Revelation Study Series 15 - God’s Mysterious Plan Fulfilled (Chapter 10)
02.13.22
Message…
“A woman woke up one morning, turned to her husband and said, “Honey, I just had a dream that you bought me a new gold necklace. What do you think it means?”
He answered, “I don’t know, but Valentine’s Day is coming soon. Then you’ll know.”
A few nights later, she again woke up after having a dream. She said, “This time, I dreamed you gave me a pearl necklace. What do you think it means?”
“You’ll know on Valentines’ Day,” he replied.
The morning of Valentine’s Day, she again woke up telling him about her dream: “This time I dreamed that you brought me a diamond necklace. What do you think it means?”
“Honey, be patient,” he said. “You’ll know tonight.”
That evening, the husband came home with a package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, she opened it–and found a book titled The Meaning of Dreams.”
https://www.preaching.com/sermon-illustrations/illustration-gifts-valentines-day/
Revelation 10
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.
2 And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
3 And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.”
Before the seventh trumpet judgment sounded, before the third “Terror” or “Woe” is declared we have chapter 10 and part of ch. 11 (we will get to next week) tucked in here. It adds some details and intriguing Truth to understand!
Revelation 10:1
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.
Some would say this angel is Christ.
“Another”...Gr. means one of the same kind, (but another one)
Both Tim LaHaye and Bro. McGee, points out that in the book of Revelation, nowhere does scripture reference Christ as an angel.
The OT often recognized Him as the “Angel of the Lord”. However, after His earthly ministry, His taking on human flesh, His death/burial and His resurrection…He is Christ! In all His power and glory!
The book of Revelation is the very revealing of Christ!
This is “another” angel, a mighty one, a strong one.
“surrounded by a cloud”...gives him the identity of being sent from heaven, by the Lord.
“rainbow over his head”...possibly, a reminder of God’s covenant with man that He will never destroy the whole earth with a flood. God will spare the righteous from the wicked just as He did with Noah and his family.
“his face shone like the sun”...a reflection of glory from whose presence he has been sent. (Remember Moses' face glowed when he had spent time on the mountain with God. He had to wear a veil because the people could not bear to look at him with the brightness of his face. Ex. 34:29-35)
“his feet were like pillars of fire”...an image of pending judgment.
Revelation 10:2
2 And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
This “small scroll” may be the seven sealed scroll, or another.
His feet straddle both the sea and the earth. This is symbolic of the fact that all things belong to the Lord. He has authority over everything and all things.
Revelation 10:3
3 And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
The angel/messenger cries out with a loud voice the message he was given. After the angel cries out the message…
“the seven thunders answered.”
Psalm 29:3-8
3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.
The God of glory thunders.
The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
5 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;
the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf;
He makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord strikes
with bolts of lightning.
8 The voice of the Lord makes the barren wilderness
quake; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord twists mighty oaks
and strips the forests bare. In His Temple everyone
shouts, “Glory!”
Job 37:5 God thundereth marvellously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.
God is the “Seven Thunders” who answers!!!
Revelation 10:4
When the Seven Thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret what the Seven Thunders said, and do not write it down.”
John heard what the Lord said!
John heard what was revealed!
John heard what was going to happen!
John heard what was to come!
John began to write it down!
He began to put his thoughts to ink on paper…
God, the Seven Thunders said… “Stop John! Don’t write down what you just heard!”
Now we have a great mystery! What did the “seven thunders” say?!
What did God declare/reveal that He then wanted kept secret?!
Revelation 10:5-7
5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven.
6 He swore an oath in the name of the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay.
7 When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as He announced it to His servants the prophets.”
John wasn’t the first one in scripture told to stop writing down revelation from God…
Daniel was an OT prophet of God. (You remember Daniel and the lion’s den…this is the same Daniel.)
Daniel lived well over 600 years before John.
In the book of Daniel, he writes…
Daniel 12:7-9
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.
8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what shall be the end of these things?"
9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
It’s not for you to know Daniel!
It’s not for you to reveal John!
It is a mystery! And it will remain a mystery until it is fulfilled and then revealed!
God’s message does not change! God does not change! What He promised then, He promises now!
And, we are closer to finding out this secret that God sealed! Closer than Daniel was! Closer than John was! Because the coming of the Lord is drawing near!
Vs. 6 declares “there will be no more delay”…
“Humanity has been living in the time of God’s delay for centuries, but this angel warns the human race that God is about to conclude His patience in the face of their rebellion against His will, and that soon the final consummation will take place.”
-Revelation Unveiled, Tim LeHaye pg. 180
?(God shut the door of the Ark He had Noah build. There will come a time when the door will be shut. The age of grace will end, and God’s righteous judgment will begin!
Life Application #1…
God does not reveal everything to you! Why?
You couldn’t handle it! You're not ready for it!
You wouldn’t be able to understand it!
If you knew what was coming you might act in fear, rather than faith…
There are many reasons why God does not reveal everything to you…
However, He has revealed all that you need to know! What He has revealed will happen!
I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it… Eze 24:14 -NKJV
It is the same with My Word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:11
You may want certain answers to things in life from God…
Why did this happen? Why did that happen?
Why did so and so die when they did? Why did God take them?
Why am I going through what I am going through?
You may have a lot of questions for God. It’s okay to ask…God might reveal the answer to you! And, He might not! That doesn’t mean there isn’t a reason!
God has a reason for everything He does or does not do! There is a purpose…there is a plan! God will always accomplish His Word, His Will, and His Way for His Kingdom!
Deuteronomy 29:29
“The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that He has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.
17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.
Revelation 10:8-9
8 Then the voice from heaven spoke to me again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!”
Take that little scroll John…eat it!
Now, this mystery here…becomes a little strange.
Eat this scroll John! ?John’s probably thinking, “Thank goodness it’s a little scroll.”
This isn’t an attempt to get rid of the scroll.
As strange as this command is to John it has a meaning, and purpose.
Revelation 10:10
10 So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.
Life Application #2…
God’s Word is to be taken in…it is to be devoured.
God’s Word is to be eaten. It is sweet as honey. It’s good for you! “Taste and see that the Lord is good….” Psa. 34:8
The Word is good/sweet…but, its message can be bitter.
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
It’s bitter because it is the Truth! It’s bitter because it not only reveals God’s truth…but the truth about you!
Your heart! Your thoughts! Your intentions/motives!
Your choices/sin!
Psalm 119:103-106
103 How sweet Your words taste to me;
they are sweeter than honey.
104 Your commandments give me understanding;
no wonder I hate every false way of life.
105 Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet
and a light for my path.
106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
I will obey Your righteous regulations.
Revelation 10:11
11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
God’s Word is never meant to discourage, thwart or harm you!
It’s meant to change you! It’s meant to motivate and move you!
Move you towards God! Move you towards His Kingdom! Move you by His Message with His Message, declaring its Truth to others!
What purpose is God’s Word for my life?
Am I feasting on Honey no matter how bitter the truth is? Am I allowing His bitter truth to change me?!
Does His Word change me, guide me, redirect my thoughts, choices, or actions?
