what we need to know in order to believe. Likewise, the Revelation may not tell us everything we want to know about the second coming of Christ, but it tells us what we need to know. Some may question the value of a six month study in the Revelation since much of it chronicles the wrath of God against an unbelieving, ungodly world. If believers are going to be raptured before the wrath of God is poured out

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The Thunder Judgments

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then why should we be concerned about it? For one thing, the Revelation is the ultimate exaltation of Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul spoke of Jesus and said, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). It is in the Revelation that we see the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ glorification. Furthermore, the second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the believer (Titus 2:13). It is what keeps us looking up and moving forward. A better understanding of this book will help us, as John said in his first epistle to “abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). If we will learn from this great book and live in light of Jesus’ coming, we will have nothing of which to be ashamed when He appears “the second time without sin unto salva-tion” (Hebrews 9:28).

The Mighty Angel (Revelation 10:1-3)

Let us clarify where we are in the chronology of events which have been described thus far. Based on the division given in Revelation 1:19 we are now looking at things “which shall be hereafter.” Revelation 4 provides a glimpse of the throne of God in Heaven. Revelation 5 introduces the seven-sealed book which only the Lamb of God is worthy to look upon, read and unloose the seals thereof. Revelation 6 describes the opening of the first six seals and announces the impending wrath of God. Revelation 7 is a pause between the sixth and seventh seals wherein the 144,000 are sealed and the great multitude of the redeemed is gathered before the throne. Revelation 8 describes the opening of the seventh seal out of which comes seven trumpets, four of which are sounded. Revelation 9 explains the opening of the fifth and sixth seals, otherwise known as the first and second woe. Revelation 10 is something of a pause between the

sixth and seventh trumpet. The seventh trumpet will not be sounded until Revela-tion 11:15. Revelation 10 centers upon a mighty angel who cries with a loud voice that results in seven thunders (verses 1-7), and upon a little book which John is told to eat (verses 8-11). The Description of the Angel (verse 1). John wrote, “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.” The phrase “and

I saw” is found two dozen times in the Revelation. It is one of the key phrases in the book. John did not record second-hand information. He did not report on

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Mighty Angel Word Studies #2478, 32

Revelation 10:1. John has already used this combination in Revelation 5:2 . For “mighty,” the apostle uses a word that suggests physical strength . Powerful . “Angel” means a messenger, and here it refers to a spiritual being who conveys God’s revelation from Christ to John (see Revelation 22:8, 9 for this process) .

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hearsay; he was an eyewitness. As he said of himself in the Gospel of John, “He that saw it bare record, and his record is true” (John 19:35). The book of Revelation is filled with over sixty references to angels. On this occasion, John saw “another mighty angel.” The word translated mighty is the same as “strong” in Revelation 5:2 where John saw a strong angel who asked, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” There is no consensus among commen-tators as to the identity of this angel. Some have identified him as Jesus because of the references to the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament. However, nowhere else in the Revela-tion is Jesus referred to as an angel. He is referred to in various ways, such as the Son of Man, a Lamb and as Christ, but not as an angel. “Though the angel is presented as one having great majesty and power, there is no clear evidence that his function or his person is more than that of a created angel to whom has been entrusted great authority” (Walvoord 170). The angel John saw “came down from heaven,” from the abode of God, as one sent on a mission by God. The angel was “clothed with a cloud,” which may be one reason some have identified him as Jesus (Luke 21:27; Revelation 1:7). “A rainbow was upon his head” (Revelation 10:1). Initially, the rainbow was given as a sign to Noah and his descendants of God’s covenant faithfulness. The rainbow was the visible reminder of God’s promise never to destroy the earth again with a flood of water. The angel’s face “was as it were the sun” (verse 1). And “his feet as pillars of fire” (verse 1). These expressions are also descriptive of Jesus, but does not prove this angel was Jesus. The Position of the Angel (verse 2). “And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.” The mighty angel had a little book open in his hand. The single word which is trans-lated “little book” is not used outside of Revelation 10. This book was actually a scroll (the making of books had not yet been developed). It was not the same as the seven-sealed book that was taken from the right hand of the Father by the Lamb (Revelation 5). This book was not sealed. It was open. Furthermore, this book was to be eaten by John as will be seen in the following verses. The angel John saw was so mighty and powerful that he “set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth.” The picture is not that of a little

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His Right Foot upon the Sea; His Left Foot on the Earth (Revelation 10:2): Though Satan is accurately called the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) because he has “blinded the minds of them which believe not” he is neither the Creator of this world nor the controller of it. Paul declared that Jesus was, in fact, both of those: Colossians 1:16, 17. The psalmist concurred when he penned the words, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods” (Psalm 24:1, 2). To this end, Paul insisted that, “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” twice in one chapter (1 Corinthians 10:26, 28). John’s word picture demonstrated that all creation belonged to the Lord and that He ruled it with sovereign authority.

child standing with one foot in the water and one on the sand, but of an immense being of indescribable size who straddles the earth. The angel’s position is indicative of God’s sovereignty over the earth and emphasizes His right to judge the earth. The mention of the sea and the earth reminds us of the four angels in Revela-tion 7:2 to “whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea.” When the first trumpet sounded hail and fire mingled with blood was cast upon the earth (Revelation 8:7). When the second trumpet was heard, John

saw what appeared to him as a mountain burning with fire cast into the sea (verse 8). Earth and sea were hurt. Earth and sea summarizes all of creation. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, the whole creation was cursed. The effect of Adam’s sin was not limited to his posterity. It included the creation itself (Romans 8:20). Thorns and thistles began to plague the efforts of those who tilled the ground. The weather changed. Even the animal kingdom took on a new nature. When the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, returns to the earth His righteous wrath will be poured out on the creation as well as unbelieving humanity. Yet, in so doing He will deliver the creation from the curse. The physical creation will be purged by the fire of God’s wrath and be renewed to its pristine state (Matthew 19:28). The apostle Paul wrote that “the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). During the millennial reign of Christ the earth will enjoy Edenic-like

conditions. Revelation 21:1 speaks of a new Heaven and a new earth. The Proclamation of the Angel (verse 3). “And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.” The mighty angel’s voice was as loud as its appearance was large. Its intelligible and authorita-tive cry was like a roaring lion. The prophet Joel prophesied saying, “The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel” (Joel 3:16). When the angel cried, seven thun-ders uttered their voices. We have

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Seven Thundering Voices (Revelation 10:3): John’s description of the “mighty angel” (verse 1) who “cried with a loud voice” could not have been more accu-rate; equating the voice of this angel to that of thunder was neither surprising nor exceptional. In John 12:29, the people who heard a voice from Heaven equated the voice of an angel to thunder. That such a sound coming from Heaven might be attributed to the voice of God seemed only natural. Indeed, the psalmist did exactly that in Psalm 18:13 and Psalm 29:3-5 when he attributed the voice of God to the power of thunder.

Little Book Word Study #974

Revelation 10:2. This word is unique to Revelation in the New Testament occurring only in Revelation 10:2, 8, 9, 10 . It is a diminutive of the Greek world biblos (from which we get Bible) and indicates either a small document or a little scroll containing a written message .

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been introduced to several sets of “sevens” in the Revelation: Seven churches; Seven spirits; Seven candlesticks; Seven stars; Seven lamps; Seven seals; Seven horns; Seven eyes; Seven angels; and Seven trumpets. And more are yet to be seen in the Revelation. In the case of the seven thunders there is little revealed. All we know is that when the mighty angel cried with a loud voice as of a lion that seven thunders uttered their voices. We do not know what they said.

The Seven Thunders (Revelation 10:4)

“And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” Thunder has been used in Scripture as an announcement of God’s judgment. In the seventh plague on Egypt, God sent thunder, hail and fire, saying, “That thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14), “and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth” (Exodus 9:16). Thunders were also associated with the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai. Moses wrote, “And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled” (Exodus 19:16). There are also times when thunder may be viewed as a sign of God’s deliverance, as when He later opened a way through the Red Sea for the Israelites who fled from the Egyptians (Psalm 77:16-18). John wanted to write about the thunders he heard; however the Lord prevented him, saying, “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” In Daniel 8:26 and 12:4, 9 the aged prophet was told to shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end. Perhaps the meaning of the seven trumpets will become clear at the appropriate time. As for now, we simply do not know. The fact that John was going to write it down suggests he understood what the seven thunders uttered. It was intelligible to him. Nevertheless, it was not in God’s plan for John to record what he heard and saw. This may be one of those occasions when we would like to know more, but we must be content with the knowledge that God has revealed to us all that we need to know. Speculation about the seven thunders is pointless. Perhaps we would do well to act upon and apply what we do know, rather than fret over what we do not know. The problem most of us face is that we know more than we are putting into practice. It is not that we do not know, but that we do not apply what we know. James sounded a fitting warning when he said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).

Seal Up Word Study #4972

Revelation 10:4. Two English words translate one verb . It denotes the act of using a seal to close or latch a scroll, or some other object . It may also be used for the action of making something secure .

The Announcement of the End (Revelation 10:5-7)

Angels were oftentimes used in the Scriptures to make announcements as in the case of Gabriel making birth announcements to Zacharias and Elizabeth, and to Mary and Joseph. In this particular instance, the great and mighty angel who stood upon the earth and sea with an open book in his hand made an important announcement after the seven thunders uttered their voices. The Angel Stood (verse 5). “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven.” John witnessed the mighty

angel lift up his hand to Heaven. Lifting the hand toward Heaven has long been associated with recognizing Heaven’s sovereignty over man and over the earth. For some, it is a sign of personal surrender. For some, it is the sign of a volunteer. For some, it is a sign of truthfulness. When Abram came back from rescuing Lot from the four kings who invaded Sodom, Abram met Sodom’s wicked king and said to him, “I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich” (Genesis 14:22, 23). Moses said he lifted up his hand to Heaven in Deuteronomy 32:40. In one of his many psalms, David said, “I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle” (Psalm 28:2). In another psalm, he said, “I will lift up my hands in thy name” (Psalm 63:4). Paul told Timothy, “I

will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). The Angel Sware (verse 6). “And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer.” The mighty angel lifted his hand toward Heaven so as to give an oath. Some might question the practice of swearing, or oath taking, because of the way Jesus warned against it in Matthew 23:16-22. However, what Jesus actually taught against was the way in which the Pharisees used deceptive language so as to make it appear they were telling the truth, when in fact, they had no intention of keeping their word or of being held accountable

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The Oath of the Angel (Revelation 10:5, 6): Though Jesus (Matthew 5:33-37) and his half-brother (James 5:12) both suggested that some oaths were discour-aged, other oaths surely were not. The raising of the right hand toward the celestials when taking a solemn oath displayed reverence for God who lived in Heaven. It is said in Isaiah 62:8 that “The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength” with the indication being that He raised His right to swear an oath. Abraham did the same in Genesis 14:22 as noted in, “I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth.” By means of said oaths, people in antiquity affirmed they would keep their promises or that their words were true; additionally, people called down curses upon themselves should their pledges be proven false, as illustrated with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10).

for what they said. They were the worst of hypocrites who said one thing and meant another. There is actually nothing unscriptural about taking an oath in a court of law as some seem to think. Indeed, Christians should tell the truth regardless. The angel swore “by him that liveth for ever and ever.” God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are eternal. The Godhead is everlasting, for ever and ever. There is no beginning and there is no ending with God. He surpasses time. The prophet Isaiah spoke for God, saying, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy” (Isaiah 57:15). The angel swore by Him “who created heaven, and the things that therein are.” The term “heaven” can refer to the atmosphere where the birds fly, to outer space where the sun, moon and stars are, and to the third Heaven where God dwells. The reference here seems best suited to what God did on the fourth day when He created the two great lights (sun and moon) and the stars (Genesis 2:14-19). The angel swore by Him whom made “the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein.” The earth is the stage upon which God has chosen to let the drama of redemption play out. The earth and everything in it has been created by God. Plant life, animal life, sea life and human life are all by His design and creative hand (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). The angel swore and said “that there should be time no longer.” The meaning is that there should be no more delay, not that time itself would come to an end. Following the return of Christ and the subsequent Battle of Armageddon, there will be a one thousand year period in which Satan will be bound in the bottom-less pit and the Lord Jesus Christ will rule over the earth in righteousness (Revelation 20:1-3). The essence of the mighty angel’s message is explained in the following verse. The Time Is Short (verse 7). The mighty angel said,“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” The “seventh angel” refers to the angel who will blow the seventh trumpet. At this point in the Revelation, we are between the sixth and seventh trumpets. The sixth trumpet is described in Revelation 9:13-21. The seventh trumpet is described in Revelation 11:15 and will coincide with raising up the two witnesses who are killed by the beast out of the bottomless pit after completing a three and one-half year miracle-filled ministry. At the seventh trumpet, there will be “great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). The seventh trumpet will signal the end of the seventieth week of Daniel.

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Servants Word Study #1401

Revelation 10:7. This is a common word that appears one hundred twenty-six times in one hundred eighteen verses throughout the New Testament . It indicates someone who holds the powerless position of being a slave .

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A “mystery” is a previously hidden truth. In particular, this mystery concerns things which have been declared by the Old Testament prophets, but have not yet been fully realized or understood. “The prediction is related to the full mani-festation of the divine power, majesty, and holiness of God which will be evident in the glorious return of Christ, the establishment of His millennial kingdom, and the creation of the eternal state which will follow” (Walvoord 172). God gave the prophet Daniel a vision commonly referred to as the seventy weeks of Daniel (Daniel 9:20-27). It was a prophecy telescoping the history of God’s people in the land of Israel. It is generally agreed that the “seventy weeks” are actually years. Seventy times seven being equal to four hundred ninety years. One key to understanding the weeks, or years, is that there is a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week. From the time the Persian king, Artaxerxes, gave the edict which allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple until the Messiah entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and was later crucified was to be sixty-nine weeks, or four hundred eighty-four years. When the Messiah was cut off the clock stopped. The final week, or seven year period, remains to be fulfilled. We are living in the gap between the last two weeks. The final week, or seven year period, will begin when the antichrist secures a seven-year treaty or covenant with Israel, and will end when the seventh trumpet is blown. Thus, the seventh trumpet marks the end of the times of the Gentiles and announces the arrival of the earthly kingdom of Christ (Luke 21:24).

The Bitter-Sweet Book (Revelation 10:8-10)

John’s experience with the bitter-sweet book is similar to the experience of the prophet Ezekiel who was told to eat the scroll which was given him by the Lord (Ezekiel 2:7—3:3). And somewhat similar to the experience of the prophet Jeremiah who prayed to the Lord and said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). In a paradoxical way, the application of the truth of God is both sweet and bitter. John Heard the Voice (verse 8). John wrote, “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” John identified the voice he heard from Heaven as one he had heard before. The reference may be to the same voice he heard in Revelation 5:2 when the strong angel asked, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof.” The closest reference is the voice he heard in verse 4, who said to him, “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” This time the voice from Heaven told John to go and take the little book “which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.” In the Revelation, John became an active participant in the visions he received. In Revelation 4:1, he was told to “Come up hither.” In Revelation 5:4, he got so involved in the vision that he “wept much.” In Revelation 7:13, he engaged in conversation with one of the twenty-four elders. In Revelation 10:4, he was about to write what he had seen, but was restrained by the voice from

The Thunder Judgments / 13

Heaven. Yet, the instructions given in these verses involve John in an even more personal way. John Asked for the Book (verse 9). John said, “And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” John did something a lot of believers seem reluctant to do. He heard from God and he promptly obeyed. A lot of folks hear the Word, but not as many readily obey the Word. Far too many of us are “hearers only” (James 1:22). When you think about it, John did an amazing thing. He went up to an indescribably strong angel whose physical size was so immense that he stood with one foot upon the sea and another upon the earth, and boldly said, “Give me the little book!” John was not intimidated by the angel. He was not afraid. He was obedient to the heavenly voice. His willingness to obey caused him to overcome any hesitancy, fear, or intimidation he might have felt. It should be the same with each of us. The mighty angel gave John the little open book and said to him, “Take it, and eat it up.” It is a picture of assimilation and realization. The things which are revealed in the book of Revelation are not merely theoretical. They are real. They will be realized as the seven seals are loosed, as the seven trumpets are sounded, and as the seven vials are poured out. When these things happen, as the angel said, “it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.” John Ate the Book (verse 10). John wrote, “And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” It may seem to be a contradiction, but it is not. The contents of the little book were both bitter and sweet. The book was sweet in John’s mouth, but bitter in his belly. Likewise, the return of Christ to the earth and the execution of God’s wrath

Peoples, Nations, Tongues Word Studies #2992,1484, 1100

Revelation 10:11. These words overlap in meaning and probably refer one idea rather than three separate groups . “Peoples” comes from a word that suggests a crowd, community, or multitude . “Nations” gives us the English adjective “ethnic” and indicates a group of people who share a common culture, kinship, or who form a large political community . “Tongues” (glossalia) refer to languages .

Manna

Take It, and Eat It Up (Revelation 10:9, 10: When John was told eat “the little book,” he was informed that it would taste sweet in the mouth, but would become bitter in the stomach. This seemed to be a metaphor for the sweet grace of God which sealed John from Tribulation accompanied by the bitter reality that “many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (verse 11) were to endure terrible judgment. Like Ezekiel, who ate the sweetness of the roll (Ezekiel 2:9-3:3) and later expe-rienced the bitterness of its content (Ezekiel 3:10-14), John consumed the contents of a written manuscript which, at first, were, indeed, sweet, but later became rather bitter, making him nauseated.

upon the world will have the same double-edge sword effect. For the saved it will be the answer to all the prayers for vindication and retribution against the enemies of God. Jesus’ coming will deliver us from all our persecutions, trials and sufferings. It will rescue us from the hands of our oppressors and bring us unto our long awaited home. It is sweet to know that sin will be dealt with and Satan will be put down. It is sweet to know that God’s plans and purposes will be fulfilled and that Jesus will rule and reign over the world in righteous-ness. It will be, as the psalmist said, “Sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103). Nevertheless, it will be bitterness to those who are the subjects of God’s wrath. Men will be paralyzed with fear (Revelation 6:15-17); poisoned with bitter water (Revelation 8:10, 11); tormented by the sting of demonic locusts from the bottomless pit for five long months (Revelation 9:1-6); and killed by the millions of horsemen whose power is in their mouths and in their tails (verses 13-19). Nevertheless, the men who were not killed by these plagues “repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk. neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (verses 20, 21). Bitter indeed is the wrath of God.

The Rest To Come (Revelation 10:11)

John wrote, “And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Some understand this as a second commissioning of John. Some see it as a reference to the remainder of the book. The word translated “again” can be understood as further. The preposition “before” can be understood as concerning or with respect to. The remainder of the book of Revelation will concern many people groups, numerous nations, languages and world leaders. A preview of the remainder of the book of Revelation may be in order. Revelation 11—13 takes us back to the mid-point of Daniel’s seventieth week (commonly called the Tribulation Period) and reviews some of what will happen during the last three and one-half years. The ministry of the two witnesses will be highlighted in chapter 11. The wrath of Satan, the revealing of the antichrist, and his subsequent persecution of Israel and of those who have the testimony of Jesus Christ will be developed in chapter 12. The antichrist and his right-hand man, the false prophet, will be exposed in chapter 13. Revelation 14 prepares the reader for the final outpouring of God’s wrath as revealed in the seven last plagues, the seven vials of wrath (chapters 15 and 16). This time is otherwise known as Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). It is at this time that Babylon, the Mother of Harlots, will be destroyed. Her destruction is described in Revelation 17 and 18. Revelation 19 transitions from the final plagues and the battle of Armageddon to the establishment of the millennial reign which is introduced in Revelation 20. The final two chapters, Revelation 21 and 22 reveal the eternal state of the redeemed.

14 / Revelation 10:1-11