May 16, 2019
Revelation 10 New Living Translation (NLT)
I am always intrigue with how two people can experience the same exact thing and come away with a totally different interpretation of it. As human beings, we are so different apart from our oneness with Christ. It is that oneness with Christ that must hold our hearts in the last days; we cannot allow anything to separate us from that union. Our gaze must be upon Christ’s mission and our spirits and souls (mind, will, emotions) must be upheld by the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit are being called into place, so we can help one another navigate in the Spirit each day. You need other believers; you need the fellowship of the Spirit in other believers in order to gain the Wisdom—whole counsel—of God. The unbelieving world will struggle in the last days—lack understanding and guidance—but believers will be held together and encouraged by the Word and the spiritual family. Are you staying in the Word and in fellowship with other believers?
John is exiled on the Island of Patmos for speaking and sharing the Word of God to those who did not want his message. While imprisoned there, he receives a vision from the Lord. In Chapter 10, we find John encounters a mighty angel who announces God’s final judgments that will deal with all creation. John has been aware of two scrolls: the first scroll revealed in Chapter 5 was opened by the Lamb and listed judgments, but the content of the second scroll is not revealed. It is described as small, but it is clearly critical to God’s purposes for the eternal Kingdom. John is told to eat the scroll much like Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll regarding the judgment of Israel. It tasted sweet in the mouth of those believers, but it will actually bring hardship and destruction. The Word of God is precious and comforting to those who receive the Lord, but for those who rebel against the Word it will bring sorrow and suffering.
Revelation 10 The Angel and the Small Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. 2 And in his hand was a small scroll[a] that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 3 And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret[b] what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.”
5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. 6 He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. 7 When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”
8 Then the voice from heaven spoke to me again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” 10 So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.
11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the power of your Word that divides Truth from lies and brings me understanding and guidance in your Kingdom care. Help me to share what is important to you in my daily encounters with others. Be glorified and exalted my Holy Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.