Seminaries and Institutes
Revelation 8–11

“Revelation 8–11,” New Testament Teacher Resource Manual (2002), 255

“Revelation 8–11,” New Testament Teacher Resource Manual, 255

Revelation 8–11

Introduction

The seventh seal opens with “silence in heaven” (Revelation 8:1). John sees an angel with incense representing “the prayers of the saints” (v. 4), followed by seven angels trumpeting plagues of destruction and war. Despite the many warnings, John reports that men “repented not of the works of their hands” (Revelation 9:20). He sees his own mission to assist in gathering the tribes of Israel prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He sees two prophets slain in the streets of Jerusalem who after three and a half days rise from the dead and ascend to heaven.

Prayerfully study Revelation 8–11and consider the following principles before preparing your lessons.

Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For

Additional Resources

  • The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles, 461.

Suggestions for Teaching

Choose from the following ideas, or use some of your own, as you prepare lessons for Revelation 8–11.

Revelation 8–14. In the last days the Lord’s children will pray that He will deliver them from a wicked world. The Lord loves His children and answers their prayers in His way.

(20–25 minutes)

Ask: What is an analogy? (An analogy is a comparison in which one thing is similar to or resembles another; for example, “faith is like a seed.”) Write on the board, Prayer is like. Ask students to try to come up with analogies for prayer.

Invite students to read Revelation 8:1–4looking for another analogy. Ask:

  • How is prayer like smoke?

  • What do you think the Saints are praying for in these verses?

Invite three students to read to the class Revelation 6:9–10; Doctrine and Covenants 87:6–7; and Doctrine and Covenants 133:38–41. Ask:

  • What will the Saints be praying for in the last days? (That the Lord will come in judgment and relieve their suffering and that wickedness will end.)

  • Read Mormon 8:20. What does this verse teach about judging or seeking vengeance against our persecutors? (We must leave vengeance in the hands of the Lord.)

Divide Revelation chapters 8–14 among your students and have them quickly search to see how the Lord will answer the prayers of the Saints. List what they find on the board. Read or sing “Come, O Thou King of Kings” (Hymns, no. 59). Discuss how this hymn is like a latter-day prayer of the Saints. Invite students, if they haven’t done so already, to add their voices to those of the many who are praying for the Lord to come and for wickedness to end.

Revelation 8:5–13; 9; 11. Before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, God will pour out plagues and war upon the wicked.

(35–40 minutes)

(Note: This teaching suggestion is a continuation of the suggestion for Revelation 7.)

Display the seven boxes used in the teaching suggestion for Revelation 7. Show students an overhead transparency of the chart “Where the Emphasis Is” in the appendix (p. 300), or draw it on the board. Ask:

  • How many verses in the book of Revelation deal with the first six seals? (25.)

  • How many verses does that leave for the seventh seal? (259.)

  • Why do you think so many verses are devoted to this seal?

Open the seventh box and read the description. (“Babylon is destroyed; Jesus Christ comes in glory; Satan is bound; the righteous join the Savior; peace reigns for a millennium; Satan is loosed for a season; last great battle is fought; final judgment occurs; earth receives its celestial glory.”) Point out that with so much yet to occur, it is no wonder that John writes so much to describe the events of the seventh seal.

Give students copies of “The Seven Trumps of the Seventh Seal” from the appendix (p. 301), and invite them to use their scriptures to answer the questions. Have them work individually or in groups. When they finish, go over the answers as a class (see accompanying chart).

Revelation 10:1–3, 8–11. John the Revelator was foreordained to assist in gathering the tribes of Israel in the last days.

(15–20 minutes)

Write Sweet on one side of the board and Bitter on the other side. Ask: Is it possible for something to be sweet and bitter at the same time? Show students several objects or pictures and ask them to explain how they could be considered both sweet and bitter. These objects might include:

  • A bag of candy. (Candy tastes sweet, but too much can make you sick.)

  • The picture Family with a Baby (item no. 62307). (Families experience both pleasure and heartbreak.)

  • The picture Missionaries Tracting (item no. 62611). (Missionary work brings the joy of teaching the gospel, but it can be hard and disappointing.)

If desired, invite a Church leader to share an experience in which doing the work was sweet but disappointing because of choices made by others.

Have students read Revelation 10:1–3looking for the object the angel held in his hand. Read Revelation 10:8–11and ask:

  • What did a voice from heaven ask John to do?

  • What did the angel tell John to do with the little book?

  • How did it taste?

  • What do you think the book might represent?

  • What clue does verse 11 give to understanding the meaning of the book? (John was to prophesy again before many nations.)

Invite students to read Doctrine and Covenants 77:14, and ask:

  • According to this verse, what was John’s mission?

  • How does this show that John was foreordained?

  • Read Doctrine and Covenants 7:1–2. Why would this mission be sweet to John? (His greatest desire was to bring souls to Christ.)

  • Why would it be bitter to him? (“The judgments and plagues promised those to whom the Lord’s word was sent caused him to despair and have sorrow of soul” [Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:507].)

Conclude by singing or reading the words to “Sweet Is the Work” (Hymns, no. 147). Invite students to tell about experiences when the gospel has been sweet in their lives.