Revelation, Part 15 Series

Revelation Part 15

Revelation 10:1-11

Introduction

Last time we concluded with 5 major sins that God wanted us to be aware of in the end times, and I believe it is because God is trying to give us a sneak preview of the world to come.

Because man will not repent today, I believe that God is trying to show us that the battle is never over, that even in the future sins will plague mankind in a way that is not only uncontrollable – but completely unbelievable as well.

This morning, we begin in Revelation Chapter 10. This period time is happening between the sixth and seventh trumpet and is happening just before the midpoint in what we have come to know as the Tribulation.

Chapter 10 is also the setting of the stage for the arrival of the two witnesses who will be responsible for spreading the Gospel to all the nations.

Pray

Point 1 – The Mighty Angel (v1-2)

Notice a change of the author’s standpoint, he saw the mighty angel come down from heaven so John must have been transported to the Earth to view these next events.

This angel must be very close to Jesus, perhaps his own angel – because the similarities are so close in description to how Jesus appears to John in Chapter 1 (feet like bronze, face shown like the sun, coming in the clouds … what is most interesting is Rev 1:1 says that Jesus has sent his angel to show these things to John, so perhaps this is Jesus angel being described and taking his place on the stage of history.

A scroll could be anything rolled up, and note that this scroll is small. It could be because this angel appears so large, that the scroll is very tiny compared to his hand. Another example of his size is how he appears: standing on the sea and the land! This angel has absolute authority from God to assume this position, and to have command over the entire area.

Perhaps this scroll is the Word of God which is to be spread to all nations? We will see how this scroll ties into everything in just a short while.

Note: This is not the same scroll that Jesus took in Rev Chapter 5.

Point 2 – A Voice of Authority (v3-4)

This voice that was booming from the sky has to be the all-mighty authority Jesus. Note that the angel speaks in what sounds like a roaring lion, and THEN there is an answer from Heaven.

God is waiting to hear from us today, and when we speak to Him he does answer – and here I believe that John is hearing the authority in the voice of God. Think for a moment of the zoo – you can hear a lion roaring from one end to the other … and they do this for authority, so that other animals will know they are in control. This angel is showing his control given to him by God, and louder than a lion’s roar is the sound of thunder.

The voice of the thunder is without a doubt, the ancient of days answering. I believe with everything in me that this angel belongs personally to Jesus, and they are in conversation - but due to the appearance of this angel, I think they are in close fellowship. Remember when Moses spent time with God on Mt Sinai – he had to wear a veil because his face shown so brightly - just as this angel appears to John.

Being obedient, John was prepared to write what the voice said and was then told to not write a thing. This may have been God correcting John because He heard too much. In all of Revelation John is a recorder (or a reporter) of events, and here he is told not to write down what he has just heard.

Daniel is also told something very similar in Daniel 12:9 when he is given his visions, the Lord’s angel says to him “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

In this instance, there is a simple truth. In the book of Revelation we are seeing the future of the Earth according to God and are permitted to have it revealed to us – but we do not need to hear it all.

Perhaps our minds cannot comprehend it all, and perhaps revealed too much or could have been misinterpreted? Either way, God instructs John to not repeat what he has heard.

Point 3 – A Pledge and Prophecies Fulfilled

(v5-6)

This angel is taking an oath – he is pledging to God. Simply stated, this angel is showing his allegiance to the Father, and this is his act of worship – to testify who God is.