1. Read Revelation 10.
a. Describe the mighty angel holding a little scroll. Is this the same angel as Revelation 5:2? Is this angel Christ (Ezekial 1:25-28) or a representative of Christ?
“right foot on the sea…left foot on the land. Indicates his tremendous sizeand symbolizes that his coming has to do with the destiny of all creation (cf. v. 6).” NIV Study Bible
b. What is the significance of a rainbow (Genesis 9:8-17)?
c. Who are the seven thurnders?
“seven thunders. In 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 thunder is connected with divine punishment. Here, too, it anticipates the judgment to fall on those who refuse God’s love and grace.” NIV Study Bible
d. What the little scroll the same scroll as in Revelation 5? Consider the purpose and the outcome of the two scrolls?
e. Compare Daniel 8:26; 12:4, 9; Revelation 22:10.What does it mean to seal something? When will it be opened?
f. What does Revelation 10:11 tell you about the book of Revelation as a whole?
2. Read Revelation 11:1-14. Note that 3 ½ years=42 months=1,260 days.
a. What do you learn regarding the temple? Why wasn’t John supposed to measure the other court? What is the holy city? How long will the Gentiles trample it?
b. What does the Bible say about the two witnesses?
(1 How long do they prophecy?
(2 How are they described?
(3 What are they able to do?
(4 How do they die? Where?
(5 How do the inhabitants of the earth respond to their death and why?
(6 What events surround their ascension into heaven?
(7 “The two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstand that stand before the Lord of the earth.” Revelation 11:4 Read Zechariah 4. What do you learn about the two olive trees and their relationship to the lampstand? The answer to “What are these, my lord?” isn’t found until the end of the chapter.
(8. Although the Bible does not say the two witnesses have to have been on earth and come back, two views are worth considering.
One: Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets. Both of them did miracles similar to those mentioned in Revelation 11.
Moses is mentioned throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament consider the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5 Mark 9:2-7 Luke 9:20-31) and Jude 9 (Deuteronomy 34:5-6) and Revelation 15:3.
References to Elijah are 1 Kings 17-2 Kings 2:14 Malachi 4:5-6 Matthew 11:14; 16:14; 17:3-4, 10-11; 27:47; Mark 6:15; 8:28; 9:4-5, 11-13; 15:35-36; Luke 1:17; 4:26; 9:8, 19, 30-33; John 1:21-25; Romans 11:2; James 5:17.
Two: Elijah and Enoch never died, and it is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind on a chariot of fire (2 Kings 2). Enoch walked with God and was not because God took him (Genesis 5:24). Although there is no record in Genesis of Enoch doing miracles of the sort mentioned in Revelation 11, Jude 14-15 tells us that Enoch prophesied the coming judgment of the ungodly.
How would you answer someone who asked your opinion about the identity of the two witnesses?
c. What did you learn regarding the “woes” and their relationship to the trumpets (Revelation 8:13-9:1; 9:12-13; 11:14-15)?
3. Read Revelation 11:15-19 which concerns the seventh trumpet.
a. What does this passage say about the Ark of the Covenant?
“The OT ark was a chest of acacia wood (Dt 10:1-2). It symbolized the throne or presence of God among the people. It probably was destroyed when Nebuzaradan destroyed the temple in Jerusalem (2Ki 25:8-10). In the NT it symbolizes God’s faithfulness in keeping covenant with his people.” NIV Study Bible
b. If in Revelation lightning and thunder always mark an important event, what event do they mark here? What has the kingdom of the world become?