SCRIPTURE READING: Revelation  10:1-11

GOLDEN TEXT:  Revelation 10:9

Revelation chapters 10-11 is inset material. This information is necessary to bring us up to date on information that is not recorded in the story flow, but it helps to tie things together that we find in the prophecies through out the rest of the Bible. The Book of Revelation is a master outline that brings everything together from Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the Minor Prophets, the Psalms, etc.

Revelation 10 looks back over the past and it ties in with Revelation 11. When we come to Revelation 11:14 we are at the same period of time as the ending of Revelation 9:21 where the second woe is past, then the story flow continues in Revelation 11:15.

1. Did the apostle John see a mighty angel coming down from heaven? (Revelation 10:1.) Was this angel clothed with a cloud and a rainbow on his head? (Same verse.) Was his face like the sun and his feet like a pillar of fire? (Same verse.) When Jesus comes the second time will He return in the clouds? (Revelation 1:7.) Is Jesus’ face like the sun and His feet like brass refined in a furnace? (Revelation 1:13-18.)

Note: This passage does not say that this mighty angel is Jesus Christ, but the angel certainly symbolizes Him since there are several similar characteristics.

2. Did this mighty angel have a little book that was open in his hand? (Revelation 10:2.) Was one foot on the sea and the other foot on the land? (Same verse.)

Note: The little book would be better translated as the little scroll. It is open so that things could be understood. The right foot on the sea and the left foot on the earth symbolize worldwide authority.

3. Did the mighty angel cry loudly like a lion that roars? (Revelation 10:3.) Is Jesus called the Lion of the tribe of Judah? (Revelation 5:5.) Note: Here is another similar characteristic between the mighty angel and Jesus Christ.

4. When the mighty angel cried loudly did the seven thunders utter their voice? (Revelation 10:3.) Whose voice is this that is thundering? (Job 37:1-5, 40:9, Psalms 29:3-11, John 12:28-30.)

Note: When God speaks it is like thunder. This thunder represents the voice of God. Thunder comes in different varieties such as far away and close. John did not say that all seven thunders sounded alike. How does God speak? Sometimes directly to people like He did to Moses, sometimes in a small still voice like He did with Elijah (1 Kings 19:12.) God spoke through the prophets in the Old Testament and through Jesus Christ and the apostles in the New Testament.

5. Was John told not to write what the seven thunders uttered? (Revelation 10:4.)

Note: What do you suppose that the seven thunders said that John could not write? There is no way of knowing, but it is significant that they told John certain privileged information. Perhaps God thought that John had a right to know since he was burdened with this mission.

6. Did the mighty angel raise his hand to heaven? (Revelation 10:5.) Did the angel swear by God that there should be no more delays? (Verse 6.)

Note: We have come to the climax in which things have been held up long enough. It is now time to finish the work and to allow Jesus Christ to return. God has spoken but not implemented the prophecies, now has come the time when the prophecies will come to pass quickly.

7. Will the mystery of God be finished just prior to the sounding of the seventh angel? (Revelation 10:7.) Was this mystery declared to God’s prophets? (Same verse.)

Note: What is the mystery of God? The mystery of God has been hidden for ages (Romans 16:25) but now has been revealed to God’s saints, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:26-27.) We must let Christ live in us, and we do that by loving and obeying Him and keeping His commandments (John 14:15.) We must believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the good news of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:1, 14-15.) Mark recorded Jesus as saying: "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables" (Mark 4:11.) The minds of most of the people in the world are blinded and they are deceived by Satan (2 Cor. 4:4, Rev. 12:9.) Jesus said that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 20:16.) It takes God to call a person and open his mind (John 6:44), then the person must repent and be baptized (Acts 2:38) and receive God’s Holy Spirit and then God promises him eternal life (John 3:16) and Jesus then will resurrect him at the first resurrection (John 6:44, 1 Cor. 15:51-54.)

8. Did John hear a voice that told him to take the little book (scroll) that was open from the hand of the angel? (Revelation 10:8.) What did the angel tell John to do with the little book? (Vs. 9.) What happened when John ate the book? (Vs. 10.)
Note: Eating a book is a symbolic act. What does it mean? There is only one comparable event in the Bible and it is recorded in the book of Ezekiel.

9. Was Ezekiel to speak the words of God? (Ezekiel 2:7.) Did God say that His people Israel were rebellious? (Same verse.) Did God say that He was going to give something to Ezekiel to eat? (Verse 8.) Was this scroll filled with the writings of lamentations, mourning and woe? (Verse 10.) Was Ezekiel to eat a scroll? (Ezekiel 3:1.) Was it like honey in his mouth? (Verses 2-4.)

Note: Ezekiel was given a scroll and told to eat it and it was sweet as honey in his mouth but what it contained must have been bitter, very much like what John received. The bitterness symbolized the bitterness that would come upon the world, the bitterness of lamentations, mourning and woe. Why was it sweet in the mouth? When God begins to call us (John 6:44) the truth is sweet as honey, after we have accepted it, then we realize that there is more to it. The wonderful world of tomorrow, the millennial kingdom age, will be great but look at what we have to go through to get there. There will be sourness and bitterness before we reach the end. It is like desert to dessert.
10. Did the mighty angel tell John that he must prophesy again to many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings? (Revelation 10:11.)

Note: To prophesy again means that it has been done before by the early apostles, the apostle Paul and other true servants of God through the centuries. It must be done again by the two witnesses in Revelation 11.

The Mighty Angel with the Little Book

(Rev 10 NKJV) "I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. {2} He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, {3} and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. {4} Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them." {5} The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven {6} and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, {7} but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

John Eats the Little Book

{8} Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth." {9} So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth." {10} Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. {11} And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.""

(Rev 1:13-18 NKJV) "and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. {14} His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; {15} His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; {16} He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. {17} And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. {18} "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death."

2. See Scripture Reading

3. (Rev 5:5 NKJV) "But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.""

4. (Job 37:1-5 NKJV) ""At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place. {2} Hear attentively the thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that comes from His mouth. {3} He sends it forth under the whole heaven, His lightning to the ends of the earth. {4} After it a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain them when His voice is heard. {5} God thunders marvelously with His voice; He does great things which we cannot comprehend."

(Job 40:9 NKJV) "Have you an arm like God? Or can you thunder with a voice like His?"

(Psa 29:3-11 NKJV) "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!" {10} The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever. {11} The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace."

(John 12:28-30 NKJV) ""Father, glorify Your name." 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." {30} Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake."

(1 Ki 19:12 NKJV) "and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice."

5. See Scripture Reading

6. See Scripture Reading

7. (Romans 16:25 NKJV) Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began

(Colossians 1:26-27 NKJV) the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. {27} To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

(John 14:15 NKJV) "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

(Mark 1:1 NKJV) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

(Mark 1:14-15 NKJV) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, {15} and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

(Mark 1:11 NKJV) Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV) whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

(Revelation 12:9 NKJV) So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

(Matthew 20:16 NKJV) "So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

(John 6:44 NKJV) "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

(Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(John 3:16 NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(1 Corinthians 15:51-54 NKJV) Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; {52} in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. {53} For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. {54} So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

8. See Scripture Reading

9. (Ezek 2:7-10 NKJV) ""You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. {8} "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you." {9} Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. {10} Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe."

(Ezek 3:1-12 NKJV) "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. {4} Then He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. {5} "For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, {6} "not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. {7} "But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. {8} "Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. {9} "Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house." {10} Moreover He said to me: "Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. {11} "And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse." {12} Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: "Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!""

10. See Scripture Reading

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Verses on the Mystery

(Mark 4:11 NKJV) "And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,"

(Rom 11:25 NKJV) "For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in."

Benediction

(Rom 16:25 NKJV) "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began"

(1 Cor 2:7 NKJV) "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,"

(1 Cor 15:51 NKJV) "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed;"

(Eph 1:9 NKJV) "having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,"

(Eph 3:3-4 NKJV) "how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, {4} by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),"

(Eph 3:9 NKJV) "and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;"

(Eph 5:32 NKJV) "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."

(Eph 6:19 NKJV) "and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,"

(Col 1:26-27 NKJV) "the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. {27} To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

(Col 2:2 NKJV) "that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,"

(Col 4:3 NKJV) "meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,"

(2 Th 2:7 NKJV) "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."

(1 Tim 3:9 NKJV) "holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience."

(1 Tim 3:16 NKJV) "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory."

(Rev 1:20 NKJV) ""The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches."

(Rev 10:7 NKJV) "but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets."