Lesson 22Revelation 10 |
Between the sixth and the
seventh seal, there was a prelude which told about the 144,000 and the
multitude being sealed by God on their foreheads. In Revelation chapter
10, we have a prelude between the sixth trumpet and the seventh.
Before beginning Chapter 10, we need to get an understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 which gives his prophesies of the seventy weeks. The word weeks, is a Hebrew word "shabua" that can refer to any period of seven: seven days, seven months, seven years, etc. Only the context indicates what period of seven is intended. As we learned in the introduction to our study of Revelation, the seventy weeks consist of:
What does this have to do with Revelation 10? Is this the beginning of
the last 3 ½ years?
In Revelation 5:2 John saw a "strong angel." In Revelation 10, John saw "another mighty angel" come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: a rainbow was on his head; his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.
The word "mighty" in Greek according to Strong's (Ischuros) means strong, but as used in the first verse, mighty is translated (Ischuroteros), meaning stronger, mightier. This signifies that this particular angel is mightier and very different from the other angel. Could this mighty angel be Jesus? Can Jesus take the form of an angel?
"Angel" from the Greek word aggelos also means messenger. In Joshua 5:13-15, Jesus is taking the form of a man, but identifies himself as the commander of the army of the LORD. Regular angels would not let anyone bow before them they are not God, but the "man" accepts Joshua's worship, and commands Joshua to remove his shoes. If the angel had not been Christ, He would not have permitted Joshua to worship Him.
Is the description of this mighty angel significant? Let's examine this description:
This seems to be a description for a very "mighty angel"! Is this truly Jesus Christ?
Rev 10:(2) He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, (3) and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. (4) Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."
The seven thunders are the voice of Christ. What could they have uttered that John was instructed not to write? Evidently we are not supposed to know yet. As we have in both the book of Daniel 12 & Revelation 10, Daniel and John are instructed to seal the books and the content spoken by the seven thunders. The difference is that Daniel is instructed to seal the book till the end of times and John is seeing the end of times.
Do we really need to know all the details of God's plan to trust God, or is his promise enough?
Uttered (Gk- laleö) = to speak
Thunders (Gk-bronié) = to roar, the voice of the Lord.
Also a symbol of God's wrath (Psalm 104:7, Isa. 29:6)
Rev 10:(5) The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven (6) and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer Rev. 10:(5) The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven (6) and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer
Swore(Gk-omunmi) = affirming or denying by an oath
If we remember in Revelation 6:9-11, the saints under the altar asked God, "how long Oh Lord until you will judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth." Now the mighty angel raises his hands to heaven and God, as taking an oath to God. And the angel swears, by Him who lives forever and created everything, that there should be no more delay. Is this an introduction to the seventh trumpet, and the final judgment of God? Is this also the message that the believers on earth have been waiting for, to know that finally the Lord will complete His plan. How about the unbelievers on earth, after all they have seen from the seals opened and the trumpets that were blown? Imagine the fear this is going to bring, if they hear this angel announcing that there will be no more delay. This statement is also announcing the final 3 ½ years of God's judgment of Israel, and all unbelievers.
Rev 10:(7) but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
Mystery: (Gk-mustêrion)= being outside of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit.
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, as the seventh seal started the sounding of the trumpets,the seventh trumpet will begin the next and final phase of God's judgment (the seven bowl judgments). But after the trumpet is sounded, the mysteries of God will be completed (1Timothy 3:16, Colossians 2:2-3, Amos3: 3-8). Won't it be a glorious day when God's plan is completed, as he foretold to the prophets, and all our questions will be answered (all the mystery of God)
Rev 10: (8) Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
John hears the same voice from verse 10:4. Notice that the instruction is to take the little book which is open. Would this not signify to us that the book is available to read? Do you suppose that as most of us would do, John peeked into the book?
No, John was a faithful servant and did as he was instructed. Could we say the same, would curiosity take over and lead us to peek?
Rev 10:(9) So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth". (10) Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
John speaks to the angel with authority as he says "Give me the little book". The angel hands the book to John, but instructs him to "eat it", and advises him that doing so "it will make your stomach bitter,(Psalms 19: 7-11, Jeremiah 15:16). Why would he instruct John to "eat the book?" Does this seem to be an odd request? Let's go to Ezekiel 2:9 - 3:3, where we shall see a similar situation. If you were given this command from an angel of God, would you obey? As most people tend to do, they pick and choose to obey the instructions from God that will suit their needs. But this is not a "faithful servant", we are not to choose the instructions from God that we like and refuse those we do not like. We are to follow all His commandments, instructions and guidance as given to us by His Spirit. We are also "chosen," "called out", "separated", & "have become a peculiar people (1Peter 2: 9-10)" not to lie around and be served, but to act upon God's command (Matt 28:19-20) and serve just as Jesus came to serve.
The book is God's word, so why would it make his stomach bitter? Possibly because of what is yet to come, but as we can already determine not everything is for us to know!
Rev 10:(11) And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."
Let's look at this last verse, John is given a great commission from God. This commission is not to prophesy to many people, nations, tongues, and kings. But to prophesy about many people, nations, tongues, and kings. Imagine if the Bible is still around during the tribulation. All people no matter of their race, color, tongue or status in life will be reading John's Revelation. Just as we are studying about the end time, the people during the tribulation will be reading about their time, just like reading a newspaper. Now isn't that scary.
Yes, the Revelation is like a newspaper, but until the tribulation, we are the print that people will read. We who are the chosen, the believers, must carry, proclaim and exemplify the Word of God. When we accept this calling like John, we will experience the sweetness of knowing the fulfillment of God's Word and also the bitterness of God's wrath that will fall on unbelievers in the end times.
Before beginning Chapter 10, we need to get an understanding of Daniel 9:24-27 which gives his prophesies of the seventy weeks. The word weeks, is a Hebrew word "shabua" that can refer to any period of seven: seven days, seven months, seven years, etc. Only the context indicates what period of seven is intended. As we learned in the introduction to our study of Revelation, the seventy weeks consist of:
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In Revelation 5:2 John saw a "strong angel." In Revelation 10, John saw "another mighty angel" come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: a rainbow was on his head; his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.
The word "mighty" in Greek according to Strong's (Ischuros) means strong, but as used in the first verse, mighty is translated (Ischuroteros), meaning stronger, mightier. This signifies that this particular angel is mightier and very different from the other angel. Could this mighty angel be Jesus? Can Jesus take the form of an angel?
"Angel" from the Greek word aggelos also means messenger. In Joshua 5:13-15, Jesus is taking the form of a man, but identifies himself as the commander of the army of the LORD. Regular angels would not let anyone bow before them they are not God, but the "man" accepts Joshua's worship, and commands Joshua to remove his shoes. If the angel had not been Christ, He would not have permitted Joshua to worship Him.
Is the description of this mighty angel significant? Let's examine this description:
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This seems to be a description for a very "mighty angel"! Is this truly Jesus Christ?
Rev 10:(2) He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, (3) and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. (4) Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."
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The seven thunders are the voice of Christ. What could they have uttered that John was instructed not to write? Evidently we are not supposed to know yet. As we have in both the book of Daniel 12 & Revelation 10, Daniel and John are instructed to seal the books and the content spoken by the seven thunders. The difference is that Daniel is instructed to seal the book till the end of times and John is seeing the end of times.
Do we really need to know all the details of God's plan to trust God, or is his promise enough?
Uttered (Gk- laleö) = to speak
Thunders (Gk-bronié) = to roar, the voice of the Lord.
Also a symbol of God's wrath (Psalm 104:7, Isa. 29:6)
Rev 10:(5) The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven (6) and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer Rev. 10:(5) The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven (6) and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer
Swore(Gk-omunmi) = affirming or denying by an oath
If we remember in Revelation 6:9-11, the saints under the altar asked God, "how long Oh Lord until you will judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth." Now the mighty angel raises his hands to heaven and God, as taking an oath to God. And the angel swears, by Him who lives forever and created everything, that there should be no more delay. Is this an introduction to the seventh trumpet, and the final judgment of God? Is this also the message that the believers on earth have been waiting for, to know that finally the Lord will complete His plan. How about the unbelievers on earth, after all they have seen from the seals opened and the trumpets that were blown? Imagine the fear this is going to bring, if they hear this angel announcing that there will be no more delay. This statement is also announcing the final 3 ½ years of God's judgment of Israel, and all unbelievers.
Rev 10:(7) but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
Mystery: (Gk-mustêrion)= being outside of unassisted natural apprehension, can be made known only by divine revelation, and is made known in a manner and at a time appointed by God, and to those only who are illumined by His Spirit.
When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, as the seventh seal started the sounding of the trumpets,the seventh trumpet will begin the next and final phase of God's judgment (the seven bowl judgments). But after the trumpet is sounded, the mysteries of God will be completed (1Timothy 3:16, Colossians 2:2-3, Amos3: 3-8). Won't it be a glorious day when God's plan is completed, as he foretold to the prophets, and all our questions will be answered (all the mystery of God)
Rev 10: (8) Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
John hears the same voice from verse 10:4. Notice that the instruction is to take the little book which is open. Would this not signify to us that the book is available to read? Do you suppose that as most of us would do, John peeked into the book?
No, John was a faithful servant and did as he was instructed. Could we say the same, would curiosity take over and lead us to peek?
Rev 10:(9) So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth". (10) Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
John speaks to the angel with authority as he says "Give me the little book". The angel hands the book to John, but instructs him to "eat it", and advises him that doing so "it will make your stomach bitter,(Psalms 19: 7-11, Jeremiah 15:16). Why would he instruct John to "eat the book?" Does this seem to be an odd request? Let's go to Ezekiel 2:9 - 3:3, where we shall see a similar situation. If you were given this command from an angel of God, would you obey? As most people tend to do, they pick and choose to obey the instructions from God that will suit their needs. But this is not a "faithful servant", we are not to choose the instructions from God that we like and refuse those we do not like. We are to follow all His commandments, instructions and guidance as given to us by His Spirit. We are also "chosen," "called out", "separated", & "have become a peculiar people (1Peter 2: 9-10)" not to lie around and be served, but to act upon God's command (Matt 28:19-20) and serve just as Jesus came to serve.
The book is God's word, so why would it make his stomach bitter? Possibly because of what is yet to come, but as we can already determine not everything is for us to know!
Rev 10:(11) And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."
Let's look at this last verse, John is given a great commission from God. This commission is not to prophesy to many people, nations, tongues, and kings. But to prophesy about many people, nations, tongues, and kings. Imagine if the Bible is still around during the tribulation. All people no matter of their race, color, tongue or status in life will be reading John's Revelation. Just as we are studying about the end time, the people during the tribulation will be reading about their time, just like reading a newspaper. Now isn't that scary.
Yes, the Revelation is like a newspaper, but until the tribulation, we are the print that people will read. We who are the chosen, the believers, must carry, proclaim and exemplify the Word of God. When we accept this calling like John, we will experience the sweetness of knowing the fulfillment of God's Word and also the bitterness of God's wrath that will fall on unbelievers in the end times.
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