Monday, December 23 - Revelation 10

Revelation 10

New International Version (NIV)

The Angel and the Little Scroll

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.”

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GOD WILL ACCOMPLISH HIS PLAN

After the dismal words of chapters 8 and 9, it may seem like the plagues and problems have overtaken all, and that those who remain will get swept away by the flood of destruction.  But in this interlude, we are reminded that God will continue to hold His people in His loving arms and give them hope.

The rainbow of verse one reminds us of Noah, who was rescued from the waters of the flood.  Though the evil of man and the judgment of God surrounded him, Noah remained safely encased in the refuge of the ark.  The rainbow was God's pledge and covenant to him that He would never again send a worldwide flood to bring destruction.

Similarly, the "pillars" of verse one remind us of the pillar of fire and of cloud the led God's people through the wilderness.  Again, the pillars sometimes stood between them and their enemies and brought them rescue.

The point of it all is to bring encouragement to the remnant of the faithful who are still alive in these latter hard days.  God's has not forgotten them nor abandoned them.  Rather, He will embrace them even as He did Noah and the escapees from Egypt.

This is a good word for us also.  As we trust in Christ and hold onto Him in faith, we can be assured that the evils and difficulties of this world will not be allowed to consume us -- nor will God's judgments upon the earth ultimately bring destruction to us.  THe blood of His covenant surrounds us and will keep us strong to the end.

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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.”
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.”