22 Time is Near 10-1-11
Time is near • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 30:41
0 ratings
· 21 viewsImportance of reading and studying God's word, the bittersweet little book.
Files
Notes
Transcript
The Bittersweet Little Book
The Bittersweet Little Book
1 I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
4 When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them.” 5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,
7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”
10 I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
The Bittersweet Little Book
The Bittersweet Little Book
The Bittersweet Little Book
The Bittersweet Little Book
Revelation 10:1-11
Introduction
For 4 chapters now we have heard pretty much one judgment after another.
4 Horsemen
The martyrs under the altar of God.
The earthquake.
The seventh seal which was really the 7 trumpets.
They involved, fire mixed with hail and blood from heaven.
A flaming mountain ruins the sea.
A flaming star ruins the water.
The sun, moon and stars are darkened by 1/3.
Then the really bad things start happening
Locusts from Hell
Horsemen from Hell.
But today we will look at a vision that appears to be an interlude between the 6th and 7th trumpet judgments.
All of Chapter 10 and most of chapter 11 are an interlude that builds to the 7th trumpet judgment.
Pray
Pray
The One Holding the Little Book
The One Holding the Little Book
1 I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
He is another Strong Angel?
He is described as being clothed with a cloud
He is crowned with a rainbow
His face is like the sun
And his feet are like pillars of fire.
Could this be the Christ?
If so then he would later lift up his hand and swear an oath by himself.
5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,
If not then he is a strong angel.
Either way he held in his hand a little book that was opened.
When this strong angel spoke he roared like a lion
A response was made by 7 peals of thunder.
This voice, this thunder, could be none other than the voice of God.
When God speaks it is described often as though thunder were abounding.
But when he spoke, John was about to write it down.
Another voice commanded John not to write what had been spoken.
The Strong angel was mighty and spoke loudly.
But the message he carried was even more important than the angel himself.
The message is contained in the little book.
The Little Book
The Little Book
The book was open v.2
2 and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;
The book of destiny was a book sealed by seven seals.
It was not meant to be opened but by one and
That one was the Lord Jesus Christ.
This book, though, was open for all to see.
Its message is a message for all to see and hear and heed.
The book the Angel held is none other than God’s Holy Word.
Portions of this book have been around for 1000s of years.
The rest has been available for 100s of years.
But the fact is it still is seldom read and even more seldom studied.
Yet this book contains the word of life.
We should be searching the scriptures daily
11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
God’s word makes us who God wants us to be.
32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
How can we tell others of God if we do not study his word?
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
God gave us his word for a purpose.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
It is only by the word of God that we can grow.
2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.
God’s word is the most important book you will ever pick up.
Some of us spend more time listening to the news than reading the word of God.
The news only spreads mostly bad news.
But the word of God has the power to change lives.
A young family was contemplating the call of a church that was hundreds of miles away.
They desperately wanted to know and to do the will of the Heavenly Father.
They turned to this book and God used the power of that book to move that family 100s of miles.
Today because of the power of God’s word I am your pastor.
Never forget the book that can change your life for eternity.
What do you do with this book?
V.8 John is told to take the book.
V.8 John is told to take the book.
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”
V.9 the angel tells him to eat the Little Book.
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”
Then he told John it would be sweet then bitter.
Sure enough it was sweet to the taste but became bitter on his stomach.
Does that mean we all need to go home and eat our bibles for dinner?
No, in fact I would rather eat my own cooking than to eat God’s word.
And even my cooking would do me more good than eating this book.
What God means can be discerned by what he told an earlier prophet, Ezekiel 2:9-3:4
9 Then I looked, and behold, a hand was extended to me; and lo, a scroll was in it. 10 When He spread it out before me, it was written on the front and back, and written on it were lamentations, mourning and woe.
1 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll.
3 He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 Then He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.
He told Ezekiel to eat the scroll.
He meant to make it so much a part of his life that no one could tell the difference between his life and God’s word.
But with John we find the taste of God’s word to be both sweet, yet, bitter to the stomach.
What does all this mean for you and me?
We are to take this word and make it such a part of life that no one can tell the difference between us and God.
It means that we are to teach and preach the truth of the word that is both bitter and sweet.
God’s word tells both of sin and forgiveness
Of death and life.
Of judgment and salvation
Of heaviness and joy
Of hell and heaven.
Of bondage and freedom.
All of these things are taught in the scriptures.
Those around us are longing for the truth of God’s word.
They don’t know that is what they are longing for.
They think it is a new job or a better home or a nicer retirement package.
But in reality they are looking for the truth you and I come to understand.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
God’s word is so important he is willing to send a strong angel to deliver it.
He brings it open for all to see and study.
He then calls his servants to live that book and teach it to a hungry world.
We’re to teach all its truths.
Even those we do not like.
Will you today listen to the leadership of the HS and commit to study God’s word?
Make the commitment to Study the Word of God.
Study begins by simply reading it.
When something causes you to pause, then pause and pray.
Ask the HS to show you what He is saying.
As we turn our attention to the Lord’s table
As we prepare to remember our Lord
Let us ask Him to reveal to us anything that would keep us from partaking this meal in a worthy manner.
If He reveals something, repent, turn from it, instead, begin walking with God.
23 ... the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
