The Arrival of God’s Last-day Prophetic Movement

Book of Revelation – a series presented by pastor Michael Walker

Lesson #10 – Revelation, chapters 10-11


Chapter 10

That which is revealed in Revelation 10 and 11 is parenthetical between the 6th and 7th Trumpets. It draws our attention to the arrival of God’s Last Warning Message to this world before Christ’s return. When the 7th Trumpet is finished sounding, the kingdoms of earth come to an end as Christ’s Kingdom takes over: Revelation 11:15

v. 7    

When the 7th Trumpet begins to sound, the “Mystery of God” should be finished – i.e. otan mellh salpizein “when he is about to sound his trumpet”; so, this final warning of the coming judgement upon this world will usher in the conclusion of the “Mystery of God”.

v. 1    

“Mighty Angel” is Jesus delivering His Last Warning Message because the description is similar to that in Revelation 1:13-16. Christ’s face shone like the sun at His transfiguration: Matthew 17:2. The “Messenger of the Covenant” Who comes to His Temple: Malachi 3:1. The “Angel Who has redeemed me”: Genesis 48:16. “Rainbow” the sign of His covenant: Revelation 4:3. “Cloud” – a token of His Deity; clouds and glory covered Him at Sinai (Exodus 19:9, 16-18); angels are likened to cloudy chariots (Psalms 104:3-4).

v. 2    

An apocalyptic portrayal of a world-wide movement. Attention is drawn to “a little book” that is now open, suggesting it had previously been closed. The Book of Daniel is a little book declared to be sealed until the “Time of the End”: Daniel 12:4, 7, 9. “Time of the End” refers to the end of 1,260 year prophecy (538- 1798). Daniel’s book is now opened at the “Time of the End”: Daniel 12:1-10. Then students from many lands began simultaneously and independently of each other to focus their studies on the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14 and 9:21-27. (NB. day/year principle Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6). Daniel is the only prophet who locates the time when the Pre-advent Judgement began in 1844 c.f. Daniel 7:8-10.

With the overthrow of papal domination in 1798 at the end of the 1,260-day prophecy (Daniel 7:25; 12:7,9) the attention of Bible students was directed to the 2,300 years and began, as God declared, to understand the “little book” of Daniel (Daniel 12:4,9,10).

Many thousands were convicted that the 2nd Coming of Jesus was near; and so they began to proclaim His imminent return. This brought about the ‘Great Advent Awakening’ of the 19th century as result of intensive Bible study.

vs. 3-4 

“Lion roaring” – Jesus, the Lamb, is also “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5,6) who draws attention, but John is commanded not to write what the 7 Thunders uttered – no doubt the voice of God, c.f. Exodus 19:19 – God answered in “thunder” in several translations, e.g. RSV, NRSV, NEB, REB, Message, TEV, CEV. Reference to future events to be disclosed at the appropriate time.

“The special light given to John which was expressed in the seven thunders was a delineation of events which would transpire under the first and second angels’ messages. It was not best for the people to know these things, for their faith must be tested. In the order of God most wonderful and advanced truths would be proclaimed. The first and second angels’ messages were to be proclaimed, but no further light was to be revealed before these messages had done their specific work.” – E. G. White, Manuscript 59, 1900. (SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 971).

vs. 8-9 

Eating the Little Book means digesting the Bible teachings: Jeremiah 15:16. Many preachers in Europe, Scandinavia and N. America predicted Christ would return c. 1843/1844. With reference to Daniel 8:14, they thought the “sanctuary” referred to the earth and the “cleansing” to Christ’s 2nd Coming. Various denominational preachers- i.e. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, The Christian Church, etc., eagerly devoured the precious words of prophecy and the news of Christ’s soon return. 

vs. 5-6 

“Time no longer”- the last prophetic date had been fulfilled; so there would be no more chronological prophetic time extended beyond 1844.

v. 9   

“Sweet as honey” – the announcement of Christ’s return met with great enthusiasm – the news was like honey in their mouths! God’s Words are likened to honey in the mouth: Psalms 19:7-10. Like Ezekiel, they proclaimed what they had discovered: Ezekiel 3:1-3. Like John, it was like honey in their mouths: Revelation 10:10. This describes their experience at that time as their hearts were filled with joy!

v. 10  

They were doomed to disappointment because Jesus did not appear. That Great Disappointment of 1844 was a crushing and bitter experience!

NB. Jesus’ disciples passed through a similar experience – they had given up everything, believing He was the Messiah; and His death to them was a bitter experience. As they took Him from the Cross and placed His body in the tomb, their hopes seemed dashed to pieces! But their work was not finished – it had hardly begun! It was after their great disappointment that the apostles did their greatest work. That evening after His Resurrection, Jesus “opened their understanding” (Luke 24:25). Disappointments are often God’s appointments – like the apostles 18 centuries before, that Great Disappointment of 1844 proved to be a blessing in disguise! A great message was yet to be given to the world. While some renounced their faith, left the Word of God and returned to their former life, others were driven into deeper study of the Bible.

v. 11  

“Must prophesy again before many peoples” – the message of 1844 was not God’s final message to the world: that was only the beginning of God’s proclamation. New light was to shine upon the path of                         those searching for the truth of God’s Word. A greater message was to come into focus, embracing prophecies they had not even thought about! Restoring great Bible truths that had been lost through the Great Apostasy! c.f. Daniel 8:9-14 – NB. The Hebrew sadaq indicates that the Sanctuary was not only to be “cleansed” but the verb also conveys the concept of restoration – of being put right. This message was to be given to the entire world to prepare a people to stand firm and faithful to God at the very end of time.

Chapter 11

v. 1

“Measure the temple of God” – This command is a prophetic forecast of the renewed study of the prophecies on the part of those earnestly seeking for truth in the Scriptures. Following the disappointment, Hiram Edson was on his way to encourage the Advent believers; and as he was passing through the cornfield, he seemed to view Christ as our Great High Priest entering into the Most Holy Place. The truth suddenly became apparent about what happened in 1844. After passing through the Great Disappointment of 1844, the discouraged were to “arise and shine” for the new light had come, and the glory of the Lord was to be upon them – that light was a mightier message that would illuminate the whole world with its “mighty voice”: Revelation 18:1, Isaiah 60:1-3. Since 1844, God’s Last Warning Message to the world has been going to the four corners of the earth: Matthew 24:14.

It has gone with remarkable progress where we have a presence in 212 countries with a membership of 21,912,161 as at 31 December, 2021 [Source: 2022 SDA office for Annual Statistics and Research Report 2022]. In 2007, it was the 6th largest highly international religious body – today it is the fastest growing church in the world!

Revelation 10:7 – “The mystery of God would be finished” 

This is the Gospel of Christ: Ephesians 6:19. The mystery of His will: Ephesians 1:9. The mystery of Godliness: 1 Timothy 3:16. The purpose of the Gospel is to obtain a people for His name: Acts 15:14.

God’s end-time message gathers those who are to stand in the final days of earth’s history with a message that embraces every truth of every reformation of every age. When the 7th Trumpet began to sound, this final message and the work of God for this world would be brought to its close. We are now living in the time when God’s servants are to be sealed in their foreheads before the final events of trouble occur: Revelation 7:1-3.

Revelation 11:1 – “Measure the Temple of God and the Altar”

It cannot refer to the Jerusalem Temple as it was destroyed in AD 70. John received this vision c. AD 96.

NB. The measuring takes place at a specific period in the history of the Church – i.e. between the 6th and 7th Trumpets – i.e. after 1840. It must therefore refer to the period in time where this prophecy is applied.

The measuring could be applied in 4 possible ways:

1. On the basis of Zechariah’s symbol of the man with a measuring line who measured Jerusalem as an assurance that the city would be rebuilt (c.f. Zech.2:1-5) – thus: the measuring of the Temple and its worshippers is also a promise of restoration and preservation – in spite of the terrors that attend Christ’s 2nd Coming, God has a people who will stand true to Him – c.f. Revelation 6:17.

2. It may also be intended as a reassurance that during the final Time of Trouble that comes during the sounding of the 7th Trumpet, God’s Temple – i.e. the Plan of Redemption portrayed there and His true worshippers shall be secure.

3. It also has a particular application to the fuller understanding of Christ’s ministry in the heavenly Sanctuary since 1844: Heb.8:1,2.

4. Regarding the event taking place in Heaven before the 7th Trumpet sounds, the measuring of worshippers suggests a work of judgement.

v. 2   

“Do not measure the court outside the Temple”

This would be the Court of the Gentiles – i.e. those who are not true believers, who do not receive the Seal of God. The only ones who shall be preserved during the final judgement are to be measured here. NB. Judgement must begin at the house of God: 1 Peter 4:17. The “house of God” is the Church: 1 Timothy 3:15.


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