<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE BOOK OF REVELATION" The Mighty Angel & The Little Book (10:1-11) INTRODUCTION 1. In chapters eight and nine, the first six trumpets were sounded, which we interpreted... a. Trumpets one thru four as suggesting partial environmental devastation b. Trumpets five and six as portending internal decadence and external invasion -- Signifying the terrible effects of the Roman army as it made its way toward Jerusalem in 70 A.D. 2. Just as there was an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals, so there is now an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets... a. The interlude before the seventh seal included two visions designed to comfort the saints b. The interlude before the seventh trumpet includes three visions, with the second "woe" - Re 8:13; 11:14 [Chapter ten contains the first vision in this second interlude, in which John first describes...] I. THE MIGHTY ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK (1-7) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. The mighty angel, the book, and the seven thunders - Re 10:1-4 a. John describes another mighty angel coming down from heaven 1) Clothed with a cloud 2) A rainbow on his head 3) His face like the sun 4) His feet like pillars of fire 5) A little book in his hand 6) His right foot on the sea, his left foot on the land 7) Who cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars b. When the mighty angel cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices 1) John prepared to write what he heard 2) But a voice from heaven instructs him to seal up the things uttered by the seven thunders, and not write them 2. The mighty angel and his oath - Re 10:5-7 a. John sees the mighty angel lift his hand to heaven b. The mighty angel swears by God that there will be delay no longer 1) For in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be finished 2) As God declared to His servants the prophets -- An impressive vision, with things not to be revealed, and a promise of a mystery completed B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. The identity of the mighty angel a. The description has led many to believe that this was Jesus Christ Himself - cf. Re 10:1 b. Yet his initial description as "still another mighty angel" would suggest just "another" great angel 2. The little book in his hand a. Many who believe the mighty angel is Jesus suggest the book is the original scroll with seven seals b. I agree with those who see it as a separate prophecy (chs. 13-19) additional to the first (chs. 4-11) 3. The significance of the seven thunders may forever remain an enigma a. Summers believes that John was forbidden to record their utterances because there would be delay no longer and the time for warning was over b. Hailey suggests that it may indicate that God has many unrevealed weapons in His arsenal of judgments to be used at His discretion, and that man cannot know all of God's ways c. It serves as a reminder that we will not always know what God has in store for mankind 4. What of the mystery of God declared to His servants the prophets and soon to be finished? a. Remember, that will be done in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel - Re 10:7 b. Which we will read following the description of Jerusalem's fall in chapter eleven - cf. Re 11:15 -- We will leave the "mystery" with its full meaning until we get to that section in chapter eleven [Continuing with the first vision of the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet...] II. JOHN EATS THE LITTLE BOOK (8-11) A. AS DESCRIBED IN THE TEXT... 1. John is instructed to eat the little book - Re 10:8-9 a. The same voice from heaven instructs him to take the book from the angel's hand b. The angel tells him to eat the book, which will be sweet as honey in his mouth, but make his stomach bitter 2. John eats the little book - Re 10:10 a. Taking it from the angel's hand, he ate it b. It was sweet as honey in his mouth, but his stomach became bitter 3. The angel again speaks to John - Ro 10:11 a. "You must prophesy again..." b. "...about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." -- Clearly John's service as an apostle is far from over! B. OBSERVATION AND INTERPRETATION... 1. The first vision of this interlude appears designed to impress upon John that with the sounding of the seventh trumpet his work will not be over 2. Indeed, in chapters 12-20 we shall see the revelation of God's judgment against pagan Rome, and ultimately of the whole world! -- Before then, we will have two more visions to consider in chapter 11 that are part of this interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets CONCLUSION 1. The tenth chapter of Revelation is a short one... a. It may leave one with a sense of frustration (why aren't the seven thunders revealed?) b. But also with a sense of anticipation (what mystery of God will be finished when the 7th trumpet sounds?) 2. It reminds me of the words of Moses... "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." - Deu 29:29 So rather than focus on what has not been revealed (e.g., the seven thunders), let us look forward to what will be revealed in subsequent chapters (e.g., the mystery of God), with the intention of doing what we are commanded: "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near..." - Re 1:3<< Previous | Index | Next >>"Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." - Re 22:14
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