The Book, Two Witnesses and the Dragon / Revelation 10-12

The Continuity of Divine Character: Love and Wrath

A common misconception in contemporary theological thought suggests a dichotomy between the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. This view posits that the former is a deity of wrath and judgment, while the latter, revealed through Jesus Christ, is exclusively a God of love and grace. However, a comprehensive study of the biblical canon reveals that God is immutable; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. While the New Testament emphasizes the grace of God through the Gospel, the Book of Revelation serves as a necessary completion of the divine narrative, detailing the unfolding of His righteous wrath. Without the inclusion of this apocalyptic vision, the New Testament’s portrayal of God’s holiness and justice would remain incomplete.

Revelation 10:1 (NASB)

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;

The Bittersweet Nature of Prophetic Revelation

In the tenth chapter of Revelation, the apostle John is presented with a unique and visceral command: he is told to take a small scroll from a mighty angel and eat it. This act symbolizes the internalizing of God’s word, specifically the revelation of coming judgments. The angel warns John that while the scroll will be sweet as honey in his mouth, it will turn bitter in his stomach. This imagery captures the dual nature of divine judgment. For the believer, the fulfillment of God’s plan and the vindication of His holiness is a “sweet” prospect. Yet, the reality of the suffering and the finality of the wrath to be poured out on the world is “bitter” and somber. It reflects a theology that does not rejoice in destruction, but acknowledges its necessity in the restoration of a fallen creation.

Revelation 10:9-10 (NASB)

So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, ‘Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.’ I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.

The Clarion Call: The Two Witnesses

As the narrative progresses into the midpoint of the tribulation period, God raises up two witnesses to serve as prophetic voices in a time of unprecedented wickedness. While some interpreters identify these figures as Moses and Elijah based on the nature of their miracles—such as turning water to blood or shutting the heavens so that it does not rain—their primary function is to serve as a clarion call back to the scriptures. These witnesses are granted divine protection for the duration of their ministry, symbolizing that God’s servants are immortal until their work is finished.

Revelation 11:3-6 (NASB)

‘And I will grant [authority] to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.’ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

When their testimony is complete, the protective covering is removed, and they are martyred by the beast. The world’s reaction—refusing them burial and celebrating their deaths with the exchange of gifts—highlights the deep-seated animosity of a Christ-rejecting world toward the truth of God. However, their subsequent resurrection and ascension serve as a terrifying reminder to the inhabitants of the earth that God remains the ultimate authority over life and death.

Revelation 11:11-12 (NASB)

But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, ‘Come up here.’ Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

The Proclamation of Final Victory

The sounding of the seventh trumpet marks a pivotal moment in the eschatological timeline. Even before the final bowl judgments are poured out, heaven declares a proleptic victory. The heavenly voices announce that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of the Lord and of His Christ. This declaration serves as an assurance that the outcome of the cosmic struggle is not in doubt. Just as a victory might be celebrated before the final whistle of a contest because the result is certain, God calls the end from the beginning, ensuring His people that His reign is eternal.

Revelation 11:15 (NASB)

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.’

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

Revelation 12 introduces a grand sign in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, a male child, and a great red dragon. In biblical symbolism, the woman is identified as Israel, the nation through whom the Messiah came. The twelve stars upon her head correspond to the twelve tribes of Israel. The dragon, identified explicitly as Satan, the ancient serpent, stands ready to devour the child the moment He is born. This depicts the historical and spiritual reality of the enemy’s relentless attempt to thwart the redemptive plan of God.

Revelation 12:1-4 (NASB)

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads [were] seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Despite the dragon’s efforts, the child—Jesus Christ—is caught up to God and His throne, signifying the ascension. The irony of the cross is here revealed: what appeared to be Satan’s ultimate victory in the death of Christ was actually the means by which the wrath of God was satisfied and the power of the accuser was broken. Christ became the propitiation for sin, turning the humiliation of the cross into the triumph of the resurrection.

Revelation 12:5 (NASB)

And she gave birth to a son, a male [child], who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

War in Heaven and Earthly Persecution

The conflict is not limited to the earthly realm; a war breaks out in heaven between Michael and his angels and the dragon. Satan is defeated and cast down to the earth, his access to the heavenly court as the “accuser of the brethren” forever terminated. Knowing his time is short, the dragon redirects his fury toward the woman (Israel) and the rest of her offspring (believers).

Revelation 12:7-9 (NASB)

And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war, and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Throughout this period of intense persecution, God provides supernatural protection for His people, reminiscent of His care for Israel in the wilderness. The earth itself assists the woman, swallowing the flood sent by the dragon. This underscores a central theme of Revelation: while the enemy is powerful and his wrath is great, he is a defeated foe operating on a limited timetable. The victory of the saints is secured not by their own strength, but by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

Revelation 12:11 (NASB)

’And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.

Conclusion: Resting in Sovereign Assurance

The visions of Revelation 10 through 12 serve to remind the reader that history is not a series of random events, but a sovereignly directed march toward the kingdom of God. The presence of wrath does not negate the presence of love; rather, it demonstrates the holiness of a God who will not allow evil to go unpunished. For those who have placed their faith in Christ, these chapters offer profound encouragement. They reveal a God who protects His own, who vindicates His truth, and who has already secured the final victory. The call for the believer is to rest in the assurance that the Lord is on His throne, and the day is coming when His reign will be fully realized on earth as it is in heaven.

Revelation 12:10 (NASB)

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ’Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.