Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. (Rev 13:1)
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Rev 13:11)
The first part of chapter 10 reminds us that God remains sovereign over the earth, in spite of the appearance of hell on earth. In addition, this also serves as a reminder as preparation for seeing the beast rise from the sea and another come out of the earth.
Revelation 10:1-4
This scene of John's vision opens with another angel, this one coming down from heaven and called 'mighty'. Among the angels we've seen, there is only one other mighty angel. This was the one seen at the beginning of chapter 5 who asked, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" In the NKJV the word translated to 'mighty' in chapter 10 is the same word for the 'strong' in chapter 5. These angels are exceptional in strength compared to the other angels. Both had loud voices used to speak in bringing about God's plan for the ages. He is 'another' because he is not the same one as the one seen in chapter 5. He is not to be confused with any of the angels we've seen so far.
What John noticed at first glance:
- Clothed with a cloud (Dan 7:13; Acts 1:9; Rev 1)
- A rainbow on his head
- Face like the sun
- Feet like fire
- A scroll in His hand.
One commentator described this as John seeing an 'aura of divinity' about him. This aura that looks similar to what John saw in chapter 4 led some scholars to believe this was Jesus. However, describing the Lord as 'another mighty angel' doesn't make sense. "Another" is one of the same kind. It points back to the other angel of this kind seen in Rev 5:2. This could be Gabriel or Michele or one like them. He comes from God's presence, clothed in the light of God to do His work. This angel looks like the Lord because he is acting on the Lord's behalf.
What would the first century Christians relate this angel to? Probably for most Christians, the rainbow reminds us of the promise God gave when the earth was previously judged.
I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (Gen 9::13)
However, it also points back to Revelation 4:3 when John saw the rainbow around the throne of God. To be clothed in a cloud might make them think of the Lord's ascent or possibly the transfiguration. In the Exodus, the Lord's presence was seen as a cloud or pillar of fire. They may have thought of Daniel 7:13 where Daniel saw One like the Son off Man coming with the clouds of heaven. The feet like pillars of fire would be feet standing in judgment. With these descriptions, the first century Christians would see this as a messenger from God, clothed in the light of God with a message from Him!
The angel came down. This tells us the focus of the vision shifts once again to earth. From John's perspective the angel came down from heaven and he had a little book in his hand. The word 'little book' is a single word in the Greek. It is only used in this chapter (4 times) in the bible. The word is 'biblaridion'. In chapter five Jesus was found worthy to take the scroll. That word for scroll was 'biblion'. The word represents a full and normal size document; a book, invoice or letter. A 'biblaridion' is a small book. It is physically smaller but not to be seen as less important. This little book lay open in the hand of the angel. The contents of the book were not a secret.
With the book open, this angel sets his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. This is a show of his authority over the land and the seas. The angel displays the enormity and supremacy of the Almighty. He came with a God given authority and he cried with a loud voice, compared to the roar of a roaring lion. Often when we see a lion, it is quiet, majestic, unassuming and in control. Then when it unleashes a roar it comes from a place deep within. The very sound and authority of it stands the hair up on the back of your neck. The very sound says, "Pay attention!" or "Take notice!" This angelic announcement given with the ferocity of the lion is a contrast to the quiet anticipation in a spiritual world where everyone is leaning forward listening closely, waiting for the next event.
As soon as the angel roared, the 7 thunders uttered their voices, almost as if it were an answer to this roaring announcement. This may point to the 7 voices of the Lord in this Psalm.
3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.
5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars,
Yes, the Lord splinters the cedars of Lebanon.
6 He makes them also skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox.
7 The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire.
8 The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;
The Lord shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh.
9 The voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth,
And strips the forests bare;
And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!" (Psalm 29:3-9)
John heard what the 7 thunders said and began to write. A voice came from heaven and stopped him. He was to seal up those things and not write them down. It was for John to hear but not to write down. it is for us to know there was an uttering of 7 thunders, but we aren't to know what they area.
What are these 7 thunders? Inquiring minds want to know. But since the Lord didn't tell us it would be dangerous to speculate. We don't know the source of the voices of the 7 thunders or the exact words but the message was God's message to be delivered in His time.
Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him." (John 12;28:29)
Thunder rips through the heavens and makes itself known. Where did it come from, what did it say? Such is the utterance of the seven thunders. There is a day coming when the utterance of the 7 thunders will be heard. Will they be understood by a rebellious world? While I don't think anyone will be able to ignore it, it appears the message will be mostly disregarded by a hardhearted world.
This utterance of the thunders will be important in its time, but within the vision, the message of the little book is front and center. The seven thunders remain a mystery.
Revelation 10:5-7
Notice the second mention of this angel standing on the land and the sea. When this angel lifted a hand to heaven swore by God, he removed any idea that this was Jesus. Some see a similarity to Daniel 12 where he sees a similar scene:
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. (Daniel 12:7)
In Daniel's vision, within the things he saw in the vision, the angel declared there were 3-1/2 years remaining. In John's vision, the lifting of the hand and sworn oath determine the time had come. There would be no more delay.
Oaths were sworn to one greater than yourself. Jesus, being one part of the three of the Godhead would not swear by God (Himself). He declared that there should be no more delay and swore an oath to that truth before:
- The Eternal One
- The Creator of heaven, earth, sea and all who live in them
This may have been the answer to the martyr cry for vengeance in chapter six.
"How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev 6:10)
In the days of the 7th trumpet (Rev 11:15), as that angel is getting ready to sound, the mystery of God would be completed. This seems to be the final establishment of His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. This is what God has spoken of through His prophets from the beginning. There is a day coming when all things will be wrapped up. All through the bible we see warnings of a coming day. The bible gives prophecy after prophecy of The Day of the Lord, testimony after testimony is given as the world progresses toward the end. Each testimony has a warning and an announcement. God is calling to all men, warning them that His just nature demands a day of reckoning.
Did you ever count to your kids to get their attention? "You have to the count of 3 to start cleaning your room and you better get going. One...... you better move!! Two........ I'm not kidding!! Two and half......Two and 3/4.......Two and 7/8.......2 and 15/16." Why did we do that? We wanted them to make the right choice! We delayed that punishment as long as we could. That's what we see hear. This is another interlude, another warning, another testimony so that God may call all men, but it sounds as if the delays are over.
This angel said there is no longer a delay. When the 7th trumpet blows, the mystery of God is finished. What is this mystery of God? Chuck Misler used to say, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. God revealed himself to the prophets of old that a messiah was coming. He spoke of salvation and redemption to keep men from His wrath when the "Day of the Lord" came. The story of Jesus and our redemption is concealed throughout the Old Testament. This salvation and redemption story is then revealed in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. All that the prophets spoke about made sense in light of Jesus. The New Testament brought to light the Old Testament.
In the Old testament God revealed himself to man. The law is given and that law reveals 2 things: The Holiness and perfect nature of God and the fallen sinful nature of man. If all we had were the Old Testament and the law; and if there were no future hope, then we would be men most pitiable. But we do have a hope. Jesus was the premiere revealing of the mystery of God.
The angel announced, the mystery of God would be finished.
- God's work with the Jewish people is a mystery.
- God's purpose of the church is called a mystery.
- God's fullness of the gentiles is a mystery.
- The living presence of Jesus in a believer is a mystery.
- And the gospel itself is a mystery.
All these are mysteries of God that have been revealed to us by God. As we look at this passage saying the mystery of God is finished, we can see all the mystery of God has been declared and revealed. The word 'declared' is the 'euangileso'; preach, evangelize bring good news, declare the gospel. God will have dealt with mankind, declaring the good news and the it appears the door is about to shut.
The bad news of the first six trumpets was doom and gloom. With the 7th trumpet will come the good news.
Revelation 10:8-11
Notice the 3rd mention of the angel being astride the land and sea. To get a third mention in only 8 verses makes this very important to the message. This angel stands in the sovereign power of God holding this little book that is open. Don't make the mistake of thinking the small size of this scroll makes it unimportant. In fact, it seems completely opposite of that. It is a small book, a simple message, but it is profound, eternity changing and time is short.
The same voice that spoke from heaven telling John to seal up the words of the 7 thunders now directs him to take the little scroll. This little book is unsealed, its message visible and available. John enters the narrative of the vision, becoming part of it when he has to take the scroll. He was to take it and eat it. With the direction came a warning that it would upset the stomach even though it tasted sweet as honey when it was eaten.
- To truly taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) do we not have to understand our want and need?
- To truly know grace, don't we have to come face to face with the bad news of our sin?
- To truly praise our Savior, don't we have to know we deserve judgment?
To eat God's word, is to know:
9 "The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
Jeremiah came to know the deceitfulness of man. And not just some men, but a flaw in the human heart, a rebellious inclination, bent to hatred and selfishness.
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man." (Mark 7:21-23)
6 But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)
Isaiah gives a graphic example. We tend to think highly of our self, yet the natural man in the eyes of God is defiled and filthy, pictured as the refuse of a woman's time of the month.
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)
Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (Ecclesiastes 9:3)
One of the most heartfelt pleas of the human state is that of Jeremiah. He is dejected as punishment falls on the land, on the people and on him.
O Lord, You know;
Remember me and visit me,
And take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In Your enduring patience, do not take me away.
Know that for Your sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O Lord God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers,
Nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone because of Your hand,
For You have filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain perpetual
And my wound incurable,
Which refuses to be healed?
Will You surely be to me like an unreliable stream,
As waters that fail?
Jeremiah presents dilemma of God's word, it is sweet and rejoicing but with it comes judgment for the condemnation sin brings. The pain and would come from sin in life and this world; sin that becomes more evident when filled with God's word.
The book wasn't forced on John. He had to get it and take it for himself. The Lord is very polite and respectful of your free will. How often we exercise that free will and keep the word at a distance only to complain later about not understanding the Lord, what He's doing or why we feel distant from him.
At ninety something years old, on a barren rock of an island, in a vision, John took the book and ate it. It was sweet because it contained God's words. He didn't just acknowledge it, agree with it or read it once in a while. He didn't measure it, weight it or consider it. In obedience, he ate it, put it in him, through him, made it part of him. In return, it would come out in every part of his life.
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. (Psalm 19:9-11)
103 How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:103)
John's experience looks like that of Ezekiel as he is called as to prophecy:
Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.
3 And He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you." So I ate, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness. (Ezekiel 3:1-3)
Filled with God's word, the prophet John was prepared to prophesy like the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel. It was bitter on his stomach because it contained judgment and justice; not just salvation and redemption. There is good news but comes as a answer to the bad. Those who won't acknowledge the bad, will never know the good news. Deep down inside, men know of the bitterness and avoid God's word, missing out on the sweetness of it. It's the war that rages in each of us. We hear the word of God, we speak the word of God, yet often we give God lipservice and never really take it deep within us. When we take God's word inside it begins to do its work.
That scares us though doesn't it? We start thinking. What would happen if I really let go of me and give my all to God and take this word in and give it unhindered access to me? Here I am God! It scares many of us doesn't it? What is our fear, that He might ask us to pray aloud or actually speak the name of Jesus to someone on the street? Or do we dreat the thought of holding the hand of the sick and dying? Even worse, what if He calls you to teach; all that responsibility, commitment and hours.
Many folks will never know the sweetness for fear of the bitter. They have cut the word out of their diet. We hardly ever miss a meal to feed our flesh, but we'll starve ourself spiritually. Are we afraid He'll cut into our TV time? Are we afraid he'll invade our 'me time'? Are we protecting our pride or harboring our favorite sin?
If you take the word of God in and let Him do His work, He will change you from the inside out. If He calls you to hold the hand of the sick and dying, He'll give you the desire first and when He does you won't care what's on TV. Whatever he calls you to He'll build the desire in your first. But He will only do it in a willing heart. He holds the word out to us. Child of God, it is so available today we really have no excuse.
When John took the little book and ate, it was declared for him, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." This was John's calling, his ministry. When he yielded to God and at the word it was declared for him to prophesy. John was allowed to see the vision of the last days. And with that vision became a responsibility. There was a purpose for all this.
This word 'prophesy' means to speak forth by divine inspiration. This book we are reading is John prophesying to us. He is writing of what he saw, speaking it to many peoples, nations, tongues and kings. This testimony is given to you today. What will you do with it? The mystery of God is revealed to us.
©2021 Doug Ford
[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Je 15:15–18). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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