8th Meeting - Revelation Chapter 10 - 11

Chapter 10 opens with a strong angel holding a small scroll and asks John to eat it. This is not the first time a prophet was asked to eat a scroll, and that it tasted good in the mouth and turned the stomach sour. This is symbolism for judgment; it means the same here. The angel said there would be no more delay. This means that the time of grace is over, and it will be too late to ask for mercy. We now have more than enough sin to convict us and judgment is now due. We are talking about non-believers here. If you are a believer in Christ, you are already sealed and your destination is sure. God is getting ready to judge the whole world.

This brings us to Chapter 11, John is asked to measure the temple of God, but not the part given to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The Gentiles will trample the holy city for 42 months. This is the last part of the time of the Gentiles. During this time two witnesses will prophecy against the earth and prophecy on the truth of God. These witnesses are men as verse 6 states. However, to the identity of these witnesses there has been much speculation. John was present at the Transfiguration of Christ, he had no problem ng the identities of Moses or Elijah at that time. The fact that John does not advise their identity is interesting. Malachi said that Elijah would come before the Messiah to make way for His coming. We know that God used John the Baptist in this position at that time. God can use whoever, He chooses to do His will. There is no Biblical proof to who these two are or what their identity is. For me to change my mind on this I will need chapter and verse. The beast comes out of the abyss and fights with these witnesses and kills them. They lie on the streets of Jerusalem for three and one half days. The whole world rejoices at their death, and it is seen throughout the earth. Television makes this possible, we did not have world communications until recently. By recently, I mean within the last 20 - 50 years. In relation to when the book of Revelation was written, and the age of the earth, this length of time would be considered recent. After they have been dead, God breathes life into them and calls them to Heaven and they disappear in the clouds. Clouds here is a form of the shekinah glory that stands as a attribute of God. The last thing mentioned in this chapter deals with the ark of the covenant. The ark that Moses had made has been missing even before Jesus' time on the earth. I don't believe it to be that one but another, remember that God was the one who gave Moses the dimensions and instructed him on how to construct it. The tabernacle was to be a model after the one in Heaven. I believe that this ark is the one that is in heaven. Since the vision is from Heaven this would make sense.