The “little book” mentioned in the book of Revelation introduces the lukewarm Laodicean era of God’s Church. While the world catapults into self-annihilation, the little book discusses a deadly spiritual falling away. God gave His people a message to deliver, but they quit prophesying.

However, God won’t be stopped by a few rebels; He raised up the ruins through a loyal remnant. The little book explains this miracle in great detail.

Once the little book is revealed, the Great Tribulation and the work of the two witnesses are imminent. Beyond that, the little book points to the soon-to-come return of Jesus Christ. Readers of the truth inside the little book will understand this powerful King will end mankind’s disastrous rule and set up a perfect eternal government.

God’s Majesty

“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire” (Revelation 10:1).

This angel has a dazzling appearance. The rainbow over his head points to the rainbow over God’s throne. God is letting us know the little book is far beyond an angel or a man.

“And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth” (verse 2).

The messenger angel stands on the sea and the dry land—the message he brings is about the whole world. God’s Church should be delivering the little book to the whole world as a warning, but it refuses. The little book is a literal, tangible book. You can hold it. You can flip through its pages and read the words. Study it deeply, and you will know it came from God.

“And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices” (verse 3).

God is roaring and thundering a warning message to us. If we are laser-focused spiritually, then we will hear it loud and clear. The little book is a harbinger of worldwide terror, but it leads to the most wonderful event in all of history.

Sealed Until Now

“And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not” (Revelation 10:4).

John understood the little-book message—but God would not let him record it in Revelation. Instead, a man in the end time would reveal the little book. Where is that book today? God said it would be here.

“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer” (verses 5-6).

The Revised Standard Version renders “time no longer” as “no more delay.” The Creator of all things gave the little book at a time when world events are speeding up like never before. God’s reputation as Creator is on the line with this little book. You can be sure that He will bring every last word of it to pass.

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets” (verse 7).

The Companion Bible and Greek Interlinear writes “shall begin to sound” as “is about to sound.” Also, “should be finished” is better translated “shall have been finished.” So when we see the little book come on the scene, the mystery message has already been proclaimed to the entire world.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong delivered the mystery message, largely through his greatest work, Mystery of the Ages. Through him, God explained who and what is God, angels and evil spirits, why man is here on Earth, who built our present civilization, the modern identity of biblical Israel, what is the Church, and the magnificent purpose of the Kingdom of God. Request and study Mystery of the Ages to build a spiritual foundation before you read the little book.

Because the mystery message has been delivered and the little book is on the scene, we can know that a powerful angel “is about to sound” the seventh trumpet blast, which will announce Jesus Christ’s return to intervene and change the kingdoms of this world into the Kingdom of God! This is an incredibly urgent and dramatic message. We don’t know the day or the hour of Christ’s coming (Matthew 24:36), but specific prophecies like this one show us it is extremely near.

God reveals both the mystery message and the little book to a prophet or an apostle (Ephesians 3:5), as He does with all revelation. His end-time apostle, Mr. Armstrong, boldly proclaimed the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. There is another apostle today who is teaching the little book message, which has been sealed until the end time.

A Bittersweet Message

“And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter” (Revelation 10:8-10).

God wants us to eat up the little book! We must devour and digest this bittersweet message.

The message is bitter because it discusses an unparalleled catastrophe that wrecked the spiritual lives of 95 percent of God’s people. Every one of them will be plunged into the Great Tribulation. Fifty percent of them will refuse to repent of their rebellion and thus die forever.

The message is sweet because God always follows correction with compassion and mercy. All who turn to Him will live forever.

Prophesy Again

“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before [or concerning] many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (Revelation 10:11).

We have a message for the world. Most of God’s people became lukewarm and stopped supporting this message, so God raised up another work—a loyal remnant—to prophesy again. The little book explains what happened to God’s Church: where it went off track, how that took place, and what the rebellion means for us today.

When you talk about prophesying again, you’re really talking about a church split—the greatest disaster that could ever strike any church!

There is a specific man who prophesied before, meaning another specific man came after him to prophesy again. God commands the loyal remnant still doing His work to prophesy again. He doesn’t give us a choice. Most of His people have already chosen just to act religious instead of delivering the prophecies pertaining to this dangerous age. But God says no one will stop the message.

A Measuring Tool

“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months” (Revelation 11:1-2).

God dwells in the inner court. Nothing is more exciting than to be right there with Him!

The little book is a tool for measuring the altar, or God’s ministry, and God’s people as a whole. Ninety-nine percent of the ministry have failed. Ninety-five percent of the brethren are dwelling in the perilous outer court. They simply refuse to be measured. God will punish these rebels to bring them back into the inner court—if they will accept the correction.

Stepping Stones to Christ’s Return

Soon after the Church split comes the times of the Gentiles (Revelation 11:2). We see a seismic shift in world power right now. The Anglo-Saxon descendants of Abraham are quickly falling apart due to rampant immorality, entrenched division and a broken will. Meanwhile, Iran, Russia and China are aggressively snatching up the power that America has gladly relinquished. Germany will soon join the party, once it finds its strongman (Daniel 8:23). God’s rebellious people will suffer horribly during the short period of Gentile dominance we see building in the world today.

During the times of the Gentiles, God’s two witnesses will deliver a powerful final warning. “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth” (Revelation 11:3).

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (verse 15).

This is where the little book leads: to Jesus Christ’s eternal rule! This world will change completely. There will be peace and joy and happiness forever. A brilliant future awaits us!