TEACHING NOTES Part 14: Angel, Little Scroll, Temple, Two Witnesses Introduction In this session we are going cover the two interludes between the 6th and 7th trumpets. The seals gave us an overview/introduction of the judgment of Jerusalem. The trumpets give us the beginning of the events. The bowls are the conclusion. Before the 7th trumpet sounds we’re given two interludes that describe a mighty angel with a little scroll, the temple, and two witnesses. 1st Interlude: The Angel & The Little Scroll Revelation 10:1 ESV 1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. Another mighty angel = If we compare the description of this angel to the vision of the Son of Man in Rev. 1:12-16, it seems that this mighty angel is Jesus. Also, this angel is described as having a voice like a roaring lion (Rev. 10:3). ​ Revelation 10:2–3 ESV 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. A little scroll open in his hand = In Rev. 5 we learned that the judgment of Jerusalem was written on a sealed scroll and only the Lamb (who is also a lion) can open the scroll. Here it is described as a little scroll that is now open. A loud voice, like a roaring lion = This further indicates that this mighty angel is likely Jesus, the Lion of the tribe of Judah who alone is worthy to open the scroll (Rev. 5:5). ​ Revelation 10:4 ESV 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” Seven thunders = In Revelation, loud voices are often described as thunder. Here, John hears what the “thunders” are saying. But in contrast to the rest of the book, John is told NOT to write down what he heard. In Jewish apocalyptic literature, sealing up the words usually means that it is meant for a time much later in the future. Daniel is told to seal up parts of his prophesy because the events would happen long after Daniel’s time (Dan. 8:26; 12:4, 9). At the end of Revelation, John is told NOT to seal up the prophesy because the time is near (Rev. 22:10). But whatever the seven thunders said was to be sealed up. Apparently, they said something that was to happen much later. ​ Revelation 10:5–7 ESV 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. Standing on the sea and the land = In the Bible, the sea is often symbolic of the Gentiles and the land is often symbolic of the Jews living in THE land (Israel). This angel has authority over both. No more delay = This indicates that the remaining events would start soon and there would be no more breaks in the judgment. In Revelation, there is a break between the 6th and 7th seals and between the 6th and 7th trumpets. But there is no break between the seven bowls. For there to be “no more delay” indicates that previously there had been delay. In the Jewish War (AD 66-70), there was a long break in the war after the first group of Roman armies suddenly fled in AD 66. But when Roman came back in AD 69, they completely defeated Jerusalem in 5 months. ​ Revelation 10:8–9 ESV 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” Eat the scroll = This too has an Old Testament context. In Ezek. 2:8; 3:1-3, the prophet is told to eat the scroll of lamentation and woe, and Ezekiel says that it tasted sweet like honey. John’s scroll also tastes like honey but is bitter to his stomach. This communicates that the judgment is good, because it comes from God, but will also be bitter, because many will die. This also relates to Zech. 5:1-4, where the prophet sees a flying scroll (although very large) that is called “the curse.” ​ Revelation 10:10–11 ESV 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” You must again prophesy = It seems that the little scroll contains the remainder of the book of Revelation. While most of Revelation is describing God’s judgment on Jerusalem and those who pierced Jesus, the end of the book speaks of things that involve all nations. 2nd Interlude: The Temple & Two Witnesses ​ Revelation 11:1–2 ESV 1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. Measure the temple = To understand this vision correctly we must look to the Old Testament image that it is based on. In Zech. 2:1-5 the prophet sees a man with a measuring line and is told to measure Jerusalem. In Zechariah the measuring of the city meant that it will be protected. Therefore, the measuring of innermost parts of the temple in Revelation must mean that it will be protected. But the outer court of the temple will not be protected. The outer court and holy city will be trampled by nations for 42 months = This is almost identical to what Jesus said in Luke 21:24 “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” This means that Revelation is connected to the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) where Jesus described the destruction of Jerusalem. What does this mean? God is going to protect His true dwelling place—believers. The innermost section of the temple was the Holy of Holies or Most Holy Place. This was where God’s Spirit dwelt on earth. However, ever since Ezekiel saw God’s presence leave the temple before its destruction by Babylon (586 BC), God never returned to the temple—even after it was rebuilt by Ezra and later Herod. We know that the Romans burned the temple down and not one stone was left on another just as Jesus predicted. Therefore, this passage in Revelation must refer to God protecting His true temple—believers. God now dwells in the body of believers who follow Jesus. God allowed the corrupt, defiled, and desolated temple in Jerusalem to be destroyed because He no longer dwelt in that temple. However, since believers are now God’s temple, He is going to protect His new dwelling place. The destruction of the temple had no effect on where God dwells. The new Holy of Holies is safe and sound in the faithful followers of Jesus. How is this connected to Ezekiel’s temple? In Ezek. 40-48, the prophet is given a vision of a new temple. The description there is extremely detailed and this temple was exponentially larger than any other. Ezekiel was exiled in Babylon when he received this vision that the temple would be rebuilt in Jerusalem. However, this enormous temple that Ezekiel saw was never built to those specifications. But if we compare Ezekiel’s description to what we read in Rev. 21-22, it seems that Ezekiel was seeing the new creation and new Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is also measured in Revelation: In Rev. 21:9-27, the New Jerusalem is described and measured. In the new city there is no temple because God Himself is the temple. While some see this as a literal city, the angel tells John that the city is a symbol of the church who is called “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb” (see Rev. 21:9-10). ​ Revelation 11:3–4 ESV 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. Two witnesses = Grk. duo martys - These “witnesses” will prophesy and be martyred. We are not told what these two witnesses will say, but the fact that they are clothed in sackcloth means that they are warning people of coming destruction. 1,260 days = Again, we’re told that the time of judgment on Jerusalem will be 3.5 years. These two witnesses will be prophesying during this time before they are killed. This is God’s way of giving the people of Jerusalem every possible opportunity to repent. Two olive tress, two lampstands = This can only be understood in light of Zechariah. In Zech. 3, the prophet is shown a vision of Joshua the high priest being accused by Satan (Heb. ha satan - the accuser). The LORD rebukes Satan, then takes away Joshua’s filthy garments and replaces them with pure garments. Then God says that He will send His Servant the Branch to remove all iniquity in a single day. Then everyone will invite his neighbor to “come under his vine and under his fig tree.” In Zech. 4, the prophet sees a vision of a lampstand and is told that Zerubbabel would rebuild the temple. Then these two (Joshua the high priest & Zerubbabel the governor of Jerusalem) are called the two olive trees. In Ezra/Nehemiah we read about Joshua and Zerubbabel rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. ​ Revelation 11:5–6 ESV 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. 6 They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. Power over fire, rain, waters = All of these supernatural powers have an Old Testament connection. Calling down fire and shutting the sky sounds a lot like the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:10; 1 Kings 17). Turning waters to blood and striking the earth with plagues sounds like Moses in Egypt (Ex. 7-10). This has led many interpreters to assume that the two witnesses are a return of Moses and Elijah. However, Jesus stated in Matt. 11:13 that John the Baptist was the promised return of Elijah (see Mal. 3:1; 4:5). Also, at the transfiguration of Jesus we’re told that Moses and Elijah appeared talking with Jesus about an exodus that He was going to accomplish at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31). Therefore, it seems that during the judgment on Jerusalem two people will be given the spirit of Moses and Elijah to prophesy and bring judgments in Jerusalem. ​ Revelation 11:7–8 ESV 7 And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. The beast = This is the first time that the beast is mentioned in Revelation. The beast will be described in more detail in Rev. 13 and Rev. 17. The Bottomless Pit = Grk. abyssos - the bottomless pit or Abyss. The Abyss was first mentioned in Rev. 9:1 where a fallen angel is given a key to release evil spirits from the pit. Therefore, the Abyss is the place where evil spirits are held captive. In the Jewish mind, there are different compartments in the underworld. Sheol/Hades is the holding place for the spirits of dead humans. The Abyss is the holding place for evil spiritual beings (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). The great city = In Revelation, “the great city” is Jerusalem and has several symbolic names. Here we’re told that it is called Sodom and Egypt. We know the great city is Jerusalem because it is where “their Lord was crucified.” Later in Rev. 17-18, the great city is called Babylon, and is full of the blood of prophets and saints. This is also how Jesus describes Jerusalem in Matt. 23:29-36. Therefore, Revelation describes Jerusalem as if it has become like Sodom, Egypt, and Babylon—all of which deserve the harshest judgment of God. ​ Revelation 11:9–10 ESV 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. Not buried for 3.5 days = The two witnesses killed by the beast will lie in the streets for 3.5 days while people from Israel and other nations will ridicule them and rejoice because they hated what the witnesses were preaching. Historical Connection: Interestingly, during the 3.5-year Jewish War, Josephus records two men who tried to persuade people to stop the war. Both of these men were high priests who were responsible for the temple. Ananus ben Ananus and Jesus of Gamala were both former high priests. They were stripped of their role when the war in Jerusalem began and replaced by illegitimate priests. During the war they spoke out against the actions of the Jews and the Idumeans who were destroying the people, the city, and desecrating the temple. In AD 68, the Jewish Zealots and Idumeans killed these two men, refused to let them be buried, and stood over their bodies ridiculing them (Josephus, Jewish Wars, 4.5.2). Over the next 24 hours around 12,000 people killed in and around the temple. At this point, the Idumeans repented and went back to their country, but the Jewish Zealots remained and continued their slaughter in Jerusalem. ​ Revelation 11:11–12 ESV 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. The two witnesses caught up to heaven = Revelation describes the two witnesses are receiving a breath of life from God. In Greek it reads pneuma zoe, which could be translated “a spirit of life.” Then they are caught up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies watched. Josephus does not record Ananus and Jesus of Gamala being caught up to heaven. However, their enemies died in the war and would never have had the chance to describe watching this event. ​ Revelation 11:13–14 ESV 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come. A great earthquake = In Revelation, there are several earthquakes mentioned. In this one a 10th of the city fell, 7,000 people were killed, and the rest gave glory to God. The second woe has passed = As we learned previously, there are three woes that we are supposed to be paying attention to in Revelation. The third woe seems to be the 7th trumpet. Historical Connection: Josephus tells us that just before Ananus and Jesus of Gamala were killed, there was a violent storm and earthquake that occured. Between the earthquake and the slaughter that took place afterward, Josephus says that the outer court of the temple overflowed with blood and 8,500 were dead by sunrise (Josephus, Jewish Wars, 4.4.5-4.5.1).