Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss.

And he opened the shaft of the abyss and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.

And from the smoke came locusts on the earth and they were given authority like the authority of scorpions of the earth.

And it was said to them that they should not harm the grass of the earth or any green [plant] or any tree but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

And it was given to them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented for five months, and their torment [was] like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

And in those days men will seek death and will not find it, and they will long to die, and death will flee from them.

And the appearance [of] the locusts like horses prepared for battle, and on their heads like crowns of gold, their faces like human faces,

and their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth,

and they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle,

and they have tails and stings like scorpions, and their authority to hurt people for five months is in their tails.

They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, his name in Hebrew [is] Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.

The first woe passed. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

Although "the first woe passed," John cautions that God’s wrath has not run its course because "still two woes are coming." So, there will be no room to have a sigh of relief.

The interjection "behold" makes this announcement quite dramatic. The word "woe" refers in Scripture to some great calamity, usually a judgment from God such as Christ pronounced upon Chorazin and Bethsaida (Matthew 11:21). Desperate indeed will be the situation of those who know not Christ in these tragic hours preceding His return to judge the wicked world.

"After these things" indicates that the woes are consecutive, not simultaneous. This verse is transitional and clarifies that the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpet judgments are also the first, second, and third woes respectively. 

2. THE SIXTH TRUMPET: DEATH TO A THIRD OF EARTH'S INHABITANTS (9:13-21)

2.1. The Voice from the Four Horns of the Golden Altar (9:13)

Verse 9:13

As the trumpet of the sixth angel is sounded, John heard "a voice from the horns of the golden altar." This is the same altar mentioned in Revelation 8:3 in the scene of the offering of incense with the prayers of the saints. The horns of the altar are four in number. The voice is coming from them probably implies an origin from the midst of them. It simply means that the voice which is coming out from the midst of the golden altar, is transmitting to all directions (i.e., four directions represent all directions).

The voice is probably that of the priestly angel of the altar in Revelation 8:3 and the implication is that this judgment like the preceding is in answer to the prayers of the saints so persecuted by the beast in the Tribulation. The connection of this angel with the golden altar and with the altar-requests of the saints for this judgment, is ample reason to understand him to be the one giving direction to the sixth angel.

2.2. The Release of the Four Angels (9:14-15)

Verse 9:14

The sixth angel is instructed to loose "the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." Number "four" represent all directions, in other words, these angels will affect the whole world. These angels appear to be fallen angels because they have been bound. Holy angels are never spoken of as bound. On the other hand, demonic spirits or fallen angels are bound or will be (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; Revelation 20:1-2). Therefore, these are fallen angels prepared by God to be loosed until the divinely appointed time as a further judgment against a godless and Christ rejecting world.

The Euphrates is called "great," perhaps not just for its size, but because of its prominence and importance in Scripture. Its headwaters are in the mountains of Armenia, and it joins the Tigris in lower Babylon, the two rivers combining for a length of 1,800 miles. It is by far the longest and most important river of western Asia.

ANCIENT DAY EUPHRATES AND TIGRIS RIVERS

The great River Euphrates has been mentioned in the Old Testament (Genesis 15:18; Deuteronomy 1:7; Joshua 1:4) and will also be mentioned later in this book (Revelation 16:12). It forms one of the borders of the land promised to Abraham (Genesis 15:18) and is the river that that enemies of God will cross prior to the last battle before the Millennium (Revelation 16:12). It separated Israel from her two chief enemies, Assyria, and Babylon. The area beyond the Euphrates to the east is traditionally the source from which enemy attacks came against Israel. We understand, therefore, that the literal Euphrates is here signified.

Verse 9:15

The sixth angel complies with his instructions and release the four fallen angels who were in a state of readiness awaiting the appointed time to swing into action. Though they had fallen from divine favor, they still had experienced divine preparation for their evil task. Other instances of divine preparation, in either a positive or negative sense, occur in the Scriptures (Matthew 25:34; Mark 10:40; Luke 2:31; 1 Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 12:6; 16:12).

The expression "for the hour, the day, the month, and the year" refers not to the duration of their activity, but to the fact this occurs exactly on the hour of God's appointment, i.e., the exact hour of the day, month, and year that God ordained it. God's actions are not accidental, but planned and precise in time, to the point of a fixed hour of a fixed day of a fixed month of a fixed year. God raises up both men and demons as His instruments to accomplish His purposes in history. Each acts out of their own volition, according to their schemes and nature, but God, knowing them from eternity past, raises them up in history to carry out His purpose even at the exact hour (Isaiah 10:5; Romans. 9:11-18).

The purpose of the divine preparation is that the four fallen angels will "kill a third of mankind." This must be physical death, not spiritual or metaphorical death. A later reference to the survivors in Revelation 9:20 confirms that the afflicted are no longer on the scene after the plague. The expression "a third of mankind" represents a lethality beyond any plague so far. Earlier, one-fourth of the earth's population is killed in the fourth seal. Now one-third of the remaining population of mankind is wiped out. This means the earth's total population is reduced by one-half by these two judgments alone. The other judgments also will result in widespread destruction of human life.

2.3. The Army of Two Hundred Million (9:16-19)

Verse 9:16

The four fallen angels once they are set free, turn into a huge force of cavalry of "twice ten thousand times ten thousand" (i.e., 2 x 10,000 x 10,000 = 200,000,000 = two hundred million). There is no direct statement as to the origin of this army, but the implication is, from the fact that the angels were bound at Euphrates (9:14), that the army may come from the East. Perhaps the army will be divided into four squads, each with an angel as its leader.

A similar and later development mentioned in 16:12 following the outpouring of the sixth vial also depicts an invasion from the East. These are two different military events, possibly two phases of the same operation. The identity of the armies' constituents has raised the following two questions:

1. Are they demons or men?

2. Is this a symbol of an innumerable host or literal "two hundred million" army?

2.3.1. Are they demons or men?

The two widely accepted interpretations are as follows:

1. They are demons due to the following reasons:

   1. The description of the "cavalry" differs so greatly from any ordinary cavalry.

   2. The weapons of this army are "fire and smoke and sulfur" (9:17) which are weapons of hell and may further indicate that the army is made up of the inhabitants of hell (i.e., demons).

   3. The association with the four fallen angels of 9:14.

   4. They are quite numerous. It is impossible to have an army which consists of two hundred million soldiers at the present moment. If such army is demonic, then it is not a problem to have such large number. This interpretation is reasonable.

2. They are demon-possessed human soldiers with modern military weapons due to the following reasons:

   1. God's use of human armies of heathen nations to fulfill His purposes in the Old Testament accords with this understanding (Isaiah 10:6-7, 25-26; 44:27-45:7; Jeremiah 51:11, 28).

   2. John has never seen tanks or armored vehicles as the vision went beyond his day. The description of "fire and smoke and sulfur" could refer to any devices of modern military such as tanks, missiles, toxic gases, bio-chemical weapons, etc.

   3. The population of the People's Republic of China and Republic of India were approximately fourteen hundred million and thirteen hundred million respectively in 2021. If it is an united army from all the eastern countries, then it is possible to have such large number.

   4. It is possible that this army, like the one gathered in Revelation 16:14, is a human army already in existence which the four fallen angels now cause to move against mankind similar to the work of the three unclean spirits who cause the kings of the earth to gather together for the battle of Armageddon (16:13). Personally, I prefer this interpretation.

2.3.2. Is this a symbol of an innumerable host or literal "two hundred million" army?

The two widely accepted interpretations are as follows:

1. This is a symbol of an innumerable host due to the following reasons:

   1. The unseen chariots of God are similarly numbered (Psalms 68:17).

   2. The number of the invading hosts is stated to be "two hundred million." This immense host is a number too vast for human conception. Such army surpasses anything ever seen on earth.

   3. The main idea in the passage is a vast and overwhelming army, one beyond human computation, and exceeding by far any before witnessed.

2. This is a literal "two hundred million" army due to the following reasons:

   1. An exact number of "two hundred million" is intended, otherwise some specification such as "which no one could count" (Revelation 7:9) would have been used.

   2. John is careful to point out how he knew the number. The expression "I heard their number" indicates the figure was part of the vision.

   3. The population of the People's Republic of China and Republic of India were approximately fourteen hundred million and thirteen hundred million respectively in 2021. If it is an united army from all the Eastern countries, then it is possible to have such large number. This is the best interpretation.

Whether the army is held to be the literal number mentioned or not, it is clear that this is a massive force of military power as evidenced in its capacity to slay a third part of the human race. It may be that the army here described continues to fight until the time of the second coming of Christ.

Verse 9:17

John proceeds to describe the characteristic of the army, its tactics and method of warfare. The mention of "horses" in the Bible is usually in connection with warfare (Exodus 14:9; Isaiah 5:28; Hosea 1:7). Both horses and soldiers to wear breastplates as defensive armor was quite common in ancient times. "Breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur" may refer to either the actual materials or color which compose the breastplates.

"Of fire" represents a fiery red color. "Sapphire" is a dye the color of blue smoke (Exodus 25:4; 27:16). The same word in Revelation 21:20 is a precious stone. "Sulfur" described something made of sulphur and also something with a sulphurous hue or light yellow. "Sulfur" was traditional as an accompaniment of God's wrath. The association of the three colors recalls the God's judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:24, 28).

"The heads of the horses were like lions’ heads" suggests that the army combines the swiftness of horses with the majestic bearing of lions, such as:

1. terror - their roar (Revelation 10:3);

2. ferocity - their teeth (9:8); and

3. destructiveness - their mouth (13:2).

The most destructive facet of the horses was their mouths which emitted "fire and smoke and sulfur."

Alternatively, this army refers to a human army, it may be taken as symbolical of modern military weapons. Notice John’s description of horses that he sees in vision, "fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths." (9:17). This is a perfect description of missiles launching out of silos from mobile military tanks. The comparison of the description of the army with modern military weapons are as follows:

COMPARISON OF THE DESCRIPTION OF ARMY AND MODERN MILITARY WEAPONS

Verse 9:18

It is through these three plagues (i.e., the fire, the smoke, the brimstone) that a third of mankind perishes. It is possible that several modern advanced weapons, including rockets, nuclear bombs, missiles, toxic gases, will be used to kill a third of mankind.

Verse 9:19

John continues to describe the power of the horses. The authority of the horses lies in the mouths and "tails." This is the first mention of the authority of their "tails." The "tails" resemble serpents, including the heads, which are capable of inflicting painful injury to their victims. The "tails" were not actual serpents, but they did function like serpents. The power of the "tails" enables the horses to hurt people physically.

Alternatively, the "tails" may also be taken as symbolical of modern military weapons. The "tails" may spread either toxic gases or virus which will torture and kill men. Some interpreters have suggested that what they represent are modern military weapons that shoot both forward and backward, such as missiles.

2.4. The Great Society of the Future (9:20-21)

Through humanism and a Christ-rejecting society, man has little to look forward to, specifically, the horrible conditions of these two verses. Here, we see the harvest, the true results of humanism and the great society the world is seeking to develop (i.e., the society apart from God and the Lord Jesus Christ). The following three points describe the character of this society and its people:

1. Rebelliously unrepentant;

2. Religious, demonic, and idolatrous; and

3. Morally Decadent.

2.4.1. Rebelliously unrepentant

Verse 9:20a

Verse 10:2

The angel "had a little scroll open in his hand." In contrast to the seven-sealed scroll in God's hand (Revelation 5:1), this scroll is little and open. This is the same scroll as the sealed scroll of chapter 5 due to the following reasons:

1. The noun "little scroll" (Greek: βιβλαρίδιον, transliteration: biblaridion) is a diminutive of "scroll" (Greek: βίβλος, transliteration: biblos). Many translate it as "little scroll," but it is better to render it "scroll" because John uses these nouns for scrolls interchangeably. The scroll in the angel’s hand can be called a "little scroll" (10:2, 9, 10) and a "scroll" (10:8), with no distinction in meaning.

2. The sealed scroll is given to Christ, who opens the seals so that an angel can give the open scroll to John. This fits the pattern in Ezekiel, in which a scroll written on both sides was given to the prophet to eat (Ezekiel 2:9-10; 3:1-3). In the same way, Revelation 5:1 first pictures a scroll written on both sides and then tells of a scroll being given to John to eat so that he can prophesy (10:1-11).

3. The sealed scroll, containing God’s plan for ending this age, was progressively opened as each seal was broken, and the contents of it continued to be revealed in the trumpet judgments. So, the "little scroll" here refers to the events yet to be revealed in the bowl judgments and the rest of this book.

The angel "set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land" is mentioned three time in this chapter (10:2, 5, 8). This is evidently for emphasis and has the following meanings:

1. His authority is universal since he is connected with all three domains (heaven, earth and sea) created by God (cf. Exodus 20:4; 11; Psalm 69:34; Revelation 7:2; 10:6).

2. His message is universal since it concerns all, whether on land or sea.

3. It relates this angel and the message of the little scroll to God's purpose and promise to take possession of the entire world.

Verse 10:3a

The context of the "loud voice" suggests that it is a cry of power and vengeance. Loud cries are commonly appeared in the Scriptures (Isaiah 40:9; Daniel 3:4; Revelation 1:10; 5:2, 12; 6:10; 7:2, 10; 8:13; 14:7, 9, 15; 18:2). The loudness brings special emphasis to what the angel says.

The angel gives a loud voice "like a lion roaring" (10:3a), as the Lord roars in Hosea 11:10 and Amos 3:8. He speaks with the "loud voice" of God, and then "the seven thunders" respond (Revelation 10:3b-4). This echoes Psalm 29:3-9, where God as ruler over creation, as sovereign over sea and land, speaks like thunder seven times (10:3b).

3.2. The Seven Peals of Thunder (10:3b-4)

Verse 10:3b

And when he called out, the seven thunders sounded.

When the mighty angel shouts, "the seven thunders" respond. Note that the "thunder" and the voice of the angel are not the same. In the Greek text, the expression "the seven thunders" (Greek: αἱ ἑπτὰ βρονταὶ, transliteration: hai hepta brontai) has definite article "the" (Greek: αἱ, transliteration: hai) which assumes that the "thunders" are well-known to John's immediate readers, but that identity is not clear to present-day readers.

The "seven thunders" have been interpreted in two main ways:

1. They are God’s voice. Some interpreters construe the thunders as God’s voice (cf. Exodus 19:16, 19; 1 Samuel 2:10; 7:10; 2 Samuel 22:14; Job 37:2-5; Psalm 18:13; 29:3; Revelation 4:5). However, the thunders speak with their own voices (10:3b), and it is the single voice from God’s throne (10:4) that tells John not to write down what the thunders said. Therefore, this view is not compelling.

2. They are heavenly powers due to the following reasons:

   1. A group of heavenly powers consists of seven angels fits the pattern in Revelation (1:4, 20; 8:2; 15:1).

   2. Like the four living beings, they speak with a voice of thunder (6:1).

   3. The thunders are plural, whereas the voice from God’s throne is singular (10:4).

   4. Groups in heaven might speak with thundering voices (14:2; 19:6).

   This view is most plausible.

Verse 10:4

In obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ's command in Revelation 1:19, John was about to "write" down what "the thunders" said. This apparently means that John used intervals between the visions to do his writing.

However, "a voice from heaven" stopped him. Out of reverence, John usually leaves the personal source of the heavenly voice unidentified. This may be either the voice of God or of Christ who gave the original commission for him to write (1:11, 19; 14:13; 18:4).

Ordinarily, something must be written down before it can be sealed, just as Daniel was commanded to keep his visions secret until the end (Daniel 8:26; 12:4, 9). However, John is not to write down the words of "the seven thunders" at all. Paul's unrecorded ecstasies in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 point to the same principle in handling prophecy. These utterances are the only part of the book that is sealed and is never revealed in this book. The restraint indicates that the written contents of the book of Revelation were only part of John's total visionary revelation (compare John 21:25). Though the principal purpose of the vision given to John was to enable him to write the book of Revelation and thus pass on divine revelation to the church (1:19), in this case the revelation is for John’s ears only, and he is forbidden to reveal what he heard.

What is the purpose of this scene with "the seven thunders"? Why does John tell us about "the seven thunders" only to refuse to describe their contents? Why not just omit this portion of the vision? Commentators have suggested the following possibilities:

1. It is a way of saying that humankind is not privy to all the secrets of God. Some divine secrets are not to be revealed. To know God completely is beyond human capacity. Keeping the message of the thunders secret preserves part of the mystery of God. As the Lord Jesus told His disciples, "But concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32), so John here informs his readers that some parts of God’s plan are known only to God.

2. It may be simply a literary device deployed by John to add to the dramatic tension of the work. We have already encountered John’s use of certain techniques for dramatic effect - the insertion of interludes prior to the seventh seal and the seventh trumpet, and the period of silence that followed the opening of the seventh seal. Mentioning "the seven thunders," yet refusing to disclose their contents, may be John’s way of teasing his audience. The secrecy motif heightens the drama. While the episode of "the seven thunders" adds a dramatic flair to John’s work, a more significant purpose for its presence is likely.

3. This is John’s way of saying that the end is near. By eliminating "the seven thunders," God has shortened the time until the end. The words of Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20 are sometimes cited as support for this view: "And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short." The sealing up of "the seven thunders," then, is an act of mercy on God’s part. The message that the angel delivers to John in Revelation 10:6, "there would be no more delay," makes this interpretation even more attractive. The problem with this view is that John does give us another series of plagues, the bowl plagues. If the sealing up of "the seven thunders" indicates that God has shortened the time, this scene would be more appropriately placed after the bowl plagues.

4. It may be another series of plagues that could be released on earth, though God has decided not to send them forth. The reason they will not be released may be that the lack of repentance in the face of the six trumpet plagues demonstrates that the godless will not repent in response to any other plagues. This is why the angel proclaims in 10:6b that "there would be no more delay" for the end. John was prohibited to reveal the plagues of "the seven thunders" because they would never occur. But there is no hint elsewhere in the Apocalypse that God cancels judgments. The apocalyptic idea of "seal up" does not have the sense of "cancel."

5. The messages spoken by "the seven thunders" may contain some information which was repetitive or not very important to us. The Lord Jesus commanded John to write in a book everything what he was about to see (1:11) in order to pass on the divine revelation to the church (1:1, 19). What "the seven thunders" have said is merely a response to the mighty angel’s loud voice (Revelation 10:3b). All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching ... in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). We should not cast doubt over God’s character, suggesting that He was unwilling to share His divine information with us (cf. Genesis 3:5). Taking into account these points, I don’t think God will deliberately hide any valuable information from us. A reliable deduction is that the contents of "the seven thunders" spoke may be repetitive or not very important to us. Therefore, John was told not to waste resources in writing on them (cf. John 21:25). This view is most plausible.

Though the text does not reveal what "the seven thunders" said, it is a safe conclusion that they are an audible symbol that:

1. celebrates God as ruler of creation (Psalms 29:3-9);

2. reveals the awesome God (Revelation 4:5; 11:19; 14:2);

3. promises the deliverance of His people (19:6); and

4. forebodes the coming judgment on the ungodly (6:1; 8:5; 16:18; cf. 1 Samuel 7:10; Job 26:14; Psalms 18:13).

3.3. The Affirmation of the Angel (10:5-7)

Verse 10:5

With his feet firmly "standing on the sea and on the land," the mighty angel takes the position of oath taking in order to affirm the plan and purposes of God to take possession of the earth without further delay. The feet firmly planted adds a determined pose to what God is going to do.

John describes the angel "raised his right hand to heaven." It is the customary gesture of one taking a solemn oath (Daniel 12:7). The direction of the hand is heavenward because that is God's dwelling-place.

Verse 10:6

Oaths gave assurance that a person was telling the truth or would keep a promise. By swearing an oath, people held themselves accountable to a deity or other authority, who would punish them if the oath was not kept. According to Jewish sources, one was to call on God in oaths, which meant that some swore by heaven or by sacred objects instead (Deuteronomy 6:13; Joshua 9:19; Matthew 5:34; 23:16; 26:63). The angel must swear by God since there is no higher authority.

Biblical oaths often begin with "as the Lord lives," recognizing that only the living God can guarantee an oath (Judges 8:19; 1 Kings 1:29; Jeremiah 4:2; Amos 8:14). The angel now swears by the God "who lives forever and ever," and since God lives forever, his guarantee of the oath has abiding validity (Daniel 12:7; Revelation 4:9-10; 15:7).

Swearing by heaven and earth was common (Matthew 5:34). However, the angel calls on the Creator rather than the creation, swearing by the one "who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it" (Exodus 20:11; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 146:6; Acts 4:24). The reason is that even as heaven and earth pass away, so shall the angel's oath pass away. But now the angel has sworn by the Creator, and just as the Creator endures forever and ever, so shall the oath endure forever and ever.

"There will no longer be delay" is not saying that "time will be no more." What the angel announces is that the time of waiting will end. The consummation will be no longer delayed, and the prayers of the saints are about to be answered. The announcement clearly corresponds to the question of the martyrs in Revelation 6:10: "How long?" It also tells that the answer to the prayers of the saints found in the trumpet series (Revelation 8:3-5) is now about to receive its final fulfillment. This is the same question answered by the angel in the similar passage of Daniel 12:6-7. The rest of God's plans are now ready to come to fruition.

Verse 10:7

In the "days" of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel indicates that the judgment of the seventh trumpet is not a single event. The noun "days" (Greek: ἡμέραις, transliteration: hēmerais) is plural which means a period of time or series of events. It embodies a period of time which includes the seven bowl judgments (Revelation 16:1-21), which may require some months to unfold.

When the seventh angel sounds, then the "mystery of God will be finished." Mystery in Scripture refers to truths God has hidden and will reveal in His time. Mysteries hidden in the past that the New Testament reveals include the mysteries of:

1. the kingdom (Matthew 13:11);

2. Israel’s blindness (Romans 11:25);

3. the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51);

4. lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:7);

5. Christ (Ephesians 3:4);

6. Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:32);

7. Christ in the believer (Colossians 1:26-27); and

8. the Incarnation (1 Timothy 3:16).

The "mystery of God" (1 Corinthians 2:7; Colossians 2:2) is "the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth" (Ephesians 1:10). It is the consummation of God’s plan in bringing His glorious kingdom in Christ to fulfillment. It involves the salvation of the elect and their place in His glorious kingdom. It includes the judgment of men and demons. The mystery previously hidden refers to all the unknown details that are revealed from this point to the end of Revelation when the new heavens and new earth are created.

God had "announced to his servants the prophets" in the Old Testament, and prophets like Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joel, Amos, and Zechariah wrote of end-time events. Much of the detail, however, was hidden and not revealed until the New Testament, for examples:

1. Matthew 24:3-44; 25:31-46;

2. 2 Thessalonians 1:5-2:12; and

3. Revelation.

To believers living at that time in a world overrun by demons, murder, sexual immorality, drug abuse, thefts, and unparalleled natural disasters, the realization that God’s glorious plan is on schedule, the promised kingdom is near, will bring great comfort and hope in the midst of judgment.

3.4. The Assignment Concerning the Little Book (10:8-11)

Verse 10:8

John hears the same "voice" from Heaven speaking to him (Revelation 10:4). The same voice that forbade John to write what the seven peals of thunder spoke, now commands him to take the open scroll from the hand of the angel. This is the voice of God or Christ, an authoritative voice. The scene recalls Ezekiel 2:8-3:3, where the prophet is told to take a scroll that is handed to him, evidently by God. In John’s vision the scroll is held by the angel, whose posture with feet "on the sea and on the land" connotes dominion.

Verse 10:9

John, in obedience to the voice, takes the book, but then the angel gives him another assignment. John is commanded to eat the book which will be bitter to his stomach, but sweet in his mouth.

The verb "eat" (Greek: κατάφαγε, transliteration: kataphage) is a Hebrew idiom אכל for receiving knowledge, similar to the English use of "digest," is a picture of learning and assimilating the word of God (Ezekiel 2:9-10; 3:1-4).

In instructing John to eat the little scroll, the angel anticipates its effect on him "it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." In the parallel passage of Ezekiel, the record says nothing of this kind of bitterness, but it is implicit in the rebelliousness of their listeners and the consequent judgment against them (Ezekiel 3:7-9). The angel mentions the bitterness first because John had to deliver the bitter bad news before enjoying the great joys of the consummation.

The expression "sweet as honey" represents the joys of the consummation that are part of the prophecy, but more probably, since it is limited to the mouth, it speaks of John's present satisfaction in being informed of God's will for the future (Psalms 119:103). However, these same words, when digested, bring sadness over the news of persecutions, apostasies, and judgments.

The opened scroll undoubtedly contained prophetic truth and revelations from God. As a book already opened it could have contained Old Testament truth, but it also could well have contained new revelation that John was about to write as contained in the rest of Revelation regarding the subjects mentioned in 10:11. The reason for John was commanded to digest and assimilate these prophecies before he wrote them is that it is necessary for the prophet of God to let the word of God affect him first before he teaches it to others.

Verse 10:10

John "took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it." The verb "ate" probably refers to a literal eating of the scroll because the context gives the impression that this is literal eating, as the natural consequence of mouth to stomach suggests.

The results are the same as predicted by the angel, "it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I ate it, my stomach was made bitter." There are two reasons for sweet as honey in mouth but bitter in stomach:

1. The message holds sweet salvation for the righteous and bitter judgment for the unrepentant. John might experience the scroll as sweet because of the vindication of the righteous (11:15-18). Bitterness occurs because the message warns of judgment of the unrepentant, for whom the Day of the Lord is bitter (Zephaniah 1:14).

2. John will learn that the scroll is sweet because of its message of salvation, but it is bitter because God’s purposes will be accomplished in part through the suffering of His people. This interpretation is the most plausible because the next vision pictures faithful worshipers being besieged and two witnesses suffering martyrdom (Revelation 11:1-10). God’s kingdom will come, and His people will receive their rewards (11:15-18), but the way of redemption entails the suffering of the faithful.

Likewise, today we study prophecy and contemplate the nature of our times we become more confident that the return of the Lord Jesus draws ever nearer and in this we rejoice, but these are days of ever increasing spiritual darkness, rebellion and apostasy. This saddens the heart and greatly increases the burdens and pressures of life. It causes bitterness of soul.

Verse 10:11

John is told, "you must prophesy again." His prophetic ministry is a divine "must," a necessity in light of the importance of the message; God has ordained it. The verb "must" (Greek: δεῖ, transliteration: dei) embodies the thrust of compulsion. Jeremiah and Ezekiel were under a similar compulsion to prophesy (Jeremiah 1:10; Ezekiel 4:7).

This chapter ends with this verse that is arguably one of the most important verses in the whole book of Revelation in seeking to understand its chronology.  The adverb "again" (Greek: πάλιν, transliteration: palin) shows that this is not a new commission, but the renewal of an old one (1:19). This verse implies that John must prophesy a second time, or that he must go through the same period of time "again" that he saw in the seal and the trumpet judgments (i.e., the Tribulation). However, the second times he goes through that period, he will not be talking about chronology, as is suggested by a sevenfold sequence of seals and trumpets. In the second time he goes through the same period, he will focus on "peoples and nations and languages and kings." This gives a key as to how the material presented in chapters 11 to 15 and 17 to 18 relates to the seals and the trumpets. Everything that is presented within those chapters should, in some way, relate to the first ten chapters of the book of Revelation. The material in chapters 11 to 15 and 17 to 18 does not advance in a chronological way the sweep of future history, but it gives additional information on key people and rulers that will be present within the seal and trumpet series of judgment.

The subject of his prophecies has four categories:

1. peoples;

2. nations;

3. languages; and

4. king.

Three of the four groups have already been mentioned in 5:9. The inclusion of "kings" in this list indicates that God's word through His prophets takes precedence over the highest rank in human authority. "Kings" are specific mention here as they will play significant roles in the end time events (16:14; 17:10, 12).

The adjective "many" (Greek: πολλοῖς, transliteration: pollois) stresses the vastness of that which he must prophesy, applies to all four categories in the list. Their applicability would go far beyond John’s immediate time and geographical circumstances.

4. THE TEMPLE, THE TWO WITNESSES AND THE SEVENTH TRUMPET (11:1-19)

There is a wide diversity of viewpoints regarding the interpretation of this chapter, but most of this occurs because men try to symbolize the city, the temple, and the events that are portrayed here. Once again when the passage is taken in its normal or literal meaning much of the diversity immediately vanishes because the literal method provides a check on the imaginations of men and gives an intelligent understanding of the passage.

Again, it is important to keep in mind that 11:1-13 does not advance the chronological sequence of the prophetic events, but parenthetically describes:

1. the ministries of the two witnesses, which occur over a three-and-a-half-year period; and

2. the spiritual condition of the temple and Jerusalem as it will exist in the Tribulation.

Not until chapter 16 will the chronological developments continue again, namely the pouring out of the seven vials which constitutes the seventh trumpet and the last woe.

4.1. The Measuring Rod and the Temple of God (11:1-2)

Verse 11:1

Not only do the two witnesses have miraculous power to defend themselves against all enemies, but also to call forth "every kind of plague" on the earth.

First of all, they have the authority "to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying." Since the "days of their prophesying" are "1,260 days" (11:3), it will be "no rain" for three-and-a-half years. Their prophesying is like that of Elijah, who brought a drought on the land of Israel for three years (1 Kings 17:1, 7; 18:1; Luke 4:25; James 5:17). The occasion for the judgment of drought in Elijah’s time was the idolatry of Israel under King Ahab, and that parallels the idolatry of Revelation 9:20-21. The proper response to a drought is to turn to God (Deuteronomy 11:16-17; 1 Kings 8:35; 2 Chronicles 7:13; Jeremiah 3:3; 14:2-7; Amos 4:7-8).

And when they have finished their testimony,

and their dead bodies [will lie] in the street of the great city that spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Their dead bodies are allowed to lie in the street of "the great city that spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified." The adverb "spiritually" (Greek: πνευματικῶς, transliteration: pneumatikōs) shows this to be the language of allegory, therefore neither "Sodom" nor "Egypt" is the city’s real name. "Sodom" is a symbol of moral degradation (Genesis 19:4-11; Jeremiah 23:14-15) while "Egypt" is a symbol of oppression and slavery (Exodus 3:7; Joel 3:19).

Historically, Jerusalem goes by the title of "the great city" (cf. Jeremiah 22:8). The phrase "where their Lord was crucified," makes the identification of Jerusalem unmistakably clear. The two witnesses will die in the same city as their Lord Jesus. It is unquestionably the city of Jerusalem in which these two witnesses have their prophetic ministry as well as their martyrdom. The point is "the great city" (i.e., Jerusalem) is dominated by moral degradation (i.e., spiritual Sodom), by oppression and slavery (i.e., spiritual Egypt) and by Satan through the beast. The desolation of Jerusalem at the time John was writing the book of Revelation is no argument against this solution, because the prophecy was looking forward to a time when Jerusalem would be rebuilt and inhabited by the Jews in the last days.

A righteous prophet is always a torment to a wicked generation. The two witnesses are an obstacle to wickedness, unbelief, and satanic power prevalent in that time. Their death symbolizes the silencing of the prophets who announce the doom of those who will not believe in God. The Word of God makes it clear that it is possible to silence a witness to the truth by death, but such action does not destroy the truth that has been announced. The power of God will be ultimately revealed.

Verse 11:9

"The peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies" by means of television, communication satellites and internet, people from all over the world will see the dead bodies of the two witnesses. We see that their bodies will be put on public display as a symbol of victory and proof of the beast's power who has at last been able to kill these invincible witnesses.

Gloating over the dead bodies continues for "three and a half days." The ancients regarded this length of exposure as a great indignity. This meant great shame to the dead ones in the eyes of the onlookers, who were also responsible for the prolongation. The "three and a half days" corresponds to the three and a half years (i.e., forty-two months) of Revelation 11:2. Nonetheless, it draws attention to the fact that God’s servants will only suffer a short time whereas those under His wrath will suffer much longer. Note also how much shorter is the duration of their celebration compared to the three-and-a-half-year period for the prophetic ministry of the two witnesses.

4.4.4. The effect (11:10)

Verse 11:10

The beginning and end of verse 10 refer to those throughout the world who look on the two witnesses’ corpses as "those who dwell upon the earth." This is utilized by John as a technical term repeated throughout the book for unbelievers who suffer under incipient divine judgment because they persecute God’s people (3:10; 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 14; 17:8).

The earth-dwellers "will rejoice over them and make merry" when the two witnesses are defeated due to the following reasons:

1. The two witnesses preached that rejection of Christ will be punished by judgment (cf. Acts 17:30-31; 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10).

2. The judgment includes destruction of the earth in which the earth-dwellers trust (Revelation 6:12-17; 21:1). The judgment "tormented" them, since it threatened what they regarded as their ultimate security.

3. The cessation of this announcement meant comfort for them. Part of their torment came from an actual inauguration of judgment against them (11:6).

4. They "make merry" because they deduce from the death of the two witnesses that the predicted judgment will not occur.

THE MARTYRDOM OF THE TWO WITNESSES

4.5. The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses (11:11-12)

4.5.1. Their resurrection (11:11)

Verse 11:11

"Three and one half days" is long enough for the bodies to have begun to decay. As the Lord Jesus did with Lazarus (John 11:39-44), God waits until there is no question about their death, then suddenly God intervenes.

God sends "the breath of life" into their dead bodies, making them live again (cf. Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 37:5). Through resurrection God destroys the greatest and last enemy: death (1 Corinthians 15:26, 51-57).

The description "they stood on their feet" may stress suddenness. They are pictured lying there on the street with the party going on, and then suddenly, they stand up like a man waking up from a sleep (cf. Ezekiel 37:10). How shocking is this effect!

The resurrection brought "great fear" to the spectators, much like the Roman guards following Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 28:4). From drunken merry making one moment to soberness and great fear the next. Murder is the ultimate weapon of mankind, so no means remained for them to silence the two. Suddenly now, they begin to realize God was not defeated. Satan would not be victorious. The beholders wondered what worse thing could happen to them now.

4.5.2. Their rapture (11:12)

Verse 11:12

Not only are they resurrected from death, but "a loud voice from heaven saying to them, 'Come up here.' " This is likely the voice of the Lord Jesus, who summoned John to heaven in Revelation 4:1.

Their ascension is pictured as the faithful being resurrected and then "went up into heaven in a cloud" similar to the church at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). It also recapitulates Elijah’s ascension to heaven (2 Kings 2:11), validating the ministry of these two as it did Elijah’s ministry.

They ascend "in a cloud" resembles that of Christ because of the cloud through which they ascend. A cloud received Christ when He ascended (Acts 1:9). Clouds will also encompass those in Christ when they ascend into heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:17).