Revelation 10, March 16, 2025
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Community Scripture Reading
Community Scripture Reading
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.
Introduction
Introduction
Idea: Pull up a video of a lion’s roar and test ahead of time to reproduce a lion’s roar at the appropriate level—114db.
OK to understand this chapter we need to think back to revelation chapter 6. At the end of revelation chapter 6 the 1st 6 seals had been broken and it makes sense to have moved on to the 7th seal. But instead we were held up by a kind of a two-part interlude both 144,000 sealed and the great multitude in heaven. What we will see in this chapter is again a big interlude. The first part of the interlude is in this chapter and we will see the next part in the next chapter.
The Mighty Angel and the Thunders
The Mighty Angel and the Thunders
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,
OK now what we're going to see is John's perspective is going to shift from heaven to earth. And he will see an Angel coming down from heaven standing on earth. And so far up in this book he's kind of reported on these visions from a heavenly perspective he's caught up in heaven and the vision he's reporting on it from that perspective and now he's down on earth and seeing this unfold. He's still an observer and everything that happens but he is up close and down on earth.
Check out his clothing.
Check out his clothing:
Wrapped in a cloud
Wrapped in a cloud
Think about the cloud of God's glorious presence. Exodus 16: 10
10 And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
He has a rainbow above his head
He has a rainbow above his head
Remember back in revelation chapter 4 and the rainbow surrounding the throne of god?
3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
And his face is like the sun
And his face is like the sun
Remember Jesus face was like the sun when he appeared to John in revelations chapter one period
16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
His legs are like pillars of fire
His legs are like pillars of fire
Remember when the Israelites came out of Egypt they were accompanied by a pillar of fire new line exodus 13: 21
His right foot is on the sea and his left foot is on the land.
His right foot is on the sea and his left foot is on the land.
Imagine how colossal this figure would be.
And finally
A little scroll open in his hand.
A little scroll open in his hand.
This is actually a word that John makes up we don't see it anywhere else in the Greek language and it's different from the judgment scroll that we see shown up in revelations chapter 5... probably the reason why John uses a different language or a different word here.
So we have to ask who is this character that shows up here. In the English standard version the Bible translates it as another Angel.
It's very likely this is the Angel Gabriel standing before God and coming down.
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.”
We've heard a lot of sounds in this book a lot of voices and this is the only time we've heard the shout like the roar of a lion. And we're not really sure what these 7 thunders are all about. In revelations chapter 8 and then later in 16 Thunder accompanies lightning and and and earthquakes and God's judgment. That's interesting in this place John is actually told not to write down what he hears. He was told to seal it up and keep it and he doesn't share it in the Book of Revelation.
This is an important reminder that the Bible doesn't contain all the predictions about what God's going to do it contains a lot of information about what God is going to do and yet it far more concerned with how we live.
Or as it has been said many times about our faith. And about our Bible.
Revelation A. The Mighty Angel and the Seven Thunders (10:1–4)
the Bible is sufficient revelation for salvation and life, but it is not exhaustive revelation.
The Angel’s Announcement
The Angel’s Announcement
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,
The most distinctive thing that John notices about this Angel is that he is standing on the land and on the sea. And the Angel swears an oath. The only other time that an Angel swears an oath is the Angel who is described as the Angel of the Lord in genesis chapter 22 or judges chapter 2. And he swears this oath by raising his right hand to heaven as we do even today when making a solemn promise or taking an oath of office indicating that we take this before God.
Him who lives forever and ever
The great comfort for martyrs throughout history the great comfort for us today is that we serve our God who lives forever. He has an indestructible life.
Who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, the sea and what is in it
This is what God has done. These are the three divisions of the universe as seen by mankind especially in the 1st century the earth the sea and the heavens.
Understanding that God has created all things is crucial for us understanding that God has the authority and the right to judge all things. Understanding that God has created all things it's fundamental to understanding that God has the authority and the capacity to uncreate things to give life and to take it. Because only he truly can do both of those things.
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.
So the question God's people have always had is how long do we have to wait? How long do we have to wait until God brings justice? But here we get a bit of an answer.
Interestingly the King James version renders this passage there shall be time no longer. And some people have because of that translation wrestled with the question will there be time and eternity? Will we sense the passing of time like we do now? But to be honest revelation really doesn't speak to that question yes or no this passage is simply an answer to the question that Christians are answering at the time when will the end come?
The signal about the end of time or when the end will come is when the 7th Angel sounds his trumpet
And then he used this phrase the mystery of God will be accomplished. In the Bible a mystery is something that previously wasn't made clear but now is made clear. God will reveal the plans he has.
And verse 7 finishes with just as he announced to the prophets and while not all the prophets speak about the end times they almost all talk about God's judgment if sinners do not repent.
4 You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets,
7 “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
John eats a little scroll
John eats a little scroll
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.”
If you remember back in revelation chapter 5 one of the elders speaks to John about the one worthy to open the scroll with seven seals then only Christ is worthy to take the scroll or the mystery of God the judgement scroll. Now another heavenly being who just warned John not to write down what he saw tells him to take this scroll from the hand of the Angel.
The larger scroll earlier symbolizes God's judgment being unleashed on the earth. This little scroll is going to symbolize something different it's going to symbolize a message from God to John for the churches.
It shows how God works through prophets through the apostles through his followers to bring his messages to the world.
5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
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.”
Now when we read this passage we need to remember that revelation is full of symbolism and John’s seeing a vision.
But if we remember back to the Old Testament we remember that it's not really uncommon for a prophet to carry out a highly symbolic task. Both Ezekiel and Jeremiah had similar experiences.
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.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
God’s prophets are called to consume and take in His words
Similarly to how we are called to take in God’s word.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
and
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
When John eats the scroll he is told that it will turn his stomach sour or in other words it'll give him heartburn. And just like ezekiel's message that he received from God spoke about an upcoming judgment and pain that the people would suffer in the same way John's scroll meant a similar thing.
So John does what the angel commands
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.”
So John consumes the scroll and it does exactly what the Angel says it's sweetest honey but it turns sour in his stomach because he doesn't want to deliver a message of suffering for his people.
The responsibility of God's prophets of people to whom God gives a message to share is that you have to share the message period to share what God has said.
It's just like as God's disciples we have a responsibility to share the truth about sin and salvation with others. It's not a happy truth for everyone that rejects the gospel but it is something which we must share.
So in there's an understanding this passage so understanding this passage what's happened here is the trumpet has blown and it signals that there's going to be a judgment rolling out after this intermission of a passage and when that judgment comes out it's not going to be a pleasant thing.
Conclusion
Conclusion
None of us like delays. We don't like the delay of game at a sporting event we don't like waiting for Christmas period we don't like waiting for vacation we don't like delays. And perhaps the most delayed event ever is the return of Jesus. And sometimes passages like or rather passages in the Bible that promised that Jesus will return soon can be frustrated because soon seems like such a flexible time. But with this passage seems to be saying is once this judgment trumpet is blown the end will come. We don't get an answer as to when the end is coming but there is an end. There is a time when God will bring his final judgment.
Revelation Principles
PRINCIPLES
• Some angels have an important duty in giving divine messages to humanity.
• Those who say they know the dates for the final end-time events are claiming far beyond what Scripture allows.
• God has already spoken clearly through his servants the prophets.
• Preaching God’s message brings both joy and sorrow.
APPLICATIONS
• Be content not to know everything there is to know about divinely inspired predictions of the end of the world.
• Proclaim the Word of God as you are entrusted with it, knowing that it will be both a blessing and a burden.
• Maintain your faith that God’s final judgment is certain even though it is delayed.
Chris Skinner was a party boy doing drugs and alcohol through his time in college. He lived life for himself. Until one day he was thrown out of a car window after it rolled on the beach and became a quadriplegic. He lost 95% of use of everything below his neck.
To say that he experienced a burden in his life is an extraordinary understatement. His life was devastated.
And yet through the recovery and transition to a new life after his accident God brought hope to him. God brought Chris to a new relationship with him. God introduced Chris to a woman who would marry a quadriplegic. She was a physical therapist.
And through his pain and suffering he learned to encourage others. Through his pain and suffering he went to seminary and wrote a book.
He was even through a miracle of science able to have two children with his wife.
Now the burden of what Chris went through never went away. We knew him while we were in seminary. And he actually died about 3 or 4 years ago from a small infection he caught one day.
God will allow burdens in our lives. Sometimes his burdens will be judgments on the sins of humanity. Sometimes his word will be a burden to us sometimes our life situations will be a burden to us.
Our challenge from scripture is to accept both the sweet and the sour of life. To accept the heart and the good times that we walk through. The sorrowful with the joyful. It's only as we trust God with all of this life that we are truly able to be faithful to his word.
Closing Community Prayer
Closing Community Prayer
Revelation V. Prayer
Father, I confess it is easy to accept the sweet, joyful part of your Word. I also confess that I have much more difficulty with the sorrowful or bitter parts. Help me to realize that your Word may impact my life in both these ways. And help me be courageous enough to share the Word with others, both the sweet and the sour. In Christ’s name. Amen.
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