Wednesday, December 18 - Revelation 10.1-11.7

The Angel and the Little Scroll
I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. This one was covered with a cloud, and a rainbow was over his head. His face was like the sun, his legs were like columns of fire, and with his hand he held a little scroll that had been unrolled. He stood there with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 3 Then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a growling lion. Thunder roared seven times.

4 After the thunder stopped, I was about to write what it had said. But a voice from heaven shouted, "Keep it secret! Don't write these things."

5 The angel I had seen standing on the sea and the land then held his right hand up toward heaven. 6 He made a promise in the name of God who lives forever and who created heaven, earth, the sea, and every living creature. The angel said, "You won't have to wait any longer. 7 God told his secret plans to his servants the prophets, and it will all happen by the time the seventh angel sounds his trumpet."

8 Once again the voice from heaven spoke to me. It said, "Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on the sea and the land."

9 When I went over to ask the angel for the little scroll, the angel said, "Take the scroll and eat it! Your stomach will turn sour, but the taste in your mouth will be as sweet as honey." 10 I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. The taste was as sweet as honey, but my stomach turned sour.

11 Then some voices said, "Keep on telling what will happen to the people of many nations, races, and languages, and also to kings."

The Two Witnesses
11 An angel gave me a measuring stick and said: Measure around God's temple. Be sure to include the altar and everyone worshiping there. 2 But don't measure the courtyard outside the temple building. Leave it out. It has been given to those people who don't know God, and they will trample all over the holy city for forty-two months. 3 My two witnesses will wear sackcloth, while I let them preach for one thousand two hundred sixty days.

4 These two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand in the presence of the Lord who rules the earth. 5 Any enemy who tries to harm them will be destroyed by the fire that comes out of their mouths. 6 They have the power to lock up the sky and to keep rain from falling while they are prophesying. And whenever they want to, they can turn water to blood and cause all kinds of terrible troubles on earth.

7 After the two witnesses have finished preaching God's message, the beast that lives in the deep pit will come up and fight against them. It will win the battle and kill them.