Revealing Revelation - Double Trouble

As we continue our more in depth and passage related discussions of the outline and themes of the Book of Revelation, we turn to a proposed position that the book is, in fact, two separate prophecies. The two have the same function per se, but the second expands the judgments and the recipients of those judgment. The above also impacts the flow of the events and the interpretation of particular images presented in the text.

Most would recognize the first prophecy as starting with the unsealing of the scroll of the Lamb of God.

Rev 6:1 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder,

This action on the part of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) sets in motion the events that are described. Whether actual events occur as the result of the unsealing is a discussion for a later post, but for now note that the unsealing causes or predicts future events or results of events. This scroll would contain through the unsealing and the following seven trumpets the first prophecy.

But where would one find the possibility of a second prophecy?

PROPHESY AGAIN

In Chapter 10 we see a vision of Jesus Christ descending and placing one foot on the land and one foot on the sea. This initial picture paints the idea that what is to come relates to both the Jews and the Gentiles as Christ, by placing his feet on the two different locations referring to Israel and the gentile nations respectively. shows His dominion over both.

John is then given instructions in regards to a small book that is in the hand of Christ.

Rev 10:8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many people and nations and languages and kings.”

The part about the eating of the book relates Isaiah and is not a topic of discussion here, but rather the final verse of this passage. John is instructed to prophesy again, but this time the prophecy would be related to many people, nations and kings. This would make one to believe that the first prophecy may have been exclusively related to one people and nation.

This does make sense as many have argued that the first scroll is actually a divorce document and only the apostate nation of Israel could receive a judgment of divorce or covenantal dissolution , where the remaining nations would suffer under a different judgment for their actions in relation to the persecution of the saints.

This also corresponds to the increase of the judgement results. By that I mean the bowls that arise from the second prophecy contain much more expansive devastation. Results expand from 1/4 to 1/3 to 1/2 of the population impacted as the prophesies continue. This would make sense in light of the expanded recipients of the judgments.

There also appears to be a geographical shift in the book as well following this vision. We are introduced to the beast that comes from the sea which we later discover is Rome, the city that sits on seven hills.

This does not eliminate the recipient of the first judgment, it simply expands the judgment to include the second persecutors of the Church. In a real historical setting this also corresponds with the events surrounding the fall of the city of Jerusalem and the turmoil following that in the nation of Rome.

The author here has shifted from previosuly viewing the book as exclusively related to a judgment against Israel to now accepting the above given proposal. The covenantal shift from a judgment of divorce against the Harlot to one that emphasizes Rome’s role in the death of Christ and persecution of the saints seems to best fit the form and theme of the book.