Sweet As Honey, But Bitter To The Tummy.
Revelation 10:1-10TPT
I saw a car tag with the state of Missouri on it. In the bottom of the tag it read, “Show Me state.” The phrase, “Show Me,” was coined in 1899 by then Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver while delivering a speech in Philadelphia. “I come from a state,” he said, “that raises corn and cotton, and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”
This thought came to mind, Many of us in the body of Christ are waiting for the scriptures to “show us,” to manifest in our lives—before we will be completely convinced that scripture is true. God wants to take that Missouri out of us. Many of us have seen the power of God operating through others and we talk about it like it’s a fond memory. “Do you remember when ...” “I still remember the day that…” “Wasn’t that amazing?”
When we find ourselves thinking fondly of God’s power moving in days gone by, we break our Father’s heart, because we are living far below His life that lives in us. He doesn’t want the power to be a memory.
“He wants the power and authority of Jesus to be an everyday present reality in our lives. He wants it to be a part of who we are. He wants the power to flow so people will be born again. He wants people to know that there is a God in Calhoun Ga. at CECC!"
Sermon central.com ”Fat” Is Where It’s At
Contributed by Barry O Johnson on Aug 19, 2019
Before we get into this evening’s scriptures, The judgment of God seems sweet when we think of the eradication of evil from the world. But how bitter the judgment will be when it comes. God’s job is judgment; Our job is love.
Revelation 10:1TPT Then I saw another extremely powerful messenger coming out of heaven, robed in a cloud. There was a halo over his head like a rainbow; his face shined bright like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.
This mighty messenger is Jesus Christ, whose face shines as bright as the sun.
Matthew 17:1-2TPT Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, Jacob and John, and hiked up a high mountain to be alone. 2 Then Jesus’ appearance was dramatically altered. A radiant light as bright as the sun poured from his face. And his clothing became luminescent—dazzling like lightning. He was transfigured before their very eyes.
Notice again verse 1b, this halo over Jesus’ head was like a rainbow.
The Aramaic can be translated “a rainbow of heaven was over his head.”
Again, This extremely powerful messenger is Christ.
Listen to, Daniel 10:5-6NLT I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. 6 His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people.
In Revelation chapter 5, through chapter 8, we learned that Jesus holds the scroll and is the only one found worthy to open it.
Inside the pages of God’s word we can see vivid pictures of Jesus in all of His glory.
Revelation 1:12-16TPT When I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, I saw seven golden lampstands. 13 And walking among the lampstands, I saw someone like a son of man, wearing a full-length robe with a golden sash over his chest. 14 His head and his hair were white like wool—white as glistening snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire! 15 His feet were gleaming like bright metal, as though they were glowing in a fire, and his voice was like the roar of many rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. And his face was shining like the brightness of the blinding sun!
Again Jesus holds the scroll and now gives it to John. He is like the roaring Lion of Judah.
Listen to, Isaiah 31:4–5TPT This is what Yahweh said to me: “When a lion, the great beast, growls over his prey, and when the shepherds band together against him, the lion is neither terrified by their shouts nor disturbed by all the noise they make. So will Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, come down to fight for you on Mount Zion and on Zion’s hill! 5 Just as a bird hovers over its nest to protect its young, so will Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, shield Jerusalem. He will protect her, deliver her, spare her, and rescue her!” Jeremiah 25:29-36, Hosea 11:10-11, Joel 3:16, Amos 3:8.
Revelation 11:3 Jesus will give the two witnesses their power.
Revelation 10:2TPT He held an opened scroll in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
Jesus’ right foot being on the sea and His left on the land represent, total rule and authority.
Many translations read he opened a small book; however, this is most likely the same scroll Jesus opens in Revelation 5-7. Again, no one was found worthy to open this scroll accept Jesus.
Revelation 10:3-4TPT and gave a tremendous shout, like a lion’s roar. When he shouted, the seven thunders responded, rumbling out their messages. 4 I was about to write the messages of the seven thunders, but I heard a heavenly voice say to me: Don’t write a word, but place a seal on what the seven thunders have spoken.
No one knows what these seven (7) thunders were, but seven thunders are the complete message of God sent out by the seven Spirits of God.
Hear the thunderous voice of God in, John 12:27-29TPT “Even though I am torn within, and my soul is in turmoil, I will not ask the Father to rescue me from this hour of trial. For I have come to fulfill my purpose—to offer myself to God. 28 So, Father, bring glory to your name!” Then suddenly a booming voice was heard from the sky, “I have glorified my name! And I will glorify it through you again!”
29 The audible voice of God startled the crowd standing nearby. Some thought it was only thunder, yet others said, “An angel just spoke to him!”
When Jesus comes back to the earth He will come with full power and authority! This should show every believer why every knee will bow. P.H
Revelation 10:5-6TPT Then the mighty angel whom I saw astride the sea and the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore an oath by him who lives for an eternity of eternities, the Creator of heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them: No more delay!
Think about this, Verse 6c, “You will not have to wait any longer” or “Time’s up.” God say’s no more delay!
Revelation 10:7TPT For in the day when the seventh angel is to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
The mystery of God is a description of the whole content of the book of Revelation.
Revelation speaks all about the victory of God, plus those who stand triumphant with him, but it also speaks of those who continually defy Jesus Christ. (To be in opposition of Jesus, means to choose eternal punishment—hell). P.H
Revelation 10:8-9TPT Then the heavenly voice spoke to me again: Go, take the open scroll from the hand of the angel (Jesus) who is standing on the sea and on the land. 9 I went up to the angel (Jesus) who stood on the sea and the land and told him to give me the little scroll. Then he said to me, “Take it, and eat it. It will be sour in your stomach but sweet as honey in your mouth.”
“Innermost being” or “womb.” The message of the unrolled scroll would be bittersweet.
John then eats the small scroll. Its contents must become part of him, so to speak, so that he can pass on its message with greater meaning and force. Because it is God's message he finds it sweet at first, but when he understands the judgments it reveals, he finds it unpleasant. He has no joy in announcing it.
Listen to this powerful scripture reference: Ezekiel 3:1-3NLT The voice said to me, “Son of man, eat what I am giving you—eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he fed me the scroll. 3 “Fill your stomach with this,” he said. And when I ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
One more, 2 Corinthians 2:15-16NLT Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?
Because of Jesus this word—God’s word should be sweet to our lips. It should mean everything to us just to say, Jesus loves you!
Revelation 10:10TPT I took the little scroll
from the hand of the mighty angel and ate it.
Indeed, it was sweet as honey to taste, but
after I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter.
Honey is a picture of revelation-knowledge.
Psalm 19:7-13NKJV The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. 12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. 13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
Revelation 10:11TPT Then they said to me “You must go back and prophesy again to many peoples, and nations, and languages, and kings!”
This was an encouragement to John that he would be freed from his exile on Patmos to yet prophesy to us today through his writings.
“I believe one of the greatest gifts is the gift of prophesy, this gift means to speak God word over yourself, as well as over others.” P.H
According to Revelation 19:10, The end time church will have the “testimony of Jesus Christ” which is “the spirit of prophecy.”
Paul wrote to the Ephesians 4:13, that the gift of prophecy would remain in the church “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God”
Benediction.
