The Mighty Angel and the Little Scroll

If there is one thing I’ve learned, and hopefully that we have learned from our journey through Revelation, it’s this: Every person needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Why? The answer is simple. Every person your lock eyes with has an eternal destiny. They are either going to spend eternity in the presence of the goodness and love of God, or they are going to spend eternity separated from God and all that is good.

And to spend eternity separated from God and all that is good is too horrible to imagine. For now, that we’ve unpacked God’s judgments revealed in the seven seals and the first six trumpet judgments of God, those judgments are so severe, so horrifying, that the thought of anyone having to endure those judgments, let alone having to spend eternity separated from God is quite unsettling. For them, we can only imagine spending eternity separated from the love, the goodness, the peace of God will be a nightmare of epic proportions. It will be an existence devoid of safety, security, comfort or hope. It will be an existence of psychological and spiritual anguish, terror, torment and despair. Yet, at the same time what we have learned through this is that: Even though God’s judgments will be severe, He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

And learning this should have some kind of effect on us, as we think about the people around us who are living unrepentant lives. For if God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance, we ought to want the same thing. God did not give us this vision of Revelation simply to scare us as we witness what is coming for the unrepentant. No, He gave us this vision of Revelation to prepare us to do something about what we are witnessing. So, just what does God want us to do about what we’ve witnessed?

Well, that’s what we’re going to see today, as we come to an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. We’re coming to an intermission in this cosmic drama of God’s judgment, where God does not simply give us a break in the action, but gives us a call to action, as Christ sends His mighty angel to not simply reveal John’s calling to proclaim the gospel to all people, but to remind us of our calling as well: Our calling to bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So, if you’ve brought your Bible with you today, let me encourage to open it to Revelation 10, where John is about to have an amazing encounter with Christ’s mighty angel who has come to recommission his calling to bring the gospel to the nations.

So, if you’ve found Revelation 10, let’s begin by looking at John’s encounter with The Mighty Angel: Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” Rev. 10:1-4 This is an amazing encounter. It begins with an extraordinary image of The Angel’s Authority impressed upon John and us by his remarkable appearance. When you look at the description of his appearance, you cannot help but draw the comparisons to the appearance of Christ in Revelation one. Let’s look briefly at each of these images:

First, he is “wrapped in a cloud” which symbolizes the glory, majesty and power of Christ. This image recalls the coming of the Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14, to receive his eternal dominion from God. This image emphasizes God’s sovereign rule displayed in the mighty angel’s appearance. This cloud can also symbolize God’s judgment. Clouds always accompany God’s judgment.

Next, he has “a rainbow over his head” which symbolizes God’s covenant mercy in the midst of judgment. John MacArthur notes, “while the cloud symbolizes judgment, the rainbow represents God’s covenant mercy in the midst of judgment.”

Next, “his face was like the sun.” This image has impressed many scholars into stating that this must be Christ. But Jesus is never called an angel in the book of Revelation. He is only referred to as the Lamb and the Lion. So, this image speaks of this angel as having been in the presence of God, for his face radiates the awesome reflection of God’s presence.

Next, “his legs like pillars of fire” The image of the pillar of fire is meant to remind the readers of Yahweh’s presence with Israel as He guided and protected them as a pillar of fire in their wilderness wanderings.

Next, we see that “he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land.” In the Bible, to have something under one’s feet is to exercise dominion over it. Here, Christ’s angel depicts his sovereignty over the entirety of creation, land and sea.

Finally, we are told that he “called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring.” Again, this identifies the mighty angel with Christ as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.”

All this to say, is that this mighty angel is intended to represent the glory of Christ whom he serves. And as His representative, he not only reflects His glory, but bears His authority. So, then there is great significance to what he is holding open in his hand: The Little Scroll: The little scroll bears the authoritative message of the Lion of Judah to John. The little scroll is God’s Word. Some scholars say that this little scroll is the book of Revelation. Verses 8 through 11 will give us more detail about this little scroll. But for now, the point of the angel’s appearance with the little scroll is this: The Mighty Angel holds in his hand an important and authoritative message from Christ.
But now we see another profound image as John continues to tell us what he sees: And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.

What is happening here? We were told after the sixth trumpet was blown that idolatrous mankind still would not repent and turn from false gods and from sin. Therefore, the shout of the angel is answered by seven thunders foretelling more judgments that the rebel world deserves. But then something profound takes place:

When the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” Revelation 10:4 Six of the seven trumpets have blown in cataclysmic judgment. Seven thunders are now ready to vent their judgment as well. They are ready to act, and John is ready to write. But then John hears a voice from heaven, and is told, Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” The angel has the authority of Christ, but now a greater authority has spoken:
The Voice From Heaven This voice can only be God’s voice. John is ready to write down these judgments. But God says no. God speaks, and these judgments are sealed. Mankind is spared these judgments. Why? Robert Mounce explains: “Man’s adamant decision not to repent would render another series of judgments useless.” That may be the reason, but perhaps the best explanation comes from the Angel himself in the verses that follow with…

The Angel’s Oath: And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as He announced to his servants the prophets. Revelation 10:5-7 This is the only time an oath is taken in Revelation. This angel raises his right hand to heaven and swears an oath in the name of the living God “who lives forever and ever” And what we learn from his oath is that this interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is about to end.
There would be no more delay: What we have with the angel’s oath is the promise that God will no longer delay His remaining judgments. And what we are about to see in the next view chapters is is that evil will run its course quickly as the antichrist rises from the abyss and emerges as a world ruler. God and evil, the Lamb and the dragon, are headed for cosmic conflict, a global showdown. This will happen soon. There will be no more delay.

And secondly, The mystery of God would be fulfilled when the seventh angel sounds the seventh trumpet to send forth the seven bowls. With the judgments of the seven bowls, the mystery of God, the plan that had been hidden by God will now come to completion. This now is the fulfillment of what was written in Daniel 12:1-4, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end.” Daniel 12:1-4

The words that had been shut up and sealed are now opened. God’s plan and purpose in redemption, made possible through the blood of Jesus, will be concluded. All of God’s judgments will be poured out, the church will gather at the marriage supper of the Lamb, Satan will be defeated, the dead will be judged, the earth will pass away, a new earth will come, God will wipe away every tear, death will be no more, and Jesus will reign. All the events of world history will come to an end, everything God predicted will come to pass, for the mystery, which had been shut up and sealed in the days of Daniel will now be fulfilled.
This announcement of the angel to John that the mystery of God will be fulfilled is an important reminder for us today. It reminds us that whatever God has written is true. Whatever He has promised you can count on. Whatever is to come in the future, will take place just as He has said. Why? Because not only is God love, but He is true. That means all His Words are True. He is absolutely and totally faithful. What He says will happen, will come to pass. So, we can trust His Word. We can trust the Mighty Angel’s message. And his message doesn’t just announce the fulfillment of God’s judgments. His message reminds us that all our hopes will be fulfilled as well.

It reminds us that the hope of our salvation will be fulfilled: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 There is coming a day, when all who have trusted in Jesus, will see Him face to face and rejoice in the gift of eternal life.

It reminds us that the hope of heaven will be fulfilled. Peter wrote this promise about those who have trusted in Jesus saying: “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

It reminds us of that there’s still hope available to all people. That’s what we see now as we come to the purpose of The Little Scroll: Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth, it will be sweet as honey.” Revelation 10:8-9

John is given three main commands here. The first command is to go and Take the Word: John needed this command from God to approach the angel and take the Word from his hand. Please take note: this little scroll in the angel’s hand lies open. I love this picture. It communicates that God’s Word is an open book. He’s made His Word available to anyone. Anyone who takes His Word and opens it can discover who God is. Anyone who takes His Word and opens it can learn His will. And anyone who takes His Word and opens it can find the grace and mercy that’s found in Jesus. God’s Word is a gift to us. All we have to do is take it. It’s an open book revealing God’s heart, God’s plans, and God’s Son. So, like John we need to take the gift of God’s open book, and then do something with it.

We are to… Feed on the Word John is commanded to take the scroll and devour it, to completely eat it up. John is to absorb God’s Word so completely that it feeds his soul. It is to be his daily bread, his milk, his meat, that nourishes his heart, renews his mind, guides his path, and satisfies his soul. This is why feeding on God’s Word is so beneficial to us.

However, we see here, that as John eats God’s Word it will be both sweet and bitter to him. The angel says, ”Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth, it will be sweet as honey.” In Psalm 19 David praises God’s Word saying that it is beneficial for “reviving the soul; making wise the simple; rejoicing the heart; and enlightening the eyes.” And reminds us that God’s Word is therefore “more to be desired than gold, sweeter than honey and drippings form the honeycomb.”
Its sweetness is a delight to us because it contains God’s own life-giving words. Its sweetness satisfies us because in it we discover God’s love and mercy revealed to us in Jesus. Its sweetness pleases us for in it we find peace, purpose, hope and meaning. But at the same time, it is bitter to us because it reveals the seriousness of our sin and the reality of God’s judgment.

However, Feeding on God’s Word involves effort. It requires more far more than listening to one Sermon a week. It requires far more than just reading a passage here or there. I’m reminded of what David says in Psalm One: Blessed is the one… whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:2 So feeding on God’s Word calls for us to have a steady diet of the truth. To chew on it, digest it, and put it into practice in our lives. Which leads us to the final command brought by the angel here, and that is after feeding on God’s Word, we are to

Proclaim the Word: Look at the final two verses: And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” Revelation 10:10-11

Here the mighty angel gives John his marching orders. He is recommissioning him to take the message of God’s Word in this scroll and make it known. Though his commission is not identical, it is very similar to the Great Commission the Lord Jesus has given to us. We are to take the good news of Jesus to all peoples, helping them learn to trust and follow Him.

Now I want us to note the importance that his angel places on this calling, saying,“You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” He is given a moral and spiritual obligation to prophesy to the nations what is in the little scroll. God’s message of judgment and mercy, of forgiveness and hope is being entrusted into his hands; just as God entrusts the message of the good news of Jesus into our hands.

Sometimes, we think it would be so much easier if God would just send mighty angels to declare the seriousness of His coming wrath and the good news of His mercy. But God has not chosen to deliver His message that way. Instead, He gives us an open book full of the mercy and grace that’s found in Jesus, so we might bring hope to people deceived by lies and enslaved by sin, so that they might be delivered from the domain of darkness about brought into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son.

That’s our calling. That’s the point of witnessing these judgments in this book. So that we, who have tasted the sweetness of God’s mercy, will bear witness of God’s grace that’s found in Jesus. So that everyone we lock eyes with can be delivered from judgment and find life, joy, and peace in the presence of the God who created them. This is our calling. This is what we must do. Take His Word, Eat His Word, and Bring His Word to a world who needs His mercy. That’s the message of the mighty angel and the little scroll that’s open in his hand. May God give us the grace to be His instruments of grace today.