The Little Scroll

The Little Scroll

Revelation, Part 12, Revelation 10:1-11

Introduction

- In Ch. 9 John sees 5 sins that will plague mankind during the tribulation

-- Idolatry (Greek word is eidololatria)

-- Murder (Greek word is phonon)

-- Sorceries (Greek word is farmakeiva)

-- Sexual immorality (Greek word is porneiva)

-- Thefts (Greek word is klope)

- If we need to repent of these then we need to do so immediately

-- Our dependency must be on God (we AREN’T able to do this ourselves)

--- PROOF: We always try but go right back to our “favorite sin”

- But, what about others that we come in contact with?

-- How do we share this truth but love on them in the same manner?

- APP: We need to be bold … yet gracious (repeat)

-- Bold: confident and courageous

-- Gracious: courteous, kind, and pleasant (showing grace)

- The truth is not convenient, nor does it always make us feel good

-- However, God’s word is not to make us feel good, but to change us

-- This is our challenge … and why it’s important we know that we know!

- This morning, we begin Chapter 10

-- This is just before the midpoint of the Tribulation

- Chapter 10 is also the setting of the stage for the arrival of 2 two witnesses

-- They will be responsible for spreading the Gospel to all the nations

Read Revelation 10:1-11

Ω Point 1 – The Mighty Angel (v1-2)

- Notice a change of the author’s standpoint

-- John saw “the mighty angel” come down from heaven

-- John has been transported to the Earth to view these next events

- This angel must be very close to Jesus, perhaps an angel of his own use

-- The similarities are close in description to how Jesus appears to John

-- It demonstrates a brilliance of the beings in Heaven at God’s disposal

-- What is most interesting is Rev 1:1 says that Jesus has sent his angel to show these things to John (“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”).

- Due to the appearance of this angel, they are obviously close in fellowship

-- Remember when Moses spent time with God on Mt Sinai – he had to wear a veil because his face shown so brightly – this angel shines also!

-- APP: It demonstrates what those who are in God’s presence look like

- A scroll could be anything rolled up, and note that carries information

-- It could be because this angel appears so large, that the scroll is very tiny

-- Another example of his size is: he’s standing on the sea and the land!

-- Again, this angel has absolute authority from God to assume this position

- IMP: This is not the same scroll that Jesus took in Rev Chapter 5

-- That is deed to the Earth which demonstrates ownership; which God has

Ω Point 2 – The Voice of Authority (v3-4)

- This voice that was booming from the sky is the Ancient of Days

-- The authority of what to write comes from Jesus (Rev 1:19, “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.”)

- The angel speaks in what sounds like a roaring lion

-- THEN there is an answer from Heaven

- There is an important application here for us to see:

-- God is waiting to hear from us, and when we speak to Him he does answer

-- Here I believe that John is hearing the authority in the voice of God

- Think about the zoo: you can hear a lion roaring from one end to the other

-- They do this for authority, so that other animals will know the authority

-- This angel is showing control given by God by demonstrating his power

- John was prepared to write what the voice said, but told NOT to write

-- In all of Revelation John is a recorder (or a reporter) of events

-- This may have been God correcting John because He heard too much

- Daniel is also told something very similar in Daniel 12:9 when he is given his visions, the Lord’s angel says to him “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

- In this instance, there is a simple truth:

-- In the book of Revelation we are seeing the future of the Earth

-- We are permitted to have it revealed to us; but we do not need to hear it all

-- Perhaps our minds cannot comprehend it?