The Greek expression μετὰ ταῦτα/meta tauta literally means “after this” or “after these things”. It is used to indicate something such as an event or person which follows something previously indicated.
“Meta tauta” is used in the narrative of The Revelation of Jesus Christ nine times in the following verses.
Revelation 1:19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place AFTER THIS.
Revelation 4:1 AFTER THESE THINGS I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place AFTER THIS.”
Revelation 7:1 AFTER THESE THINGS I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
Revelation 7:9 AFTER THESE THINGS I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands…
Revelation 9:12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming AFTER THESE THINGS.
Revelation 15:5 AFTER THESE THINGS I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
Revelation 18:1 AFTER THESE THINGS I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
Revelation 19:1 AFTER THESE THINGS I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!
Revelation 20:3 …and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But AFTER THESE THINGS he must be released for a little while.
The word “meta” (G3326) meaning “after” appears by itself once to indicate an interval of time has passed:
Revelation 11:11 Now AFTER the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
Every use of the phrase “after this” or “after” where the underlying Greek is “meta touta” or “meta” is an indication of the sequence of events. It literally is the meaning of “after this” which indicates an event which follows another. Each time it is used it is a proceeding from one situation to the next. In fact, “Meta Touta” is yet another form of reinforcement to the linearity of the timeline.
In the Revelation of Jesus Christ there are;
Seven numbered Seals,
Seven numbered Trumpets,
Seven numbered Bowls,
Three numbered Woes,
Nine “Meta Touta’s”,
and one solo occurrence of “Meta”
Each one of these devices is used to indicate the sequential order of events and the interlocking relationship of the events to each other. This is the skeleton structure upon which the entire book is written. These devices provide a “roadmap” through the book.
