Judgment · The two witnesses and the seventh trumpet

Revelation 10:1-11:19

John · ~95 AD · Status: Future · Confidence: 60% · Payne §Rev 30, 35
“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:”
King James Version · the opening of the passage — the whole of it is condensed below
This prophecy turns at 11:15

The mighty angel and the little scroll, the measuring of the temple, the two witnesses who prophesy, are killed, and rise, and the seventh trumpet announcing the kingdom.

The prophecy, condensed

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 10:1-11:19 · King James Version · condensed from 933 words · every cut marked …
Commentary — not Scripture
Three movements running to one end. The little book John is told to eat is Ezekiel's: 'eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel... and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness' (Ezekiel 3:1-3). John's is sweet in the mouth and BITTER in the belly - the same commission, with the cost of it added. Then two witnesses prophesy, are killed, lie unburied three days while the earth rejoices, and rise. Then the seventh trumpet sounds and the tone changes completely: 'The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ.'
Read the full prophecy — all 30 verses

10:1And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

10:2And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

10:3And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

10:4And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

10:5And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

10:6And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

10:7But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

10:8And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

10:9And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10:10And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

10:11And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

11:1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

11:2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

11:3And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

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

11:5And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

11:6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

11:7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

11:8And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

11:9And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

11:10And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11:11And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

11:12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

11:13And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

11:14The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

11:16And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

11:17Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

11:18And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

11:19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

Fulfillment References

Zechariah 4:1-14 Revelation 11:15 Daniel 12:7 Ezekiel 2:8-3:3

How Traditions Read This Prophecy

Apostolic (Oneness) PentecostalThe seventh trumpet declares 'the kingdoms of this world are become' the Lord's and His Christ's — the one God reigning in Jesus.
JewishThe two witnesses echo Moses and Elijah (and Zechariah's two olive trees); the measuring of the temple recalls Ezekiel.
CatholicThe witnessing church empowered to prophesy, martyred yet vindicated, before the final triumph.
ProtestantThe two witnesses variously identified (Moses/Elijah figures, or the witnessing church); their death and resurrection precede the kingdom's announcement.
OrthodoxThe Church's faithful witness amid persecution, raised and vindicated.
DispensationalTwo literal end-time witnesses prophesying in Jerusalem during the Tribulation, slain and raised.
AcademicThe two witnesses draw on Zechariah 4's olive trees and Moses/Elijah typology; the scroll-eating echoes Ezekiel 2-3.

Scholarship & Sources

The two witnesses fuse Zechariah 4 (two olive trees/lampstands), Moses (plagues, water to blood), and Elijah (fire, drought) typology; the scroll-eating recalls Ezekiel 2:8-3:3. The 1,260 days / 42 months / time-times-half (Dan. 7:25; 12:7) recur across chapters 11-13. Commentators: Beale, Bauckham, Koester.

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