The Mighty Angel & The Little Scroll, Revelation 10

 

The Mighty Angel & The Little Scroll

Revelation 10

By the time we reach chapter ten, we’re almost half way through, Revelation, the tribulation and the population. The world is a wreck.

All seven seals have been opened (Opening the Seals). The planet has suffered irreversible destruction from cosmic catastrophes. Lay waste is one third of the trees, one third of the seas, one third of fresh water, one third of light from the day and the night. (Silence to Trumpets). Folks are in pain, from a plague of demonic scorpion locusts (Hell Unleased).

As we step into chapter ten, we stand in the aftermath of the sixth trumpet blast. Smell the stench of rotting flesh.  One third of what was left of the population, has just been slaughtered by a demonic horde of two hundred million, lion headed horses, with tails like serpents, and mouths that spew fire, smoke and brimstone. (Hell Unleased 2).

I’ll pause here, to let you catch your breath, shake your head, say to yourself, this is worse than awful, it could never happen.

Now, after all that, there’s something else you may be thinking, or asking, (what we’ve been asking since chapter eight): One third? Why one third?

 (Dear Whispering Pines Bible Study Family, you already know what we’re about to say, since we talked about this in class. Even watched a little video clip. So, don’t say anything. Feel free to stretch your legs, or get some coffee.)  

The people on the planet at that time will have other things on their mind—like how to eat, how to survive. But for the angels and demons, it’ll be as clear as a bell. The words one third will ring like a bell in a boxing ring. (Cue trumpets in theme song to Rocky).

One third, one third, one third; a personal message, ringing loud and clear, straight from God to the devil, (who took one third of the angels):  The Time Has Come, To Crush Your Head.

But alas (sadly), most people willingly won’t see, won’t know, won’t understand—instead they’ll blame God. The mindset of most, will look like this:

God? Oh, now we know there’s a God, that’s for sure. We know all about Him. He’s made Himself perfectly clear. Earthquakes, sun black, moon red, stars falling, flaming hail, ocean destroying mountain size meteor, fresh water poisoning comet. Stinging creatures. Fire breathing murderous monsters… Yeah, we get it—He’s mean (Is God Mean?).

The Lord records, at the end of chapter nine, if not with a tear in His eye, certainly with one in His heart, that after all of this…they still, did not repent, (Revelation 9:21).

You really don’t want to be here for this. You shouldn’t be. You don’t need to be. But if you are, you’ll probably say for the millionth time, “It can’t get any worse…”

Then, it does.

You may think all this sounds like a sci-fi horror movie; nevertheless, it will happen. The current headlines bear witness, that the trajectory of our planet is already headed exactly in this direction, just as the Bible reveals.

But, (thank You Jesus), we know, how it ends.  

Jesus opens His most famous prayer by pointing to this glorious ending. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is, in Heaven. Matthew 6:10.

Soon we’ll see the seventh trumpet trigger, praises in heaven regarding the great grand finale.

 “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” Revelation 11:15. Revelation 21:3-5.

That’s really where the earth is headed.

Are you ready?

Chapter ten is like the seventh inning stretch in baseball. An interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet; like the one we had between the sixth and seventh seals. This one stretches all the way through chapter ten and most of eleven.

It’s a break in the action to fill in some information.

We meet a mighty angel, and the two witnesses; we see two temples, (one on earth, the other in heaven) and we hear, the seventh trumpet.

An outline for this interlude might look like this: 

10:1-13 Mighty Angel meet and greet

11:1-2 Temple, on earth (and the altar)

11:3-13 The Two Witnesses

11:15 Seventh Trumpet (and spontaneous praise & worship)

11:19 Temple in heaven; (and the ark of His covenant)

 

1. Reflect Him

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. Revelation 10:1.

The description of Jesus in chapter one, is similar to the description here. Thus, some believe this mighty angel, is Jesus.

For example. Without saying his name; if I describe a big, blond, man, rough around the edges, perhaps even rude, in politics, but not at all politically correct. Who am I talking about?  

When asked in class, the answer was unanimous. Everyone said without hesitation, Trump.

They were unanimously…wrong. 

It’s understandable, but similarities don’t necessarily make actualities.

I was describing Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Notice, the mighty angel here is called, another mighty angel.  In the original text the word for another is, állos. It means another of the same kind; another of a similar type.

Jesus is never referred to as another angel. He is God. Creator of angels.

However, at times, Jesus appears in the Old Testament, and is referred to as, “The Angel of The Lord.” (Genesis 16:7-12; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13:3-22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8).

Never after His incarnation (birth), never in Revelation. Always with the definite article “the” indicating, a unique, separate, Being; not just another angel.

Okay fine. I wasn’t planning on adding this, but for those of you with curious minds who are asking, “Well, if it isn’t Jesus, then who?”

We don’t know for sure; however, we have an idea who it might be. But remember, if we needed to know, He would’ve told us.

Perhaps the best guess of who this mighty angel might be is…

Oh no, would you look at that. We’re all out of time. 

Stay tuned, next time we’ll unveil who the mighty angel may be, and the special message he has, for each and every one of us. 

Let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, we want to hear You say, on our final day, “Well done.” We pray, that none of us will hear, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

If there’s any among us, who are not sure, give us the conviction and courage, to reach out, to seek You. Thank You for being faithful to Your Word, that says, “Seek and you will find.”

We love you  Jesus, be Lord of our life, forever.