A Message From A Mighty Angel

"A MESSAGE FROM A MIGHTY ANGEL" = Rev. 10:1-7

It is a generally accepted principle that most actions have some sort of re-action

Thank the Lord that it is still generally true, good actions tend to lead to beneficial results

+ Tend a garden properly, you will reap a good harvest

+ Save your money, invest it wisely, and you can have a good, secure retirement

+ Work hard, and you will get recognized, you will probably be promoted, and you will find success

And, thank the Lord, it is still generally true, when you do wrong, there are generally negative consequences

+ Exceed the speed limit, you may get a ticket

+ Why do we keep poisons secure from infant children?

+ Cheat on a test, you may get caught

+ Make bad, or even immoral, decisions in running a business, you could go bankrupt

+ And look at all of the problems & heartaches caused by individuals engaged in intimate, sexual relationships which happen outside the boundaries approved by God

This principle is a foundation upon which God put into practice very early in His creation = Gen. 2:15-17

+ And God tells us that there are consequences for our actions = Gal. 6:7-8

+ And that includes judgement & damnation for those who die without Christ

+ And for those of us who have been "bought with a price," our duty is to STUDY HIS WORD = to know how to live pleasing to God

+ AND TO PREACH HIS WORD = with our lips AND our lives = glorifying God

+ AND TO TEACH HIS WORD = discipling those who believe the Gospel so they can go & do likewise

This is especially true when we speak of studying Biblical prophecy

We read & study about the judgements to come, our studying should...

+ ...calm our fears about the future = God is in control, on the Throne

+ ...generate enthusiasm about God’s plan / program = God’s perspective

+ ...motivate us toward holy living = As Paul writes...1 Cor. 9:24-27

And according to God = [Rev. 1:3] = That’s His reason for giving us this Revelation

+ And the heart of the book is a revelation of judgement

+ And the sequence of events can leave the reader breathless by the amazing and sweep of movement through time

+ So thank God that He occasionally pauses the action of judgement to give us insight on other concurrent events in the Tribulation

+ And just as there was an interlude between the 6th & 7th Seals = In chap. 10 & most of 11 we find an interlude between the 6th & 7th Trumpets

+ And just as there were 2 parenthetical visions before, so there are 2 now here

+ And in case your wondering, in terms of the time-line, we are nearing the mid-point of the Trib. period

WHAT IS IT THAT GOD WANTS US = WHO WILL NOT GO THROUGH THE TRIB = TO SEE IN THIS FIRST PARENTHETICAL VISION?

AND, HOW WILL IT HELP US LIVE FOR HIM HERE & NOW?

FIRST, WE SEE THE INTERLUDE OF THE "MIGHTY ANGEL" [1-2]

+ A minor "controversy" of Revelation = The identity of this angel

+ Those who believe it is Jesus Christ include Dr. Henry Morris, Dr. Harold Wilmington, and in the notes in their respective Bibles, Dr. CI Scofield & Dr. Charles Ryrie seem to suggest it

+ The general reasons why = His description [1, 3] = His stand [2] = His oath [5-6]

+ Heb. 6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

+ HOWEVER....there are many who say it is NOT CHRIST = Dr. John Walvoord, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Dr. Tim LaHaye, Dr. MerrillUnger

+ The general reasons why:

[1] Christ doesn’t appear as an angel in the Book, or else where in the NT

[2] True, He IS "the angel of the Lord" in OT theophanies = BUT that was in His pre-incarnate state = Rev. is well past the point of His conception, birth, life, death & resurrection

[3] Up to this point, John seemed to recognize Christ when He appeared = 1:12-17 = 5:5-6

[4] Consider His Self-References in His message to His churches = 2: 1, 8, 12, 18 = 3:1, 7, 14

[5] And what happens when He appears? (Especially when He is not directing the judgements to come...) = 4:10 = 5:14 = 15:3-4

[6] AND the clincher for me = mere angels refuse John’s worship. They re-direct his attention to the Lord = 19:10 = 22:8-9

[7] Even here, the angel directs our attention to the Lord [5-6]

+ So I’m not convinced this angel is Christ = But if you made the argument He was, you’d be in good company