God's Revelation to His People - Revelation 10:1-11:14 (7)

Main idea: God reveals precisely what His people need to know to encourage and strengthen them amid times of judgement.

What does he reveal and how does he reveal it?

The Mighty Angel with the Little book (10:1-7)

I. God reveals with a messenger who displays His glory - 10:1a

Revelation 10:1 (NKJV) 10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

A. The setting - vs. 1

John’s position: back on earth - cf. 4, 5

Parallel to Gabriel - Dan 8:16/Dan 12:7

Daniel 8:16 (NKJV) 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”

Daniel 12:7 (NKJV) 7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

c. Clothed with a cloud - Matt. 24:30

d. Rainbow - Ezek. 1:28

Ezekiel 1:28 NKJV

Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking.

II. God reveals for the purpose of protection and direction. - 10:1b

Legs like pillars of fire - Exodus 14:19, 24

Exodus 14:24 NKJV

Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.

Note: The Cloud and the pillar represent direction and provision

III. God reveals through the written Word -10:2

2. The Little book - 2

a. Parallel to Ezek 2:8-3:3

Ezekiel 2:8–3:3 NKJV

But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe. Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

b. Small scroll - directed to God’s people (contrast with scroll of chapter 7

c. Feet on land and see - Authority and power

IV. God reveals with Divine Authority - 10:3

1. The Voice of the Angel - 3

a. Loud like a lion - Hosea 11:10, Amos 3:8

Hosea 11:10 (NKJV)

10 “They shall walk after the Lord.

He will roar like a lion.

When He roars,

Then His sons shall come trembling from the west;

Amos 3:8 (NKJV)

8 A lion has roared!

Who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken!

Who can but prophesy?

b. Seven thunders

thunder=divine retribution - 8:5; 11:19; 16:18

Revelation 8:5 (NKJV) 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

Revelation 11:19 (NKJV) 19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.

Revelation 16:18 (NKJV) 18 And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.

V. God reveals with limitations based on His wisdom - 10:4

c. The lack of permission - cf. 2 Cor 12:4

reversal of 1:11,19; 22:10

2 Corinthians 12:4 (NKJV)4 how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

Revelation 1:11 (NKJV) 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

Revelation 1:19 (NKJV) 19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.

Revelation 22:10 (NKJV) 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.

Voice could be God or Christ - 14:13; 18:4

Revelation 14:13 (NKJV)

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Revelation 18:4 (NKJV) 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

d. Not Daniel 12:4; 9

Daniel 12:4 (NKJV) 4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

Daniel 12:9 (NKJV) 9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

VI. God reveals definitively and deliberately - 10:5-6

4. The Solemn Oath and final disclosure - 5-6 - cf. Deut 32:40

a. References timing according to Daniel 12:6; Rev 6:10

Daniel 12:6 (NKJV) 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”

Revelation 6:10 (NKJV) 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

b. The announcement of no further delay culminates the command to wait in 6:9-1 Daniel 12:6 (NKJV)

c. Restraint is to be removed and the antichrist revealed - 2 Thess 2:3

2 Thessalonians 2:3 NKJV

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,

d. This is the time of distress foretold by Daniel 12:1, repeated in Mark 13:19.

Daniel 12:1 (NKJV)

Prophecy of the End Time

12 “At that time Michael shall stand up,

The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;

And there shall be a time of trouble,

Such as never was since there was a nation,

Even to that time.

And at that time your people shall be delivered,

Every one who is found written in the book.

Mark 13:19 (NKJV)

19 For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

e. The Darkness before the dawn of Satan’s wrath - 12:12,17

Revelation 12:12 (NKJV) 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV) 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

VII. God Reveals progressively as only He can - 7

5. The Mystery of God - 7

1. Used to refer to Christ in Col 2:2

Colossians 2:2 NKJV

that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

2. Final destiny of Israel is a mystery - Rom 11:25

Romans 11:25 NKJV

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

3. Change of the believer at Christ’s return - 1 Cor 15:55

1 Corinthians 15:55 NKJV

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

4. Mystery of lawlessness - 2 Thess 2:7

2 Thessalonians 2:7 NKJV

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.

5. Apocalyptic Mystery = Divine Purpose - Made possible by Christ - cf. 5:9-11

Key Verse - Rev. 11:15

Revelation 11:15 NKJV

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

“In the NT this divine purpose in history is a mystery not because it is an unknown, but because it never would have been known if God had not revealed it.”

Matt 6:10 - thy kingdom come

Amos 3:7 - “ Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing it to his prophets”

VIII. God’s revelation is often (if not always sweet), and sometimes bitter(10:8-10)

1. This scroll lays permanently open ( in contrast to chapter 5) - 8

2. The little book

Eat it - cf. Ezek 2:8-3:3

Ezekiel 2:8–3:3 NKJV

But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe. Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.

b. God’s words are sweet - Psalm 119:103

Psalm 119:103 NKJV

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

c. Jeremiah 15:16

Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV

Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

3. The Little book is probably verses 11:1-13 - cf. Ezekiel 3:4

Ezekiel 3:4 (NKJV) 4 Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them.