WEEK 25
“John Eats the Little Book”
Date: January 22, 2003
Place: Allendale Baptist Church
Text: Revelation 10: 1-11
Introduction
Being off for several weeks let’s begin with verse 1 of chapter 10. We have come to a pause or a parenthesis between the 6th and the 7th trumpet.
* We have said that these interludes is God’s intentions to encourage and comfort His people in the midst of the fury and remind them of His sovereignty, that He remembers His people and that He will ultimately be victorious.
Verse 1
“Another mighty angel”
This angel has brought great discussion among theologians for years.
Some say this to be Jesus Christ.
It is true that in the OT the preincarnate Christ was seen as the “Angel of the Lord”.
But after He took on for Himself the nature of humanity, after He died on the cross, after He rose and ascended into heaven, He has taken His rightful place of great power and glory at God’s right hand.
We must remember that Jesus was not or never an angel, He is fully God and took on the appearance of man.
We must also keep in mind that this book of Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ.
We see new glories of His person, of His power and of His performance.
He is now judging a Christ-rejecting world.
The evidence that this is not speaking of Jesus is the use of the word and adjective “another”, which means one of the same kind.
It could be the clothing that has caused some to identify this angel with Jesus.
“Clothed with a cloud”
This array of clothing shows us that this angel is a diplomatic representative of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember that angels announced His first coming and will again announce His second coming to earth.
“And a rainbow was on his head”
This is his cap and seems to be a reminder of God’s covenant with man.
God will always protect His own.
“And his face was like the sun”
This speaks of this angel’s identification with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I believe the angel’s face is shining because he has come out of the presence of the Lord.
Remember when Moses came down from the mountain after meeting with God, his face was said to shine.
“And his feet like pillars of fire”
This speaks of the judgment which will come.
Verse 2
“A little book”
I believe this to be the seven-sealed book which we have seen before.
We noticed back in chapter 5:1, a little book or scroll which could only be opened by the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
We said that that book or scroll was the title deed to the earth.
This is the only book that has been put before us and is not identified any other way.
Notice also…
“And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land”
Although Satan has temporarily taken possession of the sea and the earth, this symbolic act shows that all of creation still belongs to the Lord and He rules it with sovereign authority.
This angel now claims the earth and sea for the Lord Jesus.
When explorers land on uncharted land they would place their nation’s flag as a symbol or ownership.
Verse 3
“And cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars.”
The angel cries out for all to hear of God’s ownership.
“Seven thunders uttered their voices”
Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, “These seven thunders is God’s amen to the angel’s claim.”
Psalm 29:3 says; “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; The Go of glory thunders. The Lord is over many waters.”
Job 37: 5 says; “God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot understand.”
I have heard some speak of God’s voice as a still small voice.
That is true sometimes God whispers to our spirit, but I have sometimes seen in my own life how God shouts to us.
Verse 4
“Seal up”
John was about to write down what ever God had spoken, but was told he must conceal the message of the 7 thunders until God’s time.
Some have tried to translate what was spoken.
We need to be reminded that there are many things God is not telling us. This seems to be one.
Verse 5 & 6
“Raised up his hand to the heaven” and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer.”
This is a technical term which the angel is taking an oath or a solemn vow.
His hand is raised toward heaven because that is where God dwells.
“And swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer.”
This initiates the last plagues of the Day of the Lord, indicating that the end has come and that the prayers of the saints will be answered.
Verse 7
This all takes place when the 7th angel is preparing to blow the trumpet.
This would mean that the 7th trumpet brings us to the conclusion of the great tribulation.
It is at this time that the “mystery of God” is finally made clear.
“The mystery” is a term which means to shut or to close. In the NT, a mystery is a truth that God concealed but has revealed through Christ.
Here the mystery is the final consummation of all things as God destroys sinners and establishes His righteous kingdom on earth.
Verse 8
This order comes from the “voice which I heard from heaven”.
The same voice which in verse 4 told the apostle not to write down what he had heard the “seven thunders” say.
Verse 9 & 10
The apostle is told to take and eat it.
John is told to do something very strange but has a very typical meaning.
This act illustrates taking in God’s Word.
God’s Word is often compared to food: Bread in Matthew 4:4; Milk in 1 Peter 2:2; Meat in 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 and Honey in Psalm 119:103.
John’s physical reactions demonstrate what every believer’s proper response to God’s judgment should be.
Sweet application of God’s glory and our victory, and at the same time, the bitterness of seeing God’s wrath poured out on those who reject Him.
How true this is for us today or should be. The victory we have in Him. But it should make us sick to our stomach of those who are perishing among us.
Verse 11
This verse is a call for John to warn men about the bitter judgment of the coming 7th trumpet and the bowls.
But listen to what it is speaking to the church today.
Judgment is coming tell many peoples, nations, tongues and kings.
I close with this tonight, how can we as a people claiming to be of God and not tell folks not be concerned about people in our families in our neighborhoods or even have a desire to repay a visit to those who visit us?
