Revelation 10:1–11 - Cameron Jungels - Eastside Baptist,Sunday PM, January 18, 2015

“The Accomplishment of the Mystery of God” (Revelation 10:1–11)

^{Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday PM/January 18, 2015} 

Revelation 10:1–11 (NIV)

10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. ² He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” ⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” ⁸ 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.”

1.        The Supreme Power of God (as demonstrated by an inferior but super powerful mighty angel). 

2.      The Secret Providence of God (as demonstrated by the limits God places on his own revelation). 

3.       The Sovereign Purpose of God (as demonstrated by the announcement of the fulfillment of God’s ancient mystery/purposes).

 

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small— and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”” (Revelation 11:15–18, NIV)

4.      The Solemn Commission of God’s Prophet (as demonstrated by the instruction for John to eat the little scroll as Ezekiel did). 

^·          The language here is a direct echo of Ezekiel (and probably Jeremiah 15:16–17):

“But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. 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.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 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. He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel—” (Ezekiel 2:8–3:5, NIV)

Main Idea: God is the mighty Creator of heaven and earth, who will reveal his plans when he wishes to reveal them and who will bring his purposes to pass when chooses to fulfill them. Our responsibility is to listen to and obey the message of God’s true and faithful prophets.

 

³ Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. (Rev. 1:3, NIV)

 

⁷ "Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll." (Rev. 22:7, NIV)