In Revelation 10 there is a prophecy of a great prophetic movement encompassing both sea and land (Revelation 10:2)—in other words, all the world—that would occur at the end of the times (compare Revelation 10:6 and Daniel 12:7). This prophetic movement would go through a great disappointment (verses 8–10) and then, a divine commission would be given to it that they must prophesy again to all the world (verse 11).
When the Bible was written there were no chapter divisions such as we have in our Bibles today. There was no break in the continuity of thought between the tenth and the eleventh chapters of Revelation, as a chapter break seems to imply.
Immediately after the divine command to prophesy again to all the world, there is given to the prophet a reed (rod) to measure the temple. (The words temple and sanctuary are equivalents and can be used interchangeably. Compare with Daniel 8:14.) The “holy city” (Revelation 11:2) refers to the true church and the 1260 years of persecution from an antichrist power that it would endure. Notice that the great prophetic movement described in Revelation 10 comes at the end of the times (compare Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 11:2, 3; Revelation 12:6 and Revelation 13:5 with Revelation 10:6).
It was at the end of these prophetic times that a new satanic power, described in Revelation 11:7–13, was to be unleashed on the world. This prophecy was fulfilled by the socialist or communist government that overflooded France in the 1790s. But the French Revolution was only the beginning of the communist socialist experiment. It was attempted again in 1848, but was stopped by an edict from heaven at that time for about 70 years. It developed again in Russia in 1917, took over China in 1949, and has taken over many governments in Asia, Central and South America.
The communist socialist experiment that began in earnest in 1789 is not over yet. Ellen White wrote in 1903 the following: “Anarchy is seeking to sweep away all law, not only divine, but human. The centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French Revolution—all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed France.” Education, 228.
In other words, what occurred in the French Revolution on a local scale is to be repeated on a worldwide scale. We are entering that development right now.
This same writer has given warning about the future of the cities which we hope to investigate later. She wrote, “… read the eleventh chapter of Revelation. Read every verse, and learn the things that are yet to take place in the cities. Read also the scenes portrayed in the eighteenth chapter of the same book.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 21, 91.