Recap
Revelation 6 The judgements of God.
7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowels
These are not chronological, overlap each other.
They increase in intensity as Jesus draws near "come Lord Jesus".
God does not judge and zap.
God is committed to having as many repent as possible (Rev 9:20,21).
God's love expressed in patience.
Revelation 10,11 Are an interlude.
Focus on people of God in midst of what is going on.
Don't lose focus on judgement and blame God.
God making all things new, we are part of plan calling people to him.
God does not needs us, it delights him to have us working with him.
Need reminding of call to guard against lies of culture / satan.
Revelation 10
3 truths
1. God's authority still extends to the whole of creation (v2b).
God is still in control (beasts of Revelation 13 come from sea and land).
God keeps repeating this - are we living in light of this?
---- Are we comforted by this when life makes no sense?
If God is not sovereign there is no hope - we make God in our own image.
A God who is partly in control if destructive.
God is in control. God is good.
God sits on throne - position of rest.
Ephesians 2 Our faith is a gift from God. He is the author.
Nothing I can do (more faith) can free God to work.
We can rest in his sovereignty, anxiety is gone.
2. Our vision is limited (v4)
God wants us to realise that there is more going on than we are aware of.
God is not giving us a step by step itinerary to the end of the world.
How does sovereignty of God and human responsibility work together?
We need to get comfortable answering questions with "I do not know" (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Havings answers withheld reminds us who we are and reminds us who we are not.
God is in control, he is on the throne - we are not.
Its scary for us not to have all the information.
Do we entrust ourselves to God - or do we grip the reigns of our lives.
3. God's Kingdom is coming, it is on its way (v6,7)
The total, complete, dawning of God's Kingdom. Come Lord Jesus.
Do not be lulled into sleep and lose sight of his coming. 2 Peter 3:3,4
People have thought since days of Acts that Jesus is coming soon.
What started as a sprint has turned into a marathon. Need patience, endurance.
There is a clicking clock, Jesus is coming.
Salvation is nearer now than when we first believed Romans 13:11.
Are you ready? Is Jesus your focus?
2 Tasks (our roll)
1. Eat the scroll, the word of God (v9)
Ezekiel was also told to do the same thing (Ezekiel 3:3).
In both instances the word was sweet as honey in the mouth.
This is more than about John or Ezekiel - it is about all of us.
Experience of church is that the word of God is sweet.
We want the word of God, not men. Its a mark of God's spirit on us.
We have an appetite for the word of God which needs to be satisfied.
The word of God is also bitter.
The word which nourishes us is also the word which convicts us.
The word which exposes God's holiness also exposes our corruption.
The word which unites us also the word which divides.
The same word which tells us of the light burden and easy yoke of Jesus also tells us we need to die to self in order to gain Christ.
The same word which brings us joy for our inheritance also brings us grief for those that are lost.
We are called to let God feed us.
Go wants to strengthen you, he wants to sanctify you on the word.
Beware only eating the bits you like - making God in our own image.
2. Prophesying, declare the word (v11)
This is for foretelling, but forthtelling of the word of God.
After digesting the word we are to declare it.
Repentance requires prophecy.
Judgement leading to repentance.
Where are you resisting him?
Are you having a hard time with God's apparent silence in your life?
Is your focus on the coming Kingdom?
v.1 So beautiful - is it Jesus? Not sure, language does not support it.
More likely another created being radiating God's glory (Moses in Exodus 34:29-35).
v.2 This is an open seal (see Rev 5 sealed scroll).
v.4 What is the point of showing John all this and then telling him not to write it down?
Further Reading
Ezekiel 3:1-3
Matthew 17:1-9