Revelation Chapter 10
Notes
Transcript
THE ANGEL AND THE LITTLE BOOK
A Commentary on the Revelation of John Chapter Ten: The Angel and the Little Book
THE ANGEL AND THE LITTLE BOOK
John has just finished the account of the sounding of the first six of the seven trumpets, together with the plagues or woes which accompanied them. We would expect him now to relate the sounding of the seventh trumpet; but instead of doing so, John inserts the account of a vision of a great angel who comes down from heaven with a little book in his hand, which John is required to eat (10:1–11). To this he adds the account of the measuring of the temple and the ministry, death, and ascension of two witnesses. After this interlude, John continues the interrupted narrative and records the sounding of the seventh trumpet in 11:14–19.
This is consistent with John’s style elsewhere and is an essential factor in the artistic structure of the book. Between the sixth and seventh seals, John inserted the interlude of the two multitudes (7:1–17). Between the seven trumpets and the seven bowls, John inserts the interlude of the dragon and the woman (12:1–17), the vision of the two great beasts (13:1–18), and the vision of the Lamb on Mount Zion (14:1–20).
In the present instance, the interlude is directly preparatory for the continuation of the trumpet visions, for one of the purposes of the interlude is to announce that “in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets, should be fulfilled” (10:7). Then John the prophet is prepared by a renewed commission for his mission in communicating to men the consummation of God’s redemptive purpose.
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
Another Mighty Angel
Revelation 10:1 “1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.”
Another of the same kind - not Jesus but one in His presence who mirrors Him on the earth
Revelation 10:2–4 “2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.””
Seven Thunders
John heard the message of the 7 thunders but was not allowed to include the content in Revelation. We don’t know what was heard by John but we know he got the message.
Where else in Revelation do we have references to thunders and what is communicated there?
There are 7 other thunders with connected messages from chapter 4 through chapter 19.
Notice there are no thunders in the first 3 or the last 3 chapters of Revelation. The thunder appear about every two chapters.
What’s the message or code?
Rev 4:5 “Come up here” - rapture
Rev 6:7 “Come” 1st seal - anti christ
Rev 8:5 “Silence” 1st trumpet - wrath
Rev 11:19 “Sign of the Women” - Israel’s Covenant
Rev 14:2 “Praise\Worship” - Israel’s Salvation
Rev 16:17-18 “It is done” - The last war
Rev 19:6-7 “Marriage of the Lamb” - Bride returns
A Reminder to all creation
Revelation 10:5 “5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven”
The angel standing on the land (Israel) and sea (gentile nations) is pointing toward heaven.
A reminder to all of Yahweh’s authority
Contrast with:
Revelation 13:1 “1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.”
Revelation 13:11 “11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.”
No more delay - a time stamp
Revelation 10:5–7 “5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
When we get to the days of the 7th trumpet everything will have played out.
Where are we now in the text?
Revelation 11:14 “14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.”
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
John’s Instruction - Our Instruction?
Revelation 10:9 “9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.””
We must take it just as John was instructed
It’s not enough that’s it available and we learn it
We must assimilate it - ingest it - experience it! What does that look like?
John 6:51–58 “51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” 52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.””
John 7:37–38 “37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ””
Sweet then Bitter
Revelation 10:10–11 “10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.
The initial (beginning) vs the conclusion (end)
Ezekiel 3:1–3 “1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.”
Ezekiel 3:14–15 “14 The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me.
The reality of the futility of man is bitter. What we call achievement and civilization is seen to be rebellion and apostasy crying out to God for judgment. Political, economic, and ecclesiastical life are emptiness. God will be vindicated from all of the blasphemies of men. Our entire hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ (see Jer 15:16; Ezek 2:9-3:4).
More to Prophesy
Revelation 10:11 “11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
The small scroll, book is part of the original scroll and there is more detail to be given. The next chapter will give us more color as the events previous described in Daniel’s 70th week. The story continues…….