June 5, 2020 (Friday)
After
the seven thunders (10:4), the “mystery of God” (plan of salvation) would be
fulfilled on the 7th trumpet call. “When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will
be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the
prophets.” [Revelation 10:7 NLT]
One theory
is the trumpets correlate to the “Feasts of Trumpets” (Jewish New Year). This is based
on a presumed prophetic calendar: it’s the next holiday in line for something significant
to happen. (Passover, First Fruits, Pentecost, etc…)
John is
given the little scroll. Its purpose seems to be to renew John’s call and
mandate. It is a joy to receive, but is painful to process and deliver. While
being salvation to one (accepted) it is damnation to another (rejected). “Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and
kings.’” [Revelation 10:11 NIV]
God
measures things, “Then I was given a
measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the
altar, and count the number of worshipers.” [Revelation 11:1 NLT] That means God notices
and cares. The physical measurements help us understand place and time in
context.
“But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been
turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.” [Revelation
11:2] The issue of TIME is one key to unlocking the understanding of the book
of Revelation. Here are 42 months = 3 and a half years or 1290 days. Events will
happen during this time, reflecting the prophecy of Daniel 9
“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed
for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put
an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness,
to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.” “Know
and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild
Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be
seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a
trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One
will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will
come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood:
War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will
confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’
he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will
set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is
poured out on him.” [Daniel 9:24 –
27 NIV]
This
brings us to the theory of the “missing week.” 3.5 years was the time of
Christ’s ministry. 3.5 years set aside for the rule of the Anti-Christ. (OR 7
years of the “Great Tribulation” – events of the book of Revelation)
During
this time two witnesses are provided to earth. Remember even in wrath or
judgement, God seem to be offering salvation to people. Several views surround the
identification of these witnesses. a.) The church during the tribulation. b.) Moses
and Elijah. c.) Two testifying believers.
The most likely is the last one, but they do have the abilities of Moses and
Elijah.
They
will have the power to call down fire from heaven and stop the rain. Reflecting
Moses life, they will Turn water to blood and strike the earth with every kind
of plague. Their death creates a stir, a massive celebration. They are killed
by the beast from the Abyss (possibly Satan) in a war. Sodom (homosexuality) and
Egypt (sin and slavery) are equated to Jerusalem. 3.5 days of celebration will
occur. They will not be buried, a sign of contempt and the denial of decency.
After these days, something remarkable will happen. “Breath of life” from God
will enter them and they will stand up, presumably alive (verse 11). Then they
will be called to heaven (ascension or rapture?). This will validate their
witness.
At the
same time an earthquake will destroy a tenth of the city of Jerusalem and kill
7,000. “At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the
city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the
survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” [Revelation 11:13 NIV]
Throughout
history God has used extreme measures to get our attention. For Adam and Eve,
they were tossed out of the Garden of Eden and an animal was slaughtered.
During the Exodus, the first born of those who refused to believe and take
action died to free Israel. On the
cross, Jesus became our substitute. Now we have the public witnesses, death,
and resurrection of God’s faithful witnesses.
These
events seem to bring about a change. Possibly this is the long anticipated
revival of Israel. However this is only the second terror (“woe”) with one more
to come quickly. It is the seventh trumpet. Colorful personalities are about to
emerge in this story of chaos, so stay tuned.
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