Revelation (Written)

Sunday, 7 February 2021

These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. Revelation 11:4

In the previous verse, the two witnesses were introduced. Two aspects of them were given that indicate they are actually men and not merely to be considered as metaphor: they prophesy and they are clothed in sackcloth. With that in mind, an evaluation of who they are was given, deciding upon (but not dogmatically barking out) Enoch and Elijah. Reasons for that were provided.

Moses was rejected as one and the explanation was given as to why. The apostle John was rejected as one. The reason was not fully explained. In this verse, it can be determined why he is excluded. These two witnesses are now described by John. He says, “These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.” John is reaching back to what was said in the Old Testament. In Zechariah 4, the following is recorded –

“Now the angel who talked with me came back and wakened me, as a man who is wakened out of his sleep. ² And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’
So I said, ‘I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. ³ Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.’ ⁴ So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked with me, saying, ‘What are these, my lord?’” Zechariah 4:1-4

Towards the end of the same chapter, it then says this –

“Then I answered and said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees—at the right of the lampstand and at its left?’ ¹² And I further answered and said to him, ‘What are these two olive branches that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?’
¹³ Then he answered me and said, ‘Do you not know what these are?’
And I said, ‘No, my lord.’
¹⁴ So he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.’” Zechariah 4:11-14

These two anointed ones predate the time of the Apostle John. They have been serving the Lord since Old Testament times. As noted, the only two men who were taken directly to heaven in the Old Testament were Enoch and Elijah –

“Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. ²² After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. ²³ So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴ And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” Genesis 5:21-24

&

“Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.” 2 Kings 2:11

The book of Hebrews repeats the note concerning Enoch’s translation ensuring that the few words concerning him could not be misconstrued –

“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ‘and was not found, because God had taken him’; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:5, 6

Jude goes on to note that Enoch was a prophet –

“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.’” Jude 1:14, 15

Enoch is not a Hebrew; Elijah is a Hebrew (see the symbolism explained in the previous verse). Both were prophets. Both prophesied concerning the ungodliness surrounding them. These reasons indicate that the two most logical choices for the identification of the two witnesses are Enoch and Elijah. If they are humans, as seems more than probable, they meet the criteria that both Moses (whose death is recorded in Scripture) and John (who was not yet alive when Zechariah was written) do not meet.

An argument against this, which is invalid, is that it cannot be Enoch because he wasn’t a Hebrew. This is faulty logic based on Paul’s words of Romans 3:2 where he says that the oracles of God (meaning Scripture) were committed to the people of Israel. Two points dispel this thinking. Jude clearly identifies Enoch as a prophet, and Moses is the one who recorded the details of his life. Paul’s words are simply a note that the people of Israel were those who maintained the oracles, not that non-Israelites could not prophesy. Job was not of Israel, and an entire book is recorded concerning him.

Life application: Both Enoch and Elijah never died. They have been faithfully serving the Lord for thousands of years now. There is no reason to think that they will not serve Him in this especially personal way during the coming tribulation period.

When evaluating difficult passages, it is often necessary to search the entire Bible to resolve the difficulties. We cannot run with biblical analysis without doing diligent research, and although passages like this one are not related directly to salvation, they are a part of the whole counsel of God and so they need to be treated as such.

Let us endeavor to do our best when evaluating Scripture. When our logic or interpretation is found wanting, let us step back, admit our error, and then move on in what is logical and proper. To the glory of the Lord who gave us this marvelous word. To the glory of JESUS!

Lord, instill a desire in our hearts to know Your word completely – in both Testaments. Surely it is filled with treasure beyond our understanding, and the more we look into it, the more You will reward us in grasping it. May You alone be glorified through our studies and our teaching others of the wonders of Your Word! Amen.

Saturday, 6 February 2021

And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” Revelation 11:3

John is conveying the words of the Angel. He was instructed to measure the temple of God, but to omit the court outside the temple, noting that it had been given to the Gentiles. Now, the angel says, “And I will give power to my two witnesses.”

The word “power” has been inserted. Based on the coming verses, that is possibly correct. However, it could also be “authority” or some other concept of appointment. Some translations simply leave the thought alone and say, “And will give to my two witnesses.” Also, they are preceded by a definite article in the Greek –

“And I will grant to the two witnesses of me.”

This then implies that they are known figures who serve the Lord. How they are known will come in the next verse.

Who these two witnesses are is as debated as anything else in the book of Revelation. Some see them as two people and the identification of them starts from that point. Some see them as representative of sets of twos, like when Jesus set apart his disciples to go forth two by two in Luke 10:1. Some think they are two institutions, such as two bodies of believers. Others see them as two general categories such as saved Jews and saved Gentiles, or the two testaments of Scripture.

As there are two, the meaning of the number should be explained. Two demonstrates that a difference exists. As E.W. Bullinger says, “We now come to the spiritual significance of the number Two. We have seen that One excludes all difference, and denotes that which is sovereign. But Two affirms that there is a difference—there is another; while One affirms that there is not another!”

Two is the minimum number given to bring charges against another as well. This is seen in the precept found in both testaments that says, “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1).

For this commentary, and without giving a defense against every one of the innumerable guesses as to who these two witnesses are, it is assumed based on their description that they are two people. These witnesses predate Christ’s first advent (as will be explained in the next verse), and they have a difference between them that fits what has already been revealed. In this, they are identified as Enoch and Elijah.

Some point to them as Moses and Elijah because they appeared to the Lord at the Mount of Transfiguration. This is incorrect for one obvious reason. They will be killed in verse 11:7. If they are two men, one cannot be Moses –

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

Moses’ death is recorded already, and it excludes him from being one of these men. The arguments against this fail to adhere to this verse which states a firm and fixed precept. Further, the reason for Moses and Elijah’s appearance was one of symbolism. Bringing back Moses, who had already died, to appear on the Mount with Jesus was to make a theological point concerning His power over both the living (Elijah) and the dead (Moses). It also served to demonstrate that Jesus is the fulfillment of the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah).

Some see the two as Elijah and John (the Apostle John). This is assumed because of the statement made by Jesus at the end of the Gospel of John –

“Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.’” John 21:22

Such an interpretation is incorrect. Jesus never said John wouldn’t die. He was speaking to Peter about Peter. What was to happen to John had nothing to do with what would happen to Peter. Further, John does not precede the first advent of Christ in his ministry, something that is required for these witnesses. That will be put to rest with the analysis of the coming verse. Without defending against any other such claims, the two are more than probably Enoch and Elijah.

Only Enoch and Elijah are recorded as having been taken directly to heaven without dying. They were both taken before Christ’s first advent. Enoch was not a Hebrew (Abraham is recorded as the first Hebrew), while Elijah was. Hebrew means “to cross over.” This designation is important because of what has already been seen in measuring the temple but not the outer court. The temple is associated with the Hebrew people; the outer court is associated with Gentiles. The difference is seen in the sum of their testimony which is for all people. One testifies to the Hebrew people and the other to the Gentile people.

A clue of exactly this is found in Daniel 12 –

“Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. ⁶ And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?’
⁷ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:5-7

Two men accompanied the Lord, who was above the waters. One is on one riverbank while the other is on the other riverbank. It is the same typology as seen above – one is a Hebrew; one is not. The word Hebrew means “to cross over.” The symbolism is that one has crossed over the river and is a Hebrew. The Lord above the waters is Lord of both. Of these two, the verse continues with, “and they will prophesy.”

The word can mean giving a testimony of repentance, sharing the gospel, predicting the future, and so on. It gives the idea of speaking out the inspired word of God as a witness. This is what they will be doing, and it will be for a period of “one thousand two hundred and sixty days.”

This is the same as “forty-two months,” or exactly three and one-half biblical years. A biblical year is three hundred and sixty days per. It signifies one-half of the tribulation period, meaning Daniel’s seventieth seven. During this time, it says they will be “clothed in sackcloth.”

The word is a transliteration from the Hebrew word sak. Wearing it is a sign of mourning and woe. Wearing such garments is to show great distress and humility before God. It is also as a petition that, even though destruction is deserved, there is a hope for mercy. In the case of these two, they are in sackcloth on behalf of the people they are speaking to. They are demonstrating that great woe is coming and that the people should take heed and join them in their humble petitioning of God for mercy. Sackcloth is seen numerous times in the Old Testament in this manner. If the people they witness to fail to mourn over their sins and repent of their unholy lives, there will be consequences.

The three- and one-half-year period is not unique in the Bible. Elijah withheld the rains from Israel for this amount of time. This is testified to by both Jesus and James in the New Testament (Luke 4:25 and James 5:17).

Life application: This three- and one-half year period was prophesied by Daniel. It is pointing to a future date, not something that has already been fulfilled. The key to understanding the times we live in today is to understand Israel’s role in prophetic events. Israel has been planted again in her land, never to be uprooted as the Lord has promised (see Amos 9:15).                                       

The rebellion of Israel, and their being cast off from the Lord, is used by many scholars and theologians to justify the stand that the church has replaced Israel. This is a poor analysis of Scripture. It fails to take into consideration the unfailing nature of the Lord to His covenants. Israel’s disobedience in no way negates the Lord’s faithfulness. If the Lord could cut off Israel, He could also be unfaithful to His guarantee of redemption for those He has saved (see Ephesians 1:13, 14). Such can never be the case. We are dealing with the faithful Lord. We are dealing with JESUS.

Heavenly Father, the precise details of the future events revealed in Your word, including set time periods, tells us that there is a sure plan. It also reveals that there will be an end to the dispensation of grace that we now live in. And more, that the time is fixed and will not be changed. What You have ordained will come to pass, and all we can do is be in prayer that eyes will be opened and hearts will be responsive – to Your glory, O God. Amen.

Friday, 5 February 2021

But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. Revelation 11:2

John was instructed to “measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there.” Now, in this verse, he is told, “But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it.” The word translated as “leave out” signifies to cast out. This means that the temple is considered acceptable and in accord with the allowances of Daniel 9:24-27, but the area outside of the temple is considered defiled and unholy. The measuring is what signifies the difference between the two. As it next says, “for it has been given to the Gentiles.”

As incredible and impossible as it seems to many in today’s world, there really will be another temple in Jerusalem. It will be built on the Temple Mount where the first and second temples stood. There is no need to argue this, God has already determined that it will come to pass, and He has prepared the people of Israel for this coming day. He has readied their hearts and they have readied the implements.

What seems like a likely scenario is that the battle described in Chapter 9, and quite possibly being the same battle as described in Ezekiel 38/39, will be the impetus for the building of this temple. After such an incredible victory, the nations will sue for peace with Israel, and a part of that peace deal will be the allowance for them to build this temple.

It may be that this temple will stand on a large empty spot directly in the middle of the mount. On the north end stands the Dome of the Rock, which is adorned with a gold dome. On the south end is the Al Aqsa Mosque. Or it may be where the Dome of the Rock is today, although that may continue to stand. Being dogmatic about that is unnecessary at this point.

The areas outside of the temple are obviously defiled areas that belong to the Gentiles. The measuring of this future temple leaves out the court where two defiled edifices stand, thus indicating that they are excluded from any blessing and will be removed at some point in the future. With this considered, the verse ends with, “And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.”

Of this time span, Vincent’s Word Studies notes –

“A period which appears in three forms in Revelation: forty-two months (Revelation 13:5); twelve hundred and sixty days (Revelation 11:3, Revelation 12:6); a time, times and half a time, or three years and a half (Revelation 12:14, compare Daniel 7:25; Daniel 12:7).”

The Gentiles who have a foothold on the Temple Mount will also “tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.” The term “underfoot” signifies that their very presence is a defiling act. They are unclean and what they tread on is defiled by them. Of the number forty-two, EW Bullinger says –

It “is a number connected with Antichrist. An important part of his career is to last for 42 months (Rev 11:2, 13:5), and thus this number is fixed upon him. Another number of Antichrist is 1260, and this is 30 x 42.

Its factors are six and seven (6×7=42), and this shows a connection between man and the Spirit of God, and between Christ and Antichrist:

Forty-two stages of Israel’s wanderings mark their conflict with the will of God.
Forty-two young men* mocked the ascension of Elijah to Elisha, 2 Kings 2:23, 24.

Being a multiple of seven, it might be supposed that it would be connected with spiritual perfection. But it is the product of six times seven. Six, therefore, being the number of Man, and man’s opposition to God, forty-two becomes significant of the working out of man’s opposition to God.”

The time period of forty-two months corresponds with Daniel 9:27 which says–

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

A covenant of peace with the antichrist is coming, and it will be for a period of “one week” or seven years. However, this covenant will be broken in the middle of the week, which is three- and one-half years or forty-two months. Understanding and properly interpreting Daniel 9:24-27 is the key to understanding what is coming and when – and it all pertains to the Jewish people and to the city of Jerusalem. The book of Revelation is filling in details of what lies ahead that Daniel only saw in a broader outline.

But Paul also filled in some of the details. As he says in 2 Thessalonians 2 (and which was cited in the previous verse as well) –

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4

Life application: The end times events being described in Revelation have been a constant source of worry and even fear for believers since they were written. But understanding Paul’s words from 2 Thessalonians shows that this should not be so. When Paul refers to the falling away coming first and the man of sin being revealed, he is basing that on his words of 2 Thessalonians 2:2. There he refers to the “day of Christ.”

But that is first based on what he says in verse 1, “concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him.”  

The tribulation period is also known as the Day of the Lord. Paul says that this day of the Lord (day of Christ – the terms are synonymous) will not come until AFTER the man of sin is revealed, and that will only come AFTER our gathering to Him. Each step is logical and orderly. If the antichrist (the man of sin) signs a seven-year covenant with Israel, which is Daniel’s seventieth-seven, and that initiates the Day of the Lord (day of Christ), then why would we be looking for the antichrist? Rather, our eyes are to be set in anticipation of the coming of the Lord for us.

These time frames are important, and they are not to be dismissed. The Bible is carefully laying out the sequence of future events in order to give us hope, a great and blessed hope. It is the anticipation of our being gathered to JESUS!

O Lord, it is so exciting to see that we may be very close to the time that was prophesied so long ago in the book of Revelation, prophecies which reach back even to the time of the Old Testament prophets. As the world turns away from You, our hearts are longing for You all the more. We have a sure and blessed hope in the coming deliverance of Your people because of Jesus. Great is the promise and the hope that we possess. Thank You for this word of hope. Amen.

Thursday, 4 February 2021

Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. Revelation 11:1

As Revelation is 22 chapters long, we are approaching the halfway point of the book. Chapter 11 begins another interlude between the sixth and seventh sounding of the trumpets, and the words of this opening verse trace a thought back to what is said in Daniel 9:27 –

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

Without going through all the details, determining who the pronoun “he” is will define what one believes about the entire eschatological scenario of the Bible. If one incorrectly assumes it is Jesus, then what is being looked at now in Revelation will mean something entirely different to that person than to someone who rightly deduces that the “he” is referring to the antichrist.

The study is too long to include in a single line of Revelation commentary, but the details conveyed to Daniel refer to a seven-year period that is still future to us now. The details speak of Israel’s time under the law, granted to them by the Lord in order for them to finally come into a right relationship with Him through the New Covenant.

In this coming time, a temple will be built. Israel will conduct temple rituals as prescribed by the law. In the middle of that “week,” or seven-year period, the antichrist will end those sacrifices and offerings. Paul refers to how this will come about in 2 Thessalonians 2 –

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, ⁴ who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4

The temple rites will be ended when the antichrist (called by Paul “the man of sin”) proclaims himself God in the temple of God. It is an event future to us now, and the identity of this antichrist will be unknown to believers who will be taken at the rapture. Paul’s words concerning the rapture, and the timing of these end times events, reveal this to be the case.

Understanding these things, John begins Chapter 11 with the words, “Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod.” In Chapter 9, the war was waged by a real air force and army that John described using terms he understood. It was something future to our time.

What John is seeing is something also future to us now. He is being given a reed that is intended to be used as a measuring rod. The measuring of something in the Bible is normally used to indicate either destruction of something, preservation of something, or a mixture of both. In the time of King David, in 2 Samuel 8, we read this –

“After this it came to pass that David attacked the Philistines and subdued them. And David took Metheg Ammah from the hand of the Philistines.
² Then he defeated Moab. Forcing them down to the ground, he measured them off with a line. With two lines he measured off those to be put to death, and with one full line those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s servants, and brought tribute.” 2 Samuel 8:1, 2

The measuring rod was used in a prophecy in Ezekiel concerning the layout of a temple different than the temple Ezekiel knew during his time as a priest. That is seen in Ezekiel 40 –

“In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city. ³ He took me there, and behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. He had a line of flax and a measuring rod in his hand, and he stood in the gateway.” Ezekiel 40:2, 3

The line of flax was used for longer measurements; the rod is for shorter ones. John is being given a rod for shorter measurements. After that, John says, “And the angel stood.” These words are not found in many manuscripts and are considered spurious by some scholars. Assuming they are meant to be here, it is probably then an allusion to Zechariah 3:5 –

“So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the Lord stood by.”

If this is so, then the angel now being referred to by John is the Lord Jesus, just as it was in Chapter 10. Either way, John next says that this angel stood, “saying, ‘Rise and measure the temple of God.’” Scholars of the past assumed that this must be a symbolic measuring. This is because the dimensions of the actual temple were surely known, even if it had been destroyed by the time of John’s writing out the book of Revelation.

In other words, they could not conceive of a future temple being built. Christ had come and fulfilled all of the symbolism of the temple and annulled the law in the giving of the New Covenant. But the thinking is in error. The Jews rejected Jesus and did not come under the New Covenant. Further, Daniel’s timeline clearly indicates that the temple of the seventieth week must be a future temple, as confirmed by Paul’s words of 2 Thessalonians. It is a literal temple that John is measuring, along with “the altar.”

This would not be referring to the altar of incense which is within the walls of the temple. This is the altar of sacrifice located in the outer courtyard. It is the altar that Daniel implicitly refers to in Daniel 9:27 above when he said, “He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.”

In order to have “sacrifice and offering,” there must be an altar for those things. John is directed to measure those things “and those who worship there.” One does not measure “spiritual representations of worshippers.” Rather, these are literal worshippers that are given an area of the courtyard to worship in, as was the case in past times, such as –

“So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.” Luke 1:8-10

This is what John is being asked to measure. It is a real temple. It is future to us today. It will have an altar of sacrifice and an area for worshippers to come to. It will be on the temple mount, and it will be built based on a peace agreement that will be made between parties as brokered by the antichrist. As it says in Daniel 9 (above), “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week.”

Life application: What is certain is that the temple John is asked to measure is not the temple that was destroyed in AD70. It is a temple that is yet future to our time. Amazingly, the implements for this temple are already made and are on display in Jerusalem. Its cornerstone has been anointed, and it is safely kept in Jerusalem, too. The time for God’s plan to be completed is coming, and we are participants and spectators in the great unfolding drama.

As the antichrist is the one who will broker the deal that will allow for this temple to be built, and as Paul says that we will not know who the antichrist will be, it is an implicit note to us that we are not to bother speculating on who he is. Rather, believers in the church today are to fix our eyes elsewhere. We are to fix our eyes on JESUS!

Lord, looking at the world today we can see that the end of the ages is not far off. Israel, the people, have been returned to their ancient homeland. The implements for temple worship have been made and are awaiting the temple’s construction. And all of the associated tragedy with that happening is not far off. All because they missed their Messiah when He came. May many turn their hearts and minds to Him now before the terrible days of woe come. Amen.

Wednesday, 3 February 2021

And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” Revelation 10:11

John has taken the little open book and eaten it. It was, as anticipated, sweet as honey in his mouth, and it also made his stomach bitter. With that noted, John next says, “And he said to me.”

Some Greek manuscripts say, “And they said to me.” To justify “they” instead of “he,” Greek scholars say it provides a sense of indefiniteness, such as “It was said to me.” However, this doesn’t follow naturally with the use of the word. If “he” is correct, it would be the Angel speaking to him. If “they” is correct, it would be both the Angel and the voice from heaven. This would be possible, even if both voices are that of Jesus. He is the One who was and who is and who is to come, and so it would be no different than the Lord speaking to Himself as is recorded in the 110^th Psalm. This psalm is then cited in the New Testament by Jesus in the gospels (Matthew 22:44, Mark 12:36, and Luke 20:42) and in Acts 2:34. It is also cited in Hebrews 1:13.

Either way, the voice then says, “You must prophesy.” Here, the word “prophesy” should be considered in the broader sense of the word. Rather than speaking forth a future prophecy as in “Thus says the Lord, this will come about,” it is referring to speaking forth the word of God such as is described in Romans 12:6. In other words, John is being told he must communicate the contents of the little book, and he must do so, as it next says, “again.”

Albert Barnes is certainly correct in his analysis of this prophesying –

“The direct address is to John himself; but it is evidently not to be understood of him personally. He is represented as seeing the angel; as hearkening to his voice; as listening to the solemn oath which he took; as receiving and eating the volume; and then as prophesying to many people; but the reference is undoubtedly to the far-distant future.”

What Albert Barnes is saying, and which rightly conveys the intent, is that the word of Revelation that John is writing down (see Revelation 1:11) is what is being referred to. John, and the visions he is writing down, will be the basis for the “prophesying again.” As this is so, it means that prophesying has already been accomplished towards an intended audience and it went unheeded by that audience. As the prophecy of the Old Testament was directed toward Israel, it is Israel that must be “prophesied again” to with the words of John.

The contents of Revelation, from verse 4:1 until verse 19:10, are dealing with the tribulation period which is focused on the nation of Israel. As this is based on the seventieth week of Daniel’s “seventy sevens” of Daniel 9, it makes this a logical deduction. It would also explain the bitterness in John’s stomach as the recorded words are directed to his own nation who had rejected their Messiah. The prophesying that John is to do is not literally in person. Rather, it is speaking about the warnings and judgments which are revealed in Revelation. What he will receive and pen is what brings bitterness.

With that understood, the verse and the chapter end with, “about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” Here the idea that this is directed toward Israel specifically comes clearly into focus. The word translated as “about” is epi. It is used in the dative case and it signifies “concerning.” Saying “about” is a good way of conveying the intent. As the Pulpit Commentary says –

“These are the objects of the prophecy, not the audience. This serves to explain the reference in the preceding sentence. The message is not delivered to, but about peoples, etc. The fourfold enumeration seems to point to the breadth of the signification – it embraces the whole of mankind.”

The question is, “Why would the message to be prophesied be ‘about’ all these categories instead of ‘to’ them?” The answer is because it is the Gentile nations who received and accepted the message of Christ for so long. At the same time, Israel had rejected it. This is found, for example, just before the close of the book of Acts –

So when they had appointed him a day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom he explained and solemnly testified of the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets, from morning till evening. ²⁴ And some were persuaded by the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved. ²⁵ So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers, ²⁶ saying,
‘Go to this people and say:
“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;
And seeing you will see, and not perceive;
²⁷ For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”’
²⁸ “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” Acts 28:23-28

The Gentiles did hear (meaning respond to) the gospel. On the other hand, Israel rejected it and went into two thousand years of punishment. The message that must be “prophesied again” is to the people brought back from exile, and in the far-distant future from the time John received it. It will be especially proclaimed “in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel” as noted in verse 10:7.

Life application: The words of this verse appear to be correctly translated and evaluated above, but there are translations and evaluations that convey a different intent. Instead of prophesying about the people, nations, languages, and kings, it could very well mean “before” them. If this is the case, then these would be prophecies “against” them. In other words, they would stand as a witness against them. If so, what he will receive and pen for the world to see then is what brings bitterness to the whole world.

This idea, then, would be parallel to what Ezekiel was told in his vision and prophecy. Ezekiel 3:11 records –

“And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”

Ezekiel was prophesying against the rebellious house of Israel. John is either to prophesy a warning against the continued rebellious house of Israel, or against all of the people of the world. This secondary explanation is given as a reference, but – as noted above – this prophecy is more likely referring to the time of Daniel’s seventieth seven and concerning Israel specifically, but without neglecting the Gentiles in the process.

The love and covenant faithfulness of God for His people has ensured that He has kept them and will keep them as a people. Someday they will acknowledge this and turn to Him in faith. And this great grace and mercy extends to any who will simply accept His offer of pardon and receive the gift of eternal life through the shed blood of His own precious Son, our Lord JESUS.

Lord, we as a species cannot seem to learn from the past, and we are thus destined to make the same mistakes again in the future. How sad it is that the people of the world cannot simply bow their knees and acknowledge You and Your great workings in human history. But such is not the case. We stubbornly turn our necks and turn from You. In this, You are surely justified when You judge. Before that day, give us the desire to continue to share the message of hope found in Jesus our Lord.  Amen.