No More Time For Delays - The Mighty Angel
Dear Saints,
Recap: We the church have been raptured (caught up) into heaven with our spiritual bodies. Then, and afterward, the Tribulation period started when Jesus took the Scroll and began to open the seven seals in Revelation 6. First appeared the Antichrist and the initial wars and calamities as each of the seven Seals of the Scroll were opened. Thereafter, was the first interlude in chapter seven of Revelation when we learned of the 144K and the great multitude that was sealed and saved. After that, Jesus opened the Seventh Seal of the Scroll and it ushered in the Seven Trumpet judgments. The first six trumpets had sounded in Revelation 8 and 9.
Before the seventh Trumpet sounds, there is another interlude in chapters 10 and 11:15; and then more interlude in chapters 12-14 of Revelation. The interludes are breaks from the chronological sequence of the judgment events. Apostle John used the interludes to explain other things that happened or will happen during the seven-year Tribulation period. He will then return to the sequential judgment events starting from chapters 15-19.
Today, we look at the first interlude in Chapter 10. We will meet the Mighty Angel with the little/small book in his hand. We have been seeing delays in the speed of the judgment events which is very purposeful for God to give people more time to repent and come to faith in Jesus, the only savior. We will see that when the seventh Trumpet is blown/sounded, “there will be no more time” for the delay and the last Seven Bowl judgments will begin from chapters 15 to 19.
As you read the book of Revelation, please keep in mind the interludes as described above to help us make sense of the chronological events and understand the more details of the Tribulation period. If you try to include the interlude chapters (7, 10-14), in the chronology of events, you may be confused.
Now, let’s read Revelation 10:
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
10 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.”
What do see? We see the Mighty Angel with a little book open in his hand. To understand this, we must go back to the prophecy/vision of Daniel in Daniel 12. The book of Revelation is the culmination and fulfillment of all prophecies in the Bible.
1“At that time Michael shall stand up,….
“4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”
5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this riverbank and the other on that riverbank. 6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?”
7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Daniel 12:1;4-7.
Do you see the similarities of the two passages, Daniel 12 and Revelation 10? The Angel is identified as Michael in Daniel 12:1. He had one foot on the ground and the other in the water same as in Revelation 10. The time of the end has come and the sealed book of Daniel 12:4 is now opened. It is believed to contain instructions to the Mighty Angel on dealing a final blow to Satan and his cohorts as they war and try to destroy the Jewish people. See also that the angel in Daniel and Revelation swear to God to accomplish the mission of destroying the enemy.
Some speculate that this Mighty Angel is Christ which is wrong. Christ is never identified as an angel in the whole book of Revelation. The angel swears to God. If it was Christ, He would have sworn to Himself. This Mighty Angel is “another mighty angel” and not Christ. “Another” of the same kind of angels (likely archangel). Christ Himself created angels and they worship Him as we have seen in many parts of Revelation.
Apostle John, the writer of Revelation was told to eat the little book, meaning to read, comprehend and digest. He is to continue to prophesy the remaining events of the book of Revelation. The book content was initially sweet but bitter in his stomach - a metaphor. It will be a bitter and sweet time especially the Jewish nation.
Remember, the Antichrist is still in the scene on earth and will befriend and later deceive the Jews as will see in the future chapters of Revelation. He will do his best to try to wipe out the Jews but the Mighty Angel will put his foot on the necks of the Antichrist and his cohorts, as symbolized by “he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land”. This is a sign of a conquered king (Satan), a total defeat and dominion of the world by Christ.
From Daniel 12, we get the idea that Revelation 10 is at the middle of the seven-year tribulation – “that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time”. This is now the beginning of second half of the seven years to be known as the Great Tribulation. After these three and half years, Christ with all the believers in heaven will return to the earth to take possession of His kingdom when all his enemies and Satan will be utterly defeated and destroyed.
The interlude continues in chapter eleven and we will see the two witnesses who will preach the gospel to the Jews. We will also see the sounding of the seventh trumpet in chapter 11:15.
Are you eating and meditating, studying God’s word? What you eat shows on your body. Pizza and hot dogs every day? It will show. God’s Word every day, it will surely show in your words and actions.
Lord, thank you for revealing yourself to us. Thank you for “You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word]. Psalm 40:6.
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