And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your body with this scroll which I am giving you.” Then I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. - Ezekiel 3:3
Earlier in this series, we came across some parenthetical information between the breaking of the 6th and 7th seals. John described a brief pause in the first series of judgments to allow for the sealing of 144,000 Jews and also told of a celebratory praise chorus being offered to God by the Tribulation Saints. Following this same pattern, we now encounter several verses inserted between the sounding of the 6th and 7th trumpets. This week and next, we will carefully examine the details and content found in this brief interlude.
This morning we will focus exclusively on chapter 10. In some ways, it is uniquely different from all of the other chapters in Revelation. As we study it today, I will try to explain how. Now that I’ve piqued your interest, let’s get started…
I. THE 7 THUNDERS (Revelation 10:1-4)
From his heavenly vantage point, John saw a “strong” angel coming down from heaven. While there are many angels mentioned in this apocalyptic vision, only 3 are described as strong angels (Revelation 5:2, 10:1, and 18:21). This angel was clothed with a cloud, had a rainbow on his head, his face shone like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll in his hand that was opened. Based on this description, a few commentators believe this “angel” to be Jesus carrying the scroll which He opened earlier. However, Jesus is never referred to as an angel anywhere else in scripture - in fact, He is clearly distinguished from and exalted above angels (Hebrews 1). The more widely accepted view is that this extravagant angel was likely an archangel and the little scroll was not the same document as the 7-sealed scroll from before.
This mighty angel stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. He cried out with a loud voice, which boomed like the roaring of a lion. His speech was like 7 peals of thunder speaking. John began to write down what each of these 7 rumbles of thunder said, but a voice from heaven stopped him. The voice, presumably from God, told him to “Seal up the things” spoken by the 7 thunders and “do not write them”. They contained additional revelation specifically and exclusively for John, which was not to be shared with others.
The portion of Revelation that pertains to the 7-year tribulation includes and unfolds around 3 sets of 7 judgments - the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. However, there is a 4th and unknown group of 7 - these 7 mysterious thunders. What did these thunders say? Did they unleash more judgments? There are some things that God intentionally keeps hidden from us, and we just have to trust that He has a good reason to keep them secret (Deuteronomy 29:29). These “thunders” are a prime example.
II. THE ANGEL’S OATH (Revelation 10:5-7)
The angel who stood on the sea and the land raised his right hand to Heaven. He swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens (the sky), the earth (the land), and the sea and all the living things in each of them. The angel’s stance with one of his feet on the sea, the other on the land, and his hand held up in the air is a picture of the comprehensive nature of His oath. He swore by God - the Eternal Creator - that there would be no more delay, perhaps speaking of the remaining judgments contained in his little scroll. When the 7th angel sounded his trumpet, the mystery of God would be finished just as it was announced by the prophets.
The Old Testament hero Daniel was deported from Judah as a child and spent most of his life serving the kings of Babylon and Persia. He is well known for surviving a night in the lion’s den. Many people do not realize that Daniel had visions and wrote several amazing prophecies, including one that is very similar to this portion of John’s revelation. Daniel described seeing “a man dressed in linen” (presumably an angel) swearing to God that after the destruction of His holy people “all of these events will be completed” (Daniel 12:7). Most commentators ascribe Daniel’s vision to the last days, and like John, he was also told to seal it up and keep it secret.
III. THE BITTERSWEET SCROLL (Revelation 10:8-11)
John again heard the voice from heaven, which is widely considered to be the voice of God. He told John to, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” Following the LORD’s directive, John went to the angel and asked for the little scroll. This exchange suggests that John was temporarily transported - at least in his vision - from the heavenly throne room back down to the earth where the angel stood.
The angel told John to take the scroll and eat it. He said that it would taste as “sweet as honey” in his mouth, but would make his stomach “bitter”. So John took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. Sure enough, it was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly. Once again, we find a similar episode in the Old Testament ministry of Ezekiel. He was also given a scroll to eat. Most Bible scholars interpret these scenes metaphorically. The gift of prophecy and having an important message from God to share is a sweet privilege, however the contents of that message - in this case, looming judgment for unrepentant sin - can be bitter and unsettling.
After eating the little scroll, “they” spoke to John. This most likely was both the voice of God and the strong angel. Together the 2 of them gave John a final admonition. He was commanded to continue prophesying “concerning many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.” In other words, this short personal encounter in his prophetic vision was over and it was time for him to continue writing about the upcoming judgments of the last days.
CONCLUSION
The scenes described in today’s sermon are unique from other parts of John’s vision in a few different ways. Let me close this morning by pointing out a few of these distinctions:
First, while most of Revelation seeks to reveal or disclose mysteries about the end times, this particular chapter highlights certain information that is to be kept secret. Only John is privy to the revelation given by the 7 thunders. The rest of us will simply have to wait and wonder what they might have told him…
Second, those who share a futuristic interpretation of Revelation see it as a vision of coming events - a preview of the last days. However, the events of this chapter don’t necessarily pertain to the future or the tribulation at all. Rather, they seem to be for John’s benefit only. It is though the narrator - who has been telling the story - suddenly and briefly becomes the main character. To me, it is reminiscent of those scenes in the movie The Princess Bride where the story itself pauses to show a conversation between the grandson and his grandfather who is reading the book.
Finally, why did John mention this episode in Revelation if he was restricted from revealing the rest of what he heard and saw? Perhaps it was to show God’s concern for him as an individual. I can’t help but think that John was, by this point, troubled by the extensive judgments he’d already witnessed - and there were more to come. Perhaps he needed some reassurance to press on. In this chapter, God - along with His strong angel - personally gave John a word of encouragement to keep watching, listening, and prophesying.
Earlier in this series, we came across some parenthetical information between the breaking of the 6th and 7th seals. John described a brief pause in the first series of judgments to allow for the sealing of 144,000 Jews and also told of a celebratory praise chorus being offered to God by the Tribulation Saints. Following this same pattern, we now encounter several verses inserted between the sounding of the 6th and 7th trumpets. This week and next, we will carefully examine the details and content found in this brief interlude.
This morning we will focus exclusively on chapter 10. In some ways, it is uniquely different from all of the other chapters in Revelation. As we study it today, I will try to explain how. Now that I’ve piqued your interest, let’s get started…
I. THE 7 THUNDERS (Revelation 10:1-4)
From his heavenly vantage point, John saw a “strong” angel coming down from heaven. While there are many angels mentioned in this apocalyptic vision, only 3 are described as strong angels (Revelation 5:2, 10:1, and 18:21). This angel was clothed with a cloud, had a rainbow on his head, his face shone like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll in his hand that was opened. Based on this description, a few commentators believe this “angel” to be Jesus carrying the scroll which He opened earlier. However, Jesus is never referred to as an angel anywhere else in scripture - in fact, He is clearly distinguished from and exalted above angels (Hebrews 1). The more widely accepted view is that this extravagant angel was likely an archangel and the little scroll was not the same document as the 7-sealed scroll from before.
This mighty angel stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. He cried out with a loud voice, which boomed like the roaring of a lion. His speech was like 7 peals of thunder speaking. John began to write down what each of these 7 rumbles of thunder said, but a voice from heaven stopped him. The voice, presumably from God, told him to “Seal up the things” spoken by the 7 thunders and “do not write them”. They contained additional revelation specifically and exclusively for John, which was not to be shared with others.
The portion of Revelation that pertains to the 7-year tribulation includes and unfolds around 3 sets of 7 judgments - the seals, the trumpets, and the bowls. However, there is a 4th and unknown group of 7 - these 7 mysterious thunders. What did these thunders say? Did they unleash more judgments? There are some things that God intentionally keeps hidden from us, and we just have to trust that He has a good reason to keep them secret (Deuteronomy 29:29). These “thunders” are a prime example.
II. THE ANGEL’S OATH (Revelation 10:5-7)
The angel who stood on the sea and the land raised his right hand to Heaven. He swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens (the sky), the earth (the land), and the sea and all the living things in each of them. The angel’s stance with one of his feet on the sea, the other on the land, and his hand held up in the air is a picture of the comprehensive nature of His oath. He swore by God - the Eternal Creator - that there would be no more delay, perhaps speaking of the remaining judgments contained in his little scroll. When the 7th angel sounded his trumpet, the mystery of God would be finished just as it was announced by the prophets.
The Old Testament hero Daniel was deported from Judah as a child and spent most of his life serving the kings of Babylon and Persia. He is well known for surviving a night in the lion’s den. Many people do not realize that Daniel had visions and wrote several amazing prophecies, including one that is very similar to this portion of John’s revelation. Daniel described seeing “a man dressed in linen” (presumably an angel) swearing to God that after the destruction of His holy people “all of these events will be completed” (Daniel 12:7). Most commentators ascribe Daniel’s vision to the last days, and like John, he was also told to seal it up and keep it secret.
III. THE BITTERSWEET SCROLL (Revelation 10:8-11)
John again heard the voice from heaven, which is widely considered to be the voice of God. He told John to, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” Following the LORD’s directive, John went to the angel and asked for the little scroll. This exchange suggests that John was temporarily transported - at least in his vision - from the heavenly throne room back down to the earth where the angel stood.
The angel told John to take the scroll and eat it. He said that it would taste as “sweet as honey” in his mouth, but would make his stomach “bitter”. So John took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. Sure enough, it was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly. Once again, we find a similar episode in the Old Testament ministry of Ezekiel. He was also given a scroll to eat. Most Bible scholars interpret these scenes metaphorically. The gift of prophecy and having an important message from God to share is a sweet privilege, however the contents of that message - in this case, looming judgment for unrepentant sin - can be bitter and unsettling.
After eating the little scroll, “they” spoke to John. This most likely was both the voice of God and the strong angel. Together the 2 of them gave John a final admonition. He was commanded to continue prophesying “concerning many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.” In other words, this short personal encounter in his prophetic vision was over and it was time for him to continue writing about the upcoming judgments of the last days.
CONCLUSION
The scenes described in today’s sermon are unique from other parts of John’s vision in a few different ways. Let me close this morning by pointing out a few of these distinctions:
First, while most of Revelation seeks to reveal or disclose mysteries about the end times, this particular chapter highlights certain information that is to be kept secret. Only John is privy to the revelation given by the 7 thunders. The rest of us will simply have to wait and wonder what they might have told him…
Second, those who share a futuristic interpretation of Revelation see it as a vision of coming events - a preview of the last days. However, the events of this chapter don’t necessarily pertain to the future or the tribulation at all. Rather, they seem to be for John’s benefit only. It is though the narrator - who has been telling the story - suddenly and briefly becomes the main character. To me, it is reminiscent of those scenes in the movie The Princess Bride where the story itself pauses to show a conversation between the grandson and his grandfather who is reading the book.
Finally, why did John mention this episode in Revelation if he was restricted from revealing the rest of what he heard and saw? Perhaps it was to show God’s concern for him as an individual. I can’t help but think that John was, by this point, troubled by the extensive judgments he’d already witnessed - and there were more to come. Perhaps he needed some reassurance to press on. In this chapter, God - along with His strong angel - personally gave John a word of encouragement to keep watching, listening, and prophesying.