Triumph Over Evil
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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.
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.”
Recap of Ch. 9
Recap of Ch. 9
First Woe
Fallen star was given the key to bottomless pit
Scorpion like locusts invade
People in misery looking to die, but can’t
Terrorized for 5 months
Second Woe
4 fallen angels released to kill 1/3 of mankind.
Mounted troops numbering 200,000,000
3 plagues released
Fire
Smoke
Sulfur
Angel and Little Scroll
Angel and Little Scroll
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.
How is the angel described?
What does the rainbow indicated to us?
Notice the description of the angel - a mighty angel - indicates this is of God. It describes him of being wrapped in a cloud with a rainbow over his head. This symbolizes a covenant - a promise like that made to the believers after the flood.
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:
13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,
15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
17 God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”
We have the same covenant promise that God will deliver us from FUTURE destruction if we are faithful to follow Him, just as Noah did.
The angel is also described as having a face like the sun and legs like pillars of fire indicating the majesty of this mighty angel and the just and firm judment that will be executed.
In his hand he holds a little scroll. Now, notice the main scroll with the seven seals - we have been able to see each of the seals broken and the content revealed to us. But this scroll was not opened. We do not know what it contains or the meaning, the impact, the importance of what this little scroll may say.
The mighty angel stands with his right foot on the sea and his left on the land - this is a massive and mighty creature that would bring one to stand in amazement looking at this sight. And then, it speaks with a voice like a roaring lion - God’s judgment is roaring. Understand that Satan has a temporary hold on earth and sea, but God is still in ultimate control. After the angel speaks, the seven thunders also make their presence known. All the things up to this point have been recorded. God has encouraged John to write all that he has seen - until this point.
John’s Pen Silenced
John’s Pen Silenced
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.”
What was spoken by the seven thunders?
God silences John’s pen and would not allow him to write what was spoken by the seven thunders.
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
27 And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.
9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.
Clearly, the voices were audible and had a clear message, but God would not allow us to know what was said. They are still a mystery, and while we may have our guesses and assumptions, these words will not be known until they are (possibly) revealed in heaven. Until then, we can only assume what was spoken. Even though these events of the second coming have been detailed, there are still some things that God has chosen not to reveal to us. Now the events that are to come will come swiftly and quickly.
No Further Delay
No Further Delay
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,
What does swearing in really mean?
: to utter or take solemnly (an oath)
2a: to assert as true or promise under oath a sworn affidavit
b: to assert or promise emphatically or earnestly
3a: to put to an oath : administer an oath to
b: to bind by an oath
The angel raises his right hand to heaven - swearing an oath that there would be no further delay to the judgment to come.
What has been delayed to this point? The return of Christ and God’s full judgment and outpouring of wrath.
Why does God take an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet?
The 7 seals and 6 trumpets have been revealed, but God has stayed the final judgment until anyone and everyone that will repent had the chance to be saved.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
God is not slow in allowing final judgment to be made, but is PATIENTLY awaiting the salvation of all who will trust in Him.
Change in Execution
Change in Execution
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.
Why is this called a mystery?
BUT - God’s patience must some day end and the seventh trumpet will sound hearkening the end of the world and the return of Christ. What mystery will be revealed then? All the mystery surrounding the end of the tribulation, when Satan will be defeated for eternity, and a new heaven and new earth will be created. What we see here is God’s righteous judgment FINALLY being revealed.
John Walvoord explains this cryptic phrase in this manner:
This mystery had been previously announced to God’s prophets. The reference, therefore, is not to hidden truth but to the fulfillment of many Old Testament passages which refer to the glorious return of the Son of God and the establishment of His kingdom of righteousness and peace on the earth. While God’s purposes are not necessarily revealed in current events where Satan is allowed power and manifestation, the time will come when Satan no longer will be in power and the predictions of the Old Testament prophets will be fulfilled.
The Scroll
The 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.”
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.”
What does the little scroll contain?
What is John told to do with the scroll?
Notice now the scroll is opened - the contents are still a mystery, but John is directed to take the scroll from the angel. The next command seems odd - eat the scroll that has been opened. Once it is consumed, it will be sweet to the taste, but will sour on his stomach.
It is similar to the account we find in:
8 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it.
10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.
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.
4 And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.
5 For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—
6 not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you.
7 But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.
8 Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.
9 Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”
10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.
11 And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!”
13 It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake.
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.
15 And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
Notice no interpretation of the scroll, the seven thunders, or the mystery was what was revealed to the mighty angel is given to us, but we see John taking the scroll and eating it. His experience was what God had revealed to him. In his mouth the scroll was sweet to the taste, like honey. Yet when it hit his stomach, it soured and became bitter.
The revelation we have received, and in fact all of God’s Word, would be sweet to each of us who know and trust in the Lord. We receive many sweet promises as believers. Yet there are bitter moments revealed to us also - for John, it was the realization of his exile on Patmos. For us it is the revelation of all the horrific things that must take place during the time of the tribulation and the knowledge that there will be many people who continue to reject Christ even during these perilous times.
As I have said before, knowing what will occur during the time of the Great Tribulation should concern us for all those who are still lost. We should be evangelizing all that we know, telling of the goodness of God but also the horrible things that are to come to anyone and everyone that will listen to us. Why? Because there will come a day that God’s patience will end and judgment will be its replacement. At that time, it will be too late for any unbeliever to change their fate.