Sermon Tone Analysis

Praise and Prayer

The Interlude of a Mighty Angel and Small Scroll - June 29th

Last week we finished out chapter 9, and the world has gone crazy with part III of that section of chapter 9.

We looked at the purpose factor, the perversity factor, and the pride factor.

With that we seen how harsh the judgment will get with the sixth trumpet as it will release what we called the filthy four, the four angels from the great Euphrates River.

Tonight we are going to look at chapter 10 of Revelation as we look at an interlude between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet.

God’s intention is to encourage and comfort His people in the midst of the fury and to remind them that He is still sovereign, that He remembers His people, and that they will ultimately be victorious.

In this Interlude we will see a Mighty Angel and a Small Scroll, and how they come into play to fulfill God’s plan.

In chapter ten tonight we will see seven things that happen during this interlude with this Mighty Angel and Small Scroll.

There is only eleven verses in chapter 10, but these verses can be confusing if we are not careful, therefore, if anyone at any time has a question stop me, and we will work it out.

Let’s look at the whole of the chapter, then go back and dig through the text.

Again this chapter is an interlude between the sixth trumpet and the seventh trumpet which the interlude actually carries over into chapter eleven also.

The first thing we see this evening is the

I. Mighty Angel V. 1

This was not just some ordinary angel found roaming around in heaven sent down with a small scroll.

This was a Mighty Angel, this was not one of the seven angels responsible for sounding the seven trumpets, this was one of the highest ranking angels in heaven.

This angel had a very important job here, it was assigned an important job.

This angel is wrapped in a cloud - When Jesus ascended to heaven in Acts 1:9

there we see Jesus ascended and a cloud took him out of their sight, we are also told that we will be caught up in the clouds with the Lord in 1 Thessalonians 4:17

We see that this angel being wrapped in a cloud is not just some kind of fairy tale or something, but if you go back to 1 Thessalonians 4:16

We see there that Jesus will come with an archangel, maybe here in our text it is an archangel that is wrapped in a cloud coming down, but the angel is not just wrapped in a cloud, but has a rainbow over its head.

This angel is also bring with it, more than just the scroll but some symbolism, the rainbow stands for something, and as we are coming to the end of pride month let me tell you the rainbow does not stand for gay pride.

God made a covenant between himself and all living creatures, and the sign is the rainbow which we see in Genesis 9:12-17

Here God is reminding us of His promises to us, I believe first, with the cloud, that He will end the judgment for those that are enduring it and have turned to him.

Second with the rainbow, that He never forgets His promises and since the time of Noah has never destroyed the entire earth with water, with flood, and will never again destroy the entire earth with water, flood.

The text continues with His face was like the sun, this radiance of the face denotes, like the revelation of God, both grace and judgment.

Along with the sun-like radiance of the face the legs like pillars of fire are showing the greatness of his majesty along with judgment.

II.

Small Scroll.

V. 2

Here we are not told what is written in this scroll, but we may assume that it is more prophecy of events that are will transpire in the tribulation period.

The angel is a messenger of Jesus Christ, the angel has been sent by God to come to earth, and has been sent with this scroll, we are told that this scroll is opened.

The angel put his right foot in the sea, and his left foot on the land, in Biblical times when a conqueror overthrew a nation that had a shoreline he would put one foot in the water and the other foot on the land and raise his hand in victory.

This was a sign that he had conquered the area and was claiming the area, just as God had told Joshua to do in Joshua 1:3

In our text the angel is standing one foot in the sea and one foot on land, with the scroll opened in hand, some say that the scroll is symbolic as the deed to the earth, and the angel stance is a sign in preparation of taking the earth back from Satan.

We must remember that the earth was created by Jesus and for Jesus as we are told in Colossians 1:16

Colossians 1:16 (CSB)

16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.

When Adam sinned the deed to the earth was turned over to Satan, but Satan will be returned to were he belongs in the lake of fire for eternity soon.

III.

Seven Thunders Vs. 3-4

He cried out with a loud voice, that is the angel cried out with a loud voice like a roaring lion.

The lion is considered the king of the jungle, Jesus is called the Lion of Judah, the roar of a lion will get everyone’s attention that is in the sound of that roar.

Amos 3:8 (CSB)

8 A lion has roared; who will not fear?

The Lord God has spoken; who will not prophesy?

The angel of God here is prepare the people for what is about to be delivered.

Joel 3:16 (CSB)

16 The Lord will roar from Zion and make his voice heard from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will shake.

But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the Israelites.

Heaven and earth will shake because of the delivery of the news of judgment to come, but the people of God will be able to take refuge in the Lord because they will be safe in the Lord.

The text continues that when he cried out, the seven thunders raised their voices, there is some differences of interpretation of what this could be but the majority of theologians and scholars believe this is - this is seven Spirits of God, that are preparing to pour out seven different judgments on the earth.

Seven is the number of completion in Scripture.

The sound of thunder has also been a referenced too the voice of God speaking, one example of this is found in John 12:28-29

John 12:28–29 (CSB)

28 Father, glorify your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

29 The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder.

Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”

Therefore, the angel has the small scroll in his hand, the scroll is opened, the seven Spirits of God, or we may say that God speaks completely of what is written on the scroll, and as John is about to write down what he is witnessing, what he just heard from God, he is told to seal up what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.

Up to this point John has been instructed to write everything down, but know he is told to not to write it down.

The mysteries of God are too wonderful for explanations, and some things are too terrible for description.

Some things are like God told Daniel in Daniel 12:8-9

There are certain things in God’s Word that we will never be able to explain, and there are certain things in God’s Word that He just never meant for us to know.

As Dr. Adrian Rogers once said, if God wanted us to know certain things, which he was talking about the number of wisemen, He would have told us.

But He did not tell us therefore, God did not find it important enough for us to know or want us to know therefore, He did not add it into Scripture.

Here we have what was written on the scroll, God tells John, to seal it up and do not write it down.

Therefore, we must understand God had a reason for us not to know what the seven thunders, the seven Spirits of God, that is what He said, what was written on that scroll.

IV.

No More Delay.

Vs. 5-6

The angel that John had seen standing with one foot in the sea and on on the land raises his right hand to heaven, just as a person would do in a court proceeding before taking an oath

The angel raises his right hand and swore by God that there will no longer be a delay.

See there is one more trumpet to come; then the mystery of God could be revealed.

With the rapid pace at which description of judgment have proceeded thus far.

It may seem surprising that God’s messenger would say there has been a delay!

Yet what has been delayed to this point is the full and final outpouring of God’s wrath.

Through the judgment of the seven seals and the first six trumpets, God has been restraining his final judgment to allow continued opportunity for repentance.

Peter explained the the delay is not slowness but patience: 2 Peter 3:9

This initiates the last plagues of the Day of the Lord , indicating that the time the disciples anticipated has come.

This will be the time when the prayers of the saints will be answered, the prayers mentioned in Revelation 6:9-10

V.

A Rush to End.

V. 7

Verse seven begins - but - this signifies a change from the delay referenced in verse 6 and the announcement of the angel blowing the seventh trumpet.

We will see the seventh trumpet be blown in chapter 11:15, it will mark a shift to the end of the tribulation, when the seven bowls of God’s wrath will be poured out on the earth.

Which we will see the seven bowls in chapter 16.

At that point, the narrative truly will begin rushing forward toward the return of Jesus to set up his throne on earth.

It might seem puzzling that John would announce a rush to the second coming when there are still twelve chapters remaining, however, some of those chapters will rehash from a different perspective events already described.

This far, God has revealed events to come.

Beginning in chapter 11, He will focus on personalities involved in those events, these include the two witnesses, the Antichrist, and the false prophet.

VI.

Take and Eat.

VS. 8-10

John has been told by God, do not write none of this down, the angel takes this oath if you will and states that the delay is over, everything is going to rush forward now, toward to time of Jesus second coming.

Now God speaks to John again, and tells him to go and get the scroll from the angel, John has been in a trance or a vision in heaven since Revelation 4:2

He was taken in the spirit into heaven, and has been writing from heaven since that point, but now this angel with one foot in the sea and one foot on the land, John says, I heard the voice from heaven says to me, go take the scroll, therefore, John is back on earth in his physical body.

John goes to the angel and asks for the scroll, the angel tells him to take and eat it.

Now if you asked me for my Bible and I said, here take and eat it, you would surely look at me like I was crazy.

Because if we think about it, in those days, a Bible would have been a scroll or in that format if you will.