Rev. # 32~10:1-4 ANOTHER MIGHTY ANGEL 11-28-09
Well we’re in the 2nd set of judgments, the trumpet judgments, we’ve already talked about the 1st set of judgments, which were the seal judgments, and we’re here in chapter 10: today.
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But before we get into chapter 10: I want to point something out about the three interludes, or parenthesis that we find in the Revelation. First of all lets realize that an interlude is put there to give us more information, as I told you before, lets say that there are two people on the telephone talking about a certain matter, and then one of them interrupts the main subject to add something else to the conversation, and then after that has been said the main subject is once again continued.
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Let me point out that the 1st interlude, or parenthesis took place after the 6th seal was opened, which was in Rev. 6:12, and then the interlude of chapter 7: and there we saw that there would be 144000 male Israelites, 12000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel that would receive Gods seal in their foreheads and that they would go all over the world during the 7 year tribulation preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, and that there would be multitudes of people the world over that would be saved as they hear for the very 1st time the glorious truth to do about the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is about to set up His Kingdom.
The 7th seal was not opened until chapter 8:1.
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All three interludes take place in between each of the 6th and 7th judgments of each of all three sets of judgments, the seals, ---the trumpets, ---and the vial judgments, each set has 7 different plagues that come from them.
Ø I hope I’m not confusing some of you with all these numbers, just remember the “seal judgments have 7 plagues,-- the trumpet judgments have 7 plagues, ---the vial judgments have 7 plagues.===the three sets have 7 plagues each.
There is also a parenthesis between the sixth and seventh trumpets, and another between the sixth and seventh vial judgments..
Chapter seven is a parenthesis. In chapter six we saw the opening of the six seals and the judgments, which followed.
But the seventh seal does not follow in order; the Lamb does not open the seventh seal until chapter 8:1
If chapter 7: had been left out all together, the reading of the Revelation would still have given us a complete picture of the seal judgments,
The leaving out of chapter seven would not take away from the picture from man’s viewpoint. But the parenthesis is there, and it was put there by the Lord for a reason.
Ø What was the reason? - The judgment winds have been blowing, but now there is a lull in the storm. God stops the storm in order to show mercy to those who will accept it, preparing them for the worst. Chapter seven is the mercy chapter of Revelation.
7:1-3 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth that the wind should not blow on the earth,{winds of judgment} nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
I’ve said all that to point out that chapter 7: is the 1st interlude that we’ve come to in the Revelation.
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There are three interludes altogether, and they’re always between the 6th and 7th judgments of all 3 sets.
These parenthesis chapters are to inform us of additional information as to what will occur during this time, the interludes are inserted for us to be more informed as to what will happen.
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Listen—what we read in chapters 10:—14: describes the events that will occur at the middle of the seven-year Tribulation. This explains John’s repeated mention of the three-and-a-half-year time segment in one form or another, we read in;
11:2-3 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. {3 ½ years}
3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, {3 ½ years}
12:6 And the woman** fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. {3 ½ years}
12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,- {3 ½ years}
13:5 And there was given unto him** a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. -{3 ½ years}
So all these verse tell us that chapters 10-14 are what will be evident at the middle of the 7-year tribulation.
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If you’ll recall, at the beginning of the 7-year period, the Antichrist began to make his conquest by promising to protect the Jews and will allow them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
But after three and a half years, he will break his agreement, invade the temple, declare himself to be God and begin to persecute the Jewish people.
But God is not without His witness to the world. In chapters 10 and 11 are three important testimonies: from a mighty Angel (10:1-11 that we’re about to get into), & from the two special witnesses 11:1-14 that we believe to be Moses and Elijah, and from the elders in heaven 11:15-19 who we believe to be the church.
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Chapter 10:1-through 11:14 is the 2nd interlude or parentheses if you will.
Ø In this parenthesis in chapter 10:1-chapter 11:14 we’ll read about “ANOTHER MIGHTY ANGEL”, and as we read the verses we’ll see the actions of this Mighty Angel and that it seems to be the Lord Jesus, all writers don’t agree as to Who this is, but I believe that because of the many verses in the Bible that seems to indicate its the Lord, I personally believe it is Him.
Listen as we read verse I of chapter 10:
1And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
The “mighty angel” here is not named. However, there are a number of things about Him which have led some teachers of the Bible to identify Him as Jesus Christ. The idea that Christ should be called an angel need not trouble us “Angel” like “Son of Man,” is a title, and neither implies that the One
who bears the title is a created being.
Frequently in the Old Testament we meet with “the Angel of Jehovah.” These preincarnate appearances of Christ are called theophanies or Christophanies.
He is called “the angel of the LORD in
Exodus 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Isaiah 63:9 He is called “the angel of His [Jehovah’s] presence”
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
The claims and actions of the Angel of Jehovah pertain only to Deity.
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-- John saw Him clothed with a cloud—
The cloud was the garment of the divine presence and was associated with divine movements. The Lord directed Israel by day in “a, pillar of cloud”
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:--
John saw a rainbow was upon his head—
The rainbow is the symbol of God’s everlasting covenant with the earth (Genesis 9:12-13), and we would not expect any one other than the Divine Person to wear it upon His head.
Ezekiel saw the rainbow as part of the glory of the throne of God in
Ezekiel 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
Just as the cloud points to the coming storm of wrath in divine judgment, so the rainbow points to mercy in the midst of judgment, an evident symbol of security for all who believe.
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Also in verse 1- his face was as it were the sun-
John said in chapter 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two edged sword: and his countenance {His face} was as the sun shineth in his strength.
On the Mount of Transfiguration,
Matthew 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
As Saul of Tarsus was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians he saw
Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
And so because of so many scriptures pointing to this Mighty Angle being the Lord, I feel confident that He is.
It would seem that the Mighty Angel is He whom the prophet Malachi described as “the Sun* of righteousness”
Malachi 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;--
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verse 1--and his feet as pillars of fire:
John saw in chapter 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace--
“BRASS” is typical of judgment; these are the feet of majesty set for the judgment of the earth.
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verses 2- And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth
Verse 2 -John sees a little book open—
It is the same book as the seven-sealed book of 5:1 that’s in the Fathers hand and then the Lamb comes forward and takes the book from the Fathers hand, as The Lamb was the only One found worthy to do so.
5: 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne—
So once again; no one else was worthy to receive this book, this certainly indicates it’s the Lord Jesus, as THE MIGHTY ANGEL.
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verse 2- and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth--
The sea and the land stand for the total of this material world. The action of planting the feet down, one foot on the earth and the other on the sea, is declaring His claims both the earth and the sea as His own possession.
1 Corinthians 10:26 -For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
God said to Joshua and also to Moses in
Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses -
MOSES- Deuteronomy 11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours:
The Mighty Angel is “the Lord of all the earth”
Joshua 3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth--
Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Ø When He sets His feet on the land and the sea He will express His intention of taking possession of that which is His.
One writer said, “It is an act befitting the character and office of Christ, but hardly a created angel.”
Christ came to have dominion over all creation, so then all things must be put under His feet.
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verse 3-And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth:
Here is the mighty voice of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Revelation 5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Hebrews 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda-
Hosea prophesied in Hosea 11:10 --he shall roar like a lion: when he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.
Joel 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake:
Christ asserts His right to rule and His intention of accomplishing it.
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Verse 3-- and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.-
Many times in the Bible “thunder” is a type of God’s voice in judgment.
1 Samuel 7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines--
Psalm 18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
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John heard what the thunders said, and when he was about to put into writing what he heard, and a voice from Heaven said:
4And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
No one knows what the 7 thunders said, and it is all speculation for anyone to say what they said, John was not allowed to pin it down.
It may be that the seven thunders in Psalm 29 are in reference to these same thunders of judgment.
Where “the voice of the LORD” goes forth seven times as thunder.
Here in Revelation 10 the seven thunders are the judgment thunders of God.
The command to John was clear and absolute, and John obeyed it. And so what the seven thunders said is not known by any of us, so it is foolish to speculate.
The seven thunders are the only part of this book, which has been sealed. Concerning the rest of what John saw and heard; the Lord said to him, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (22:10).
