Series #17 Revelation Scripture Revelation 11:1-13 We are about half-way through the book of Revelation. Today our passage is the first 13 verses of chapter 11. Chapters 10 and 11 are one continuous section. They are an interlude inserted between the 6th and 7th trumpet judgments. You may remember that there was a similar interlude inserted after the 6th seal judgment. These interludes contain visions specifically for the Church visions which are — intended to encourage believers during the final period of world history. The Scriptures inform us that hostility toward, and persecution against, God’s people will increase greatly near the end of the age. In chapter 7 we learned that believers will be sealed by God so that they will not have to face the wrath of God which will be poured out on non-believers, but this special protection does not mean that believers will be exempt from the wrath of Satan and people of the world. Believers are expected to be faithful to God even though they will face hostility — faithful unto death if it comes to that. The series of judgments we have recently thought about are directed toward those who will stop worshiping demons and idols,” and will not of their “not “repent murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality, and their thefts.” That’s how the behaviors of non-believers are described at the end of chapter 9. In chapter 10 we learned that John was given a scroll and told to eat it. He was warned that the scroll would his stomach sour” even though it would taste “turn like honey in his mouth. The scroll represented the word of God. To the “eat” scroll meant that John had to take the message of God to heart, to internalize it, and be ready to explain it to others. Indeed, as soon as he had eaten it, he was told to prophesy again, and chapter 11 is another of his predictions of future events. Knowledge of God’s sovereign will is sweet to a believer. John knew that God’s people would ultimately be vindicated and rewarded for their faithful obedience. The theme which runs through the numerous visions he saw is Victory of “The Christ and His Church Over Satan and the World.” On the other hand, such knowledge was bitter to John because he understood how much suffering and persecution God’s people would experience. He knew that the
Series #17 Revelation Scripture Revelation 11:1-13 We are about half-way through the book of Revelation. Today our passage is the first 13 verses of chapter 11. Chapters 10 and 11 are one continuous section. They are an interlude inserted between the 6th and 7th trumpet judgments. You may remember that there was a similar interlude inserted after the 6th seal judgment. These interludes contain visions specifically for the Church — visions which are intended to encourage believers during the final period of world history. The Scriptures inform us that hostility toward, and persecution against, God’s people will increase greatly near the end of the age. In chapter 7 we learned that believers will be sealed by God so that they will not have to face the wrath of God which will be poured out on non-believers, but this special protection does not mean that believers will be exempt from the wrath of Satan and people of the world. Believers are expected to be faithful to God even though they will face hostility — faithful unto death if it comes to that. The series of judgments we have recently thought about are directed toward those who will “not stop worshiping demons and idols,” and will not “repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality, and their thefts.” That’s how the behaviors of non-believers are described at the end of chapter 9. In chapter 10 we learned that John was given a scroll and told to eat it. He was warned that the scroll would “turn his stomach sour” even though it would taste like honey in his mouth. The scroll represented the word of God. To “eat” the scroll meant that John had to take the message of God to heart, to internalize it, and be ready to explain it to others. Indeed, as soon as he had eaten it, he was told to prophesy again, and chapter 11 is another of his predictions of future events. Knowledge of God’s sovereign will is sweet to a believer. John knew that God’s people would ultimately be vindicated and rewarded for their faithful obedience. The theme which runs through the numerous visions he saw is “The Victory of Christ and His Church Over Satan and the World.” On the other hand, such knowledge was bitter to John because he understood how much suffering and persecution God’s people would experience. He knew that the
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