Two Books
Revelation reveals two scrolls or books. Chapter 5 talks of one and Chapter 10 the other. The Greek word is “biblion” and plainly means book or paper scroll. Chapter 10’s book is called a little book and is open. I have been curious about Chapter 10’s book for decades.
First let’s discuss the book in chapter 5, since it will set the stage to understand the second book. Chapter 5 opens with: I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. Apostle John was painfully mourning that this book was sealed and no one was worthy to open it. As John was weeping one of those around the Throne informed him that there was One who is worthy: The Lion of the Tribe of Judah—The Root of David—He is worthy to open the book and release the seven seals. The book’s seals are restraining the events contained within each of the seals.
As this scene unfolds Jesus takes the book from the Father on His throne. As He does those around the throne begin intense worship with harps and incense proclaiming, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood [men] from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10"You have made them [to be] a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10) Six points in these two scriptures:
1. Jesus is the only One worthy to take the book from the Father;
2. He alone is the only One worthy to open its seven seals, because:
3. He was slain—meaning He overcame death (the last enemy). Death could not hold Him, since no sin was found in Him;
4. He purchased men for God with His blood—meaning He was the perfect flawless sacrifice, therefore His blood was worthy before the Father to pay the price for the world’s sins;
5. Through Jesus we are His kingdom and priests to God;
6. … and [we] will reign upon the earth.
Humans reigning on the earth was God’s original intent for humanity. It has been God’s plan since before our creation in the Garden, and it is the main theme for humanity as the end-times culminate. Satan wants to reign on the earth through a man (the Antichrist) and we will reign with Jesus on the earth for 1000 years during the Millennial Age. (Not to set aside the Bride, for she too will reign with Christ.) The Antichrist is only a sideshow. His rise, empowered by Satan, allows for sin to reach its fullness where men choose in full display whom they will serve.
Worship around the Throne continues as the seven seals await their opening. The beginning of the end commences, for as the seals are opened they usher in and court the Great Tribulation.
The first seal in my opinion (and many others’ opinion) is the Antichrist on the world stage. He rides a white horse, as does Jesus, but he has a bow and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. The wording indicates the rider is the Antichrist, since he is given a crown (meaning authority) just like the Antichrist is in Daniel 7:6 and Revelation 13:2. Furthermore, this rider carries a bow and is out to concur. Though this is conjuncture, he seems to be a type of Nimrod: a second Nimrod. Nimrod was a mighty hunter (Some say the hunting of humans, since the word can carry the idea of sport-hunting.) and was the founder of Babylon, Nineveh, and Assyria. The Antichrist in the Old Testament is often call The Assyrian. The subsequent seals release war, famine, death, martyrs, terror, and the seventh releases the seven trumpets.
The seventh (and last) trumpet sounds in Revelation 11 right after the second book is given to John. (Revelation 10:8-11, 11) When John is given the second book he is told two things: 1. It will taste good, but as it digests it will become bitter in your stomach. 2. He “must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” That John is given another book and must prophesy again has always sounded like a revamp to me, like the inception of a new thing. And so it seems it is.
Listen to the wording as the seventh (last) trumpet sounds: … that there will be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.(Revelation 10:6c-7) Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become [the kingdom] of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” 16And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying, “We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time [came] for the dead to be judged, and [the time] to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:15-18) Note the words: and to destroy those who destroy the earth. Sounds surreal and final, doesn’t it? The last trumpet begins to sounds at the end of the 1260-day/3-1/2-year Great Tribulation. At the trumpet sound the dead in Christ are raised (first resurrection) and we who are alive are caught up (the rapture) and given new bodies. (1 Corinthians 15:52) However, after Revelation 11 there are still the catastrophic bowls of wrath chapters in Revelation and 30 more days according to Daniel 12:111 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished (likely the breakage of the covenant in Daniel 9:27) and the abomination of desolation is set up, [there will be] 1,290 days.” I believe this is what that second little book is about—the last 30 days—it contains and propels the bowls of God’s wrath just as the first book contained the seven seals. The bowls of wrath are reserved for the Antichrist and his worshipers, after the rapture and first resurrection.
Both angels and new-bodied humans are with Jesus when He returns. (Jude 14-15, Matthew 235:31) We know we are with Him when He returns, since so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17) During these last 30 days will have new bodies, therefore the bowls of wrath will not harm us. (Luke 20:35-36)
Some of you may be asking, “But wait, Berta, you said above that when Christ returns we meet Him in the air, so how can He return when He has already returned?” Oh great, I’m so glad you asked! As Jesus descends to the earth we meet Him in the air and are changed. We then come to the earth with Him. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) He returns to the earth somewhere south of Israel and marches up towards Jerusalem. (Isaiah 63:1-6) He slaughters His enemies—those in allegiance with the Antichrist—as He makes His way to Jerusalem. I, along with many others, believe this to be during the extra 30 days of Daniel 12:11.
The two books mentioned, in Revelation 5 and revelation 10, reveal and release two series of events as they are opened. The first book reveals and releases the Antichrist and the Great Tribulation, as its seals are broken by Jesus. The second little book reveals and releases the bowls of wrath. This is during the days (not day) of the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet. Revelation 10:7 states that the seventh trumpet completes the mystery of God proclaimed by the prophets.
Note: 1 According to Daniel 12:12 there are yet another 45 more. Daniel 12 discusses the end-times. It talks about the time, times, and half-time (3-1/2 years) and the time of distress and purification commonly known as the Great Tribulation. (The term Tribulation usually is known as the whole 7 years, while Great Tribulation is the last 3-1/2 years). The last half of the 7-year tribulation begins with the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 12) and ends with the sounding of the seventh trumpet. (Revelation 10-11) The seventh trumpet continues throughout the next 30 days.
