Introduction And Outline To Revelation Chapter 10

BIBLE CLASS – October 16, 2007

Lesson 23 s – The Book of Revelation – Chapter 10 – Handout # 1 2

Introduction and Outline to Revelation Chapter 10

Revelation, chapter 10 takes us on a side path so to speak…the chapter starts out with a parenthesis. The parenthesis starts in Revelation Chapter 10, v erse 1 and continues through Chapter 11 , verse 14. The entire parenthesis deals with angelic and human messengers sent from God for the purpose of reconciling man to Himself, which is carried out throughout human history. Chapter 10 deals with the angelic messengers first.

Before we get into the parenthesis in detail and see what it entails, let’s review what we have studied so far in Revelation to refresh our memories so we can get a true perspective of our study up to this point. I don’t want you to lose site of the big picture.

1. Chapter 1 reveals Christ in His resurrection glory, who holds the pastors of the churches in His right hand and who walks in the midst of the churches of the entire Church Age…His royal family. He is the head of the body of believers.

2. Chapters 2-3 reveal His evaluation of conditions in the seven churches of Asia to which John ministered. In addition, these churches reveal a picture of historical trends and conditions of the Church Age (due to decisions of believers in the Church Age). Positive decisions produce up-trends, negative decisions produce down-trends in history. Each church presents a picture of the church throughout the entire period of the Church Age. It also gives a picture of what any church in our present Church Age may be like.

3. Chapter 4 deals with the throne and the throng in heaven. John is “caught up” into heaven. In this chapter we studied the doctrine of the Rapture of the church (that’s us) and the basis of welcome in heaven to all Church Age believers. It is a picture of the Church in Heaven after the Rapture.

4. Chapter 5 shows us the challenge and search for the ONE worthy to open the little book or scroll (title deed to Planet Earth). And that is Jesus Christ. He is revealed as the “Lion of Judah,” and the “Lamb of God, “who alone holds the rights of the “firstborn of God” (that is His resurrection from the dead and His defeat of death itself!). It gives us the Doomsday Book of Judgment, which contain the Seven Seals of History.

5. Chapter 6 gives us a picture of the Seven Seals of History, which is an overview of conditions in the Tribulation caused by the first six seal judgments from the Doomsday Book that only Christ had the authority to open. This chapter also includes Daniel’s prophecy ( 9:24 -27) that explains the historical setting of Revelation from chapters 6-19.

6. Chapter 7 is the first parenthesis in the Book of Revelation and shows that God’s plan of redemption continues in the Tribulation. It is a picture of Tribulational evangelism. It includes the first two waves of four (4) waves of evangelism in the Tribulation because even in the most critical time of history God’s primary concern is for the salvation of souls. The first wave is the sealing of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists from every tribe of Israel. The second wave is the Gentile converts of these evangelists (they are seen again in Rev 12:11 , 15:2-4).

7. Chapter 8 with the opening of the seventh seal, which contains the Seven Trumpet Judgments, we see the nature and the basis of the trumpet judgments and the answer of the Tribulational martyrs’ imprecatory prayers. This is the wrath of God against those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ and this is the answer to the prayers of these martyrs murdered by those who hate Christ.

8. Chapter 9 gave us the first and second of three “woes” or Demon Army attacks in the Tribulation brought on by Satan. He is desperate since his expulsion and removal from heaven three and a half years into the seven year period of the Tribulation. The D evil’s D esperation has created mass havoc upon the earth.

Let’s also review the Seven Seals and the Seven Trumpet judgments as well. It’s interesting to note that all the judgments of Revelation come in sets of seven (7). Sets of seven are a distinctive feature in the book. The number seven occurs (52) times in Revelation. There are seven beatitudes (blessings for happiness that I’ll give later in our study) throughout the book; seven churches ( Rev 1:4, 11); seven spirits ( Rev 1:4); seven eyes ( Rev 5:6); seven trumpets ( Rev 8:2); seven thunders ( Rev 10:3); seven signs ( Rev 12:1, 3; 13:13-14; 15:1; 16:4; 19:20); seven crowns ( Rev 12:3); seven plagues ( Rev 15:6); seven golden bowls or goblets ( Rev 15:7); seven hills ( Rev 17:9); and seven kings ( Rev 17:10) as well as other sevens. Symbolically, if you will recall in our lesson of the Biblical meaning of “Numbers in the Bible,” the number seven stands for “completeness.”

The Seven Seals of the Doomsday Book, which includes the famous Four Horsemen, are:

1. Conquest: the white horse (dictatorship) which represents rapid conquest and whose rider is the beast/dictator of the Revised Roman Empire or the Anti-Christ. He carries a bow and a crown only (no arrows) and represents the lust of the Anti-Christ for political power and political warfare.

2. Anarchy: the red horse (warfare) whose rider has the authority to take away all peace from the world. This rider is the beast/dictator of the Revised Roman Empire and carries a great sword and indicates intense close-in fighting, men against men…the breakdown of society beginning…the rise of rebellion, revolution, religious, and racial war. The devil’s dream of utopia without Christ will end this way.

3. Famine: the black horse depicts tremendous lack of food and water and the rationing of goods and needs by weight. Everything is measured out because of the famine. The measures speak of great scarcity and starvation. Only the wealthy will survive.

4. Death: The ashen or pale horse, which is ghastly, represents pestilence and death. The rider’s name is “Death.” He is followed by Hades…mass destruction by plague for unbelief. Always remember judgment is for unbelief (towards Christ and God’s plan). A fourth of the earth’s population will be killed.

5. Martyrdom: one of the reasons for final judgments in the Tribulation. God avenges the murders of His beloved devoted believers who died for their belief in Christ. These murderers not only reject the Lord but murder His own.

6. Universe shaken: an earthquake occurs just as the sixth seal is broken open and five disturbances occur: earthquakes, volcanoes, meteors hitting the earth, the moving of heaven and earth…great upheaval, and universal terror. One third of mankind is destroyed.

7. Seven Trumpet Judgments: these judgments are contained in and ARE the seventh seal.

The Seventh Seal or the Seven Trumpet Judgments…a brief review:

A. Hail and Fire mixed with Blood (8:6-7).

B. A Mountain Thrown into the Sea (8:8-9).

C. A Star called Wormwood ( 8:10 -11).

D. A Third of the Sun, Moon and Stars Struck ( 8:12 -13).

E. The First “Woe” or First Demon Assault Army of Locusts out from the Abyss ( 9:1-12).

F. The Second “Woe” or Second Demon Assault Army from under the Euphrates ( 9:13 -21).

G. The Third “Woe” or Third Demon Assault Army led by Satan himself against all living Jews ( 11:15 -19).

As you can see between trumpet judgments number “F” and “G” in the above list, there is a gap in the chapters and verses…this is the parenthesis that is chapter 10 and part of Chapter 11.

I’d like to also review the rank of the officers or heralds of the elect angelic military that are in command of these judgments. This is necessary because angels administer the judgments under the command of God. XXXXXXXto help us remember which angel is commanding what in Revelation. God is very specific in regards to rank and assignment of authority. There is the highest rank: six-winged seraphs; next in rank, four-winged cherubs, and last in rank, wingless messenger or pursuivant angels in the College of Angelic Heralds. These are the angels involved in this part of Revelation.

Outline of Chapter 10

1. The Mighty Angel vs. 1.

2. The Little Book or Scroll (title deed to Planet Earth) vs. 2.

3. The Angel’s Voice vs.3-4.

4. The Finished Plan of God vs. 5-7.

5. Feeding on the Word vs. 8-11.

This parenthesis, that goes from Chapter 10 through Chapter 11:14, comes right between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments that we have just finished studying in chapter 9. This parenthesis is the manner of John who gives a similar break in Chapter 7 between the sixth and seventh seals. In this parenthesis of Chapter 10, we are permitted to see John’s preparation for his further service. God’s way of preparation is always through the reception of the Word.

The Mighty Angel

The parenthesis begins in verse one. John’s vision introduces the angelic herald. He holds the highest rank of angels. He’s a seraph and he tells the news of the Second Advent. The vision begins with an honors list of the mighty angel we see in this verse. He is same seraph, the “King of Arms” we saw in Rev 5:2. He’s the highest of all the seraphs. When this powerful angel is involved in anything, it becomes extremely important. God gave him this job because he has great integrity. That is why he is called powerful and mighty…he is held in high esteem by God.

(1) Then I saw another elect angel, the powerful one, coming down out of heaven and he was wearing a cloud and a rainbow was over his head and his face was like the sun and his feet were like columns of fire;

Each of the figures in this vision speaks of God who this mighty angel represents. Let’s look at them:

1. A Cloud. In Scripture clouds are used often to represent the glory of God. In Exo 19:16 there is a cloud that enveloped Mount Sinai in Egypt when the Exodus generation was making its way to the Promised Land. “ So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ” In Mathew 17:15 there is the cloud that came down on the mount of transfiguration, which probably occurred on Mount Herman in northern Israel. “ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, ‘ This is m y beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him! ’ " Matthew gives us a picture here of how well pleased God is of His Son, Jesus. At the Second Advent, Jesus is to return in the clouds with great glory in Rev 1:7 . “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth (tribes of Israel and all nations) will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. ” The Ascension of Christ in the clouds is seen in Act 1:9 . “ And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ” When the Lord comes back for us in the Rapture we will meet Him in the air in the clouds. 1 Th ess 4:17 . “ Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. ” These are just a few of the many examples of clouds representing the Glory of the Lord.

2. A Rainbow. The rainbow is also a familiar picture of God’s faithfulness. It first appears in Gen 9:12-13 in the covenant with Noah after the flood. “G od said, ‘ T his is the sign of the covenant which I am making between m e and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; (13) I set m y (rain) bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between m e and the earth. ’” This is a visible sign of the perfect integrity and holiness of God, which is His perfect justice and righteousness. This is His perfect guarantee that He will not destroy the earth again by water and that he will wait until human history is completed to destroy it by fire! Divine integrity is not only our point of contact with God but it also has intrinsic value…value that can never diminish. The believer has three things as a result of His personal relationship with the integrity of God: Bible doctrine, a personal sense of destiny (eternity with God), and personal happiness through cognizance and execution of the POG through God’s grace. It represents God’s mercy toward man in his preservation of the world. We saw in Rev 4:3 , the emerald rainbow, which spoke of His mercy. “…a nd He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. ”

3. The Sun. The sun is “the light of the world” a picture of Christ, “the Sun of Righteousness” in Mal 4:2 . "But for you who fear m y name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. ” Look is what Paul saw in Act s 9:3 . “ As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus , and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him …” This is the same appearance the Lord had when He was transfigured (a preview of Jesus in His resurrection body) on the mountain with Peter, John and James in Mat 17:2 . “ And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.” Without the sun earth would be in total darkness like the ice pack that LJC placed on earth after Satan wrecked havoc on it.