Dover Assembly of God
We are continuing our study in the book of Revelation. We have completed 9 chapters so far, most of which describes the horrific judgments that will come on the earth after the rapture.
Every judgment brings with it the opportunity for the remaining world to repent, but as we saw last time at the end of chapter 9, they do not.
So now we come to chapter 10.
We mentioned earlier that there was an intermission between the 6th & 7th seals and now there is an intermission between the 6th & 7th trumpets.
That’s chapters 10 & 11. But we’ll look at chapter 10 today.
Let me just read all of chapter 10. It’s relatively short.
Revelation 10:1-11 NLT
This intermission is designed to provide additional information on the previous events and to prepare us for what will happen later.
If you could put a parenthesis around chapter 10 thru chapter 11:14. Before we pick up with the 7th trumpet.
So as always, let’s go verse by verse.
Revelation 10:1 NLT
The first thing we notice or at least I notice is that John appears to be back on earth.
Chapter 9, he is heaven, now he’s back on earth.
He sees an angel “coming down from heaven”.
And the angel he sees appears to be different than other times that angels appear.
He is described as a mighty angel, surrounded by a cloud.
Clouds have meant God’s presence in the Old Testament.
Exodus 16:10 NLT
Exodus 24:15-16 NLT
The pillars of fire represent both protection and judgment.
God protected the Israelites with a pillar of fire, but he also used fire from heaven to kill the prophets of Ball with Elijah on Mt Carmel.
The other descriptions have been used to represent Christ and some think that this angel is actually Jesus Christ.
However, Jesus is never referred to and an angel in Revelation or even in the New Testament.
And we’ll see later that nobody seems to worship this angel.
And this angel wouldn’t be referred to as “another angel”.
And later he takes an oath by God, which Jesus wouldn’t have to do.
So, this is just “another angel”.
But even so, his appearance draws attention to God and the glories of heaven.
Revelation 10:2 NLT
Other angels in the bible seem to be normal size but this angel appears of great power and tremendous size.
His size and placement of his feet signify that his message will affect the whole world.
And he has a scroll in his hand.
This is not the scroll that we talked about from chapter 5.
Revelation 5:1 NLT
This scroll has no seals and has already been opened.
It should be connected to Ezekiel’s prophecy.
Ezekiel 2:9-10 NLT
We’ll see at the end of the chapter, John is instructed to eat the scroll, just like in Ezekiel’s vision.
Ezekiel 3:1-3 NLT
Revelation 10:3-4 NLT
God’s voice has been compared to that of a lion and of thunder.
Hosea 11:10 NLT
Psalms 29:3 NLT
These thunders represent certain aspects of God’s coming judgments.
John starts to write them down because he assumes that is what he’s supposed to do.
Revelation 1:19 NLT
But notice that a voice from heaven (God) tells him to not write anything down.
And since nothing was written, we don’t know what those thunders mean, other than nobody knows in advance all that is going to happen.
There will be judgments that happen that we don’t know about. Because they weren’t written down for us to read and study.
If there are things that will happen, but we don’t know what they are or when they will happen, we can’t really be dogmatic about the sequence of events.
What we do know is pretty plain and horrific and that should be enough to keep our eyes focused on Jesus.
Revelation 10:5-6 NLT
Raising his right hand is also part the law when taking an oath.
Deuteronomy 32:40 NLT
Daniel 12:7 NLT
So the angel swears an oath to the God of heaven. The one who created all things, in contrast to the worthless idols who can do nothing.
Since God created everything, and has all power, all the judgments that will happen are His right as creator and are in His control.
And his oath is “Go will wait no longer”.
Revelation 10:6 NIV
Revelation 10:6 NASB1995
This means that the events that follow will happen quickly and the time for people to repent is getting very short.
Revelation 10:7 NLT
In Revelation 11:15, which ends this intermission, the 7th trumpet will sound.
And all the prophecies given thru the Old Testament prophets about the end of the age will now happen.
And it will continue sounding throughout the 7 bowl judgments of God’s wrath, the defeat of the Anti-Christ and the initiating of the millennial kingdom.
Basically, thru chapter 20.
It ultimately has to do with Christ’s return to earth and the establishment of His kingdom.
The mysterious plan when used on the New Testament usually refers to things in the Old Testament that haven’t been revealed yet.
Colossians 1:25-26 NIV
That mystery is salvation, but part of salvation is the whole inheritance that believers will receive.
Revelation 10:8 NLT
Just like we read in Ezekiel earlier, John is commanded to take the scroll from the angel. And just like Ezekiel, he is commanded to eat it.
Revelation 10:9 NLT
Before Ezekiel or John could pass on the information in the scrolls, they had to spiritually digest what was written in them.
He had to make it a part of himself before he could proclaim it to his audience.
We assume that it has some association with God’s word since God wrote the scroll. Whether it is about future judgments, more woes, a message to the church it doesn’t say so neither can we just guess.
But since it is God’s word, before John can preach it he has to live it. Christians can’t just know about the Bible, we need to make it a part of us.
The Bible refers to itself as food: bread, milk, meat and honey. Unless we “ingest” God’s word, it will do us no good.
And we see here that God’s word tastes like honey but made his stomach sour.
God’s word contains blessings as well as curses. Mercy and judgments.
We probably don’t like everything that is written. It is not all sweetness, and love.
For believers, God’s word is sweet to hear and obey.
For unbelievers, it is harshness and punishment.
John was the apostle of love. John 3:16 and so on.
But here God had to tell John that what he is about to deliver in his final message isn’t all about love, it is about bitterness, sorrow and judgment.
Revelation 10:10 NLT
First John had to take the scroll from the angel. He didn’t force it on him. God doesn’t force himself on anyone. He reaches out to us, but we have to take his salvation.
John was forewarned about the effects of God’s word, so we also have been forewarned about what God’s word says.
What the angel said about the scroll came true, so will all the other things written about come true.
Pastors also have to be sure to preach ALL of God’s word, not just the stuff we like to hear. And there is hard stuff to hear. Both for us believers but especially for those who don’t believe.
I would love to say that everyone will make it to heaven and everyone’s lifestyle is fine with God. But it’s not true and just like getting the truth from doctors, we need the truth from God.
Even when we as believers read God’s word, we fear worry and pray for those who don’t believe because the judgments that are coming, make us sick inside.
We don’t want anyone going thru this stuff.
And that angst and sickness we feel should make us all the more able to warn those of what God says about salvation.
Revelation 10:11 NLT
What he is called to prophecy isn’t just a recap of what’s already happened, but a further progression of events connected to the end of the judgments.
Prophecy AGAIN.
Prophecy ABOUT all these people (nations, languages kings) and what will happen to them.
Earlier in Revelation, he used the word “TRIBE” indicating the people, but here he uses the word “KINGS”. Possibly meaning leaders or the kings of the earth in Rev 17.
Revelation 17:9 NLT
When God uses the word “nations” it usually refers to Gentile nations. God has a plan for the Jewish people and their restoration, but this is for the world.
Next week we’ll finish this intermission and talk about the two witnesses.
Are we getting into our spirit what God is saying in this book?
My question is the same one that John asked of all the churches in the beginning.
Revelation 2:7 NLT
What do you think he is saying to us? Or to you?