Revelation 10-11
Eating Scrolls and Two Witnesses
October 4, 2020
Revelation takes us from a prison island to paradise.
God has a plan to save the world even when the world is crumbling.
It’s easy to lose interest in the slow, patient work of God’s salvation.
Revelation 10:8-11 NIV
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.” 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.” 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. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.” (Jeremiah 1:10)
Ezekiel 3:1-3 NIV
And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
We all receive the word like sweet honey.
What is this bitterness?
The bitterness is the rejection all of us will experience when we share these truths.
Every great leader in Scripture has received a sweet word from God, only to be rejected when they speak it to others.
We believe the only barrier between a gracious God and a lost world is clear communication. The Bible doesn’t tell us this!
V.11 – “You must prophesy again …”
Revelation 11:7-10 NIV
Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.10 The 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.
It’s both difficult and dangerous to tell the truth.
Martyr – someone who loses their life for telling the truth.
Jesus not only rose from the grave, he ascended to heaven and then released the power of the Holy Spirit to his disciples in the upper room.
Suddenly, they discovered the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit!
They were transformed from a fearful and discouraged band of followers to a courageous and powerful band of witnesses.
What keeps us from witnessing?
1. We fear rejection.
2. We don’t feel prepared.
3. We don’t think it’s our responsibility.
God doesn’t have any grandchildren. Each generation must hear and believe the Good News!
Our witness should sound like our prayers.
When we pray compassionate and kind prayers for people, we begin to feel compassion and kindness toward them.
We’ll never reach people we fear or hate.
God has always intended to save us, not destroy us.
