The Word and Will of God
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
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. 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, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 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.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 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, 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.
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.” 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.” 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. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
As is evidenced with John in the vision, there is rarely a time when we are ONLY an onlooker. We are an active participant in all God’s plan. John’s part in this was to receive/internalize God’s Word via the scroll.
We could ask the question: Who is this angel? Some believe it is Jesus. His description, his positioning might favor that interpretation. His oath and titling (angel) favor this being an archangel, of great power and authority. Great thing is, we don't have to know to hear from the Lord out of this chapter.
Seven thunders - like the seven seals and seven trumpets before, each contained a message. But John is forbidden to record them. Knowing we are studying the middle of the judgment of God visited on the earth and mankind, could it be this message was so tragic and overwhelming humanity is being protected from knowing it? Maybe.
Most scholars believe this occurs in the mid-point of the Great Tribulation. The angel now declares, swears even by the creator of all who sits on the throne, there will be no more delay. Judgement would be accomplished and the mystery of God would be finished. Same word used by Jesus from the cross, it is finished.
The scroll: If John was to receive the message of the scroll, he would have to consume the scroll. He must make the words of the scroll a part of himself. Ezekiel was instructed to do the same in chapter 2 of his account.
There is an incredibly practical truth for us in this message. Receive the word of God and it is sweet as honey. They are the words of life even. The gospel is foolishness to the perishing, but the aroma of life to those being saved. At the same time, receiving the word of God is also bitter like the bitter herbs of the Passover. And even though they were said to be sweet for Ezekiel, he said they were full of lamentation, mourning and woe. Knowing there is judgement for those who refuse the message makes us uneasy, queasy even. But this is motivation to share. The possibility of negative outcomes are often motivation to act. But in a way that makes our stomach churn until the task is finished, until the time has passed.
So we must eat the scroll. We must consume all of it. Not pick and choose but receive the whole message of the Word of God. The message saying sin is sin, the message saying put away anger, the message saying gossips are given to a depraved mind and deserving of the death they receive. But we are also to receive the message saying His mercies are new every morning. Saying His love is everlasting. Saying He hears the prayers of those who cry out to Him day and night.
Here’s the thing, with or without God, life is hard. But if we are willing to submit to the whole of the Word of God, hard life is tempered by God’s favor and grace. Will there still be trouble, trial, tribulation? Yes, Jesus affirmed it. But He also said be of good cheer, I have overcome the world - and its trouble, trial and tribulation.
The more valuable the China, the more times it has been fired in the kiln. So too our lives. The more God intends to get out of us, the more times we go through the furnace. Jose Leal story? Cuba - RA Ministry that still goes on today. Houston - Pastor’s home in hurricane. 9/11 - Pentagon. But when I met him he was wheelchair bound, a crippling disease rapidly stealing his life. “Just like God put me in Cuba or in the middle of a hurricane or in the Pentagon, He put me HERE. Jose passed Jan 2014.
There may be nothing more valuable to the Kingdom, and dangerous to the enemy BTW, than one who believes what God says is true - and acts on it.
But he knows the way that I take;
when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Can you trust what God is saying to you today? I don't mean what the preacher is saying today, but what He is saying to you. Eat the scroll. Put all of the message of the Word into you. Can you trust this enough to actually do it? Then here is your invitation: Pray a simple prayer of surrender as we sing. Listen to what the Spirit of God says to you in return. Do what He says. You can trust Him, He’ll remind you of ALL truth.