Organic Faith: Worship And Witness Series

ORGANIC FAITH: WORSHIP AND WITNESS

Rev. 10-11

Sermon Objective: Our Witness for Christ flows naturally out of a faith grounded in Worship and The Word.

REV. 10 (NIV)

As I read to you about the final trumpet / announcement this morning, it might help to keep in mind what I said last week. Some students of the book, including myself, understand the three series in the book (seals, trumpets and bowls) to be parallel records of history not sequential. One of the reasons for this is that each ends with what could be the second coming of Jesus. Each “7th” becomes more detailed and the final one ends with a few chapters talking about this climax of history.

Watch for this as we read today’s passage.

Rev 10:1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.

Rev 10:2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,

Rev 10:3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.

Rev 10:4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”

Rev 10:5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.

Rev 10:6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay!

Rev 10:7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

Rev 10:8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

Rev 10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”

Rev 10:10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.

Rev 10:11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

REV. 11 (NIV)

Rev 11:1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, "Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the worshipers there. 2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Rev 11:7Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Rev 11:11But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.