I learned a few really interesting things about our Revelation passage from John MacArthur in his sermon When God Breaks His Silence.
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. Revelation 10:1
MacArthur explains that the cloud was a symbol of judgement at which time God will destroy the wicked, but the rainbow is a reassuring sign to God's beloved that they would not be swept away in this judgement, but that God would remember them and spare them. His face was a blaze of glory that can light up the world like the sun can (and if the face of "just" an angel can do that, just imagine the face of God!), and his legs of fiery pillars represented the unbending holiness of the judgement activity.
MacArthur also suggests that the little scroll the angel is holding is the same one from Chapter 5 that no one but Jesus was worthy to open, and in it is contained the final judgement that is now visible - the seven seals, trumpets and judgements. And then the angel plants his right foot on the sea and his left on the land - which of course shows how incredibly huge this angel was, and basically tells us that God has put His foot down, He's had enough. And the angel shouts with the roar of a lion and thunder ringing out - you can just heart the judgement in this display of power and authority! And then God commands John not to write down the judgements, likely because they were simply too terrifying. And the things that have been written so far have been incredibly terrifying, so that's saying something!
And then the angel swears an oath before God that there will be no more delay. The day of judgment has finally come, and God will be silent in the face of evil no longer. The time will have finally come.
And then John is instructed to eat the scroll and it is sweet in his mouth and sour in his stomach (reminiscent of Ezekiel 2).
It means my Christ is glorified. It means He takes over the world destroying Satan and demons. It means the Kingdom comes, sin is conquered, salvation is revealed, Christ reigns. That's sweet. But it also means blood and wrath and vengeance and judgment and hell. Anyone who loves Christ can sense what John was experiencing here. The blessings of God are sweet, every message of hope, of blessing, of glory, every message of liberty, salvation of goodness, every promise of heaven is sweet. Every touch of love, every kiss of grace is sweet. But oh the bitterness of judgment. And so verse 11 says, "They said to me, you must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."
What does that mean? Warn men, tell them of the bitter, tell them of the sweet. Tell them what's in the seventh trumpet. Tell them what's in the seventh bowl and all the ones preceding it. Tell them to taste the honey and avoid the bitter. He's saying to him...repeat what you've heard to peoples and nations in all languages. That's the call, that's the commission, that's the assignment.
So in this wonderful chapter of interlude there is certainly hope. The whole message of consummation to us who have asked the question...how long, O Lord, how long?...is hopeful. Christ will be exalted, the Kingdom come, hope realized, sin dethroned, Satan imprisoned with all his hosts and the earth filled with righteousness, the righteousness of God and Christ on the throne. But oh the bitterness, the price that sinners will pay. Like John we must preach, we must preach. Again, warning people, warning nations in all languages, even people in authority like kings.
So an interlude of hope with a serious touch of bitterness, calling us to evangelistic responsibility. (emphasis mine)
Tomorrow's passage: Ezra 5-7, Revelation 11
No comments:
Post a Comment