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Read Introduction to Revelation

 

“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. 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, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 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.” The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven 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, 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“


The seven trumpet judgments are part of the seventh seal judgment. We have studied six of the trumpet judgments.

This interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgment parallels the interludes between the sixth and seventh seal and bowl judgments. Chapter seven introduced a parenthesis between the sixth and seventh seals (the 144,000 and the martyrs), so chapters 10 and 11:1-14 introduce two digressions between the sixth and seventh trumpets. This interlude consoles believers by announcing the millennial reign of Christ (11:15). This interlude prepares us for the seventh trumpet.

In this parenthesis, there are two sets of forerunners to the Second Advent of Christ: 1) a powerful angel and 2) two witnesses. These two sets of forerunners (one angelic and two humans) are two sets of heralds of Christ’s kingdom. In the Bible, the King is always preceded by His heralds. John the Baptist was the herald to Jesus’ first coming.

10:1

I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud.

John introduces another angel different from the seven blowing the trumpets. Although the Greek indicates he is of the same kind as the angels who blow the seven trumpets, this angel has distinct characteristics.

Wearing a “cloud” may indicate that He announces the coming of Christ as a herald of the Second Coming.

And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

The “rainbow” is a reminder that God keeps His Word (Genesis 9:12-17). God promised never to destroy the world by water again. God will never renege on His Word. He never goes back on a promise. God is not unstable. He is always true to Himself.

This angel’s face reflects the glory of God, and his feet indicate he is come to execute God’s judgment.

10:2

He had a little book open in his hand.

The Lamb of God opened the seven-sealed scroll (5:1), but the angel holds a small scroll. This scroll held his impending mission. His mission was to announce that Jesus holds the title deed to the world. God is in the process of repossessing the world from Satan. When Jesus comes, He will bring His title deed to prove that He is the rightful owner.

And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,

The angel had his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, indicating his right of authority over the earth. God is going to take back what is rightfully His (Psalm 2:6-8). This angel is claiming the world for Christ.

Principle:

God will regain the world to Himself.

Application:

At present, Christians live in the Devil’s world, but we personally belong to the Lord Jesus. We are part of His plan. We orient to that plan by knowing prophecy. If we do this, we fulfill a purpose for which God placed us on earth.

Nothing riles the devil’s majesty more than to look at believers oriented to God’s prophetic plan for the world. These people gall him. They irritate him to such a degree that he puts a tail on them – a fallen angel, a demon. These demons constantly gather information against believers. The devil brings this list before God and accuses believers of what they have done. He points out the terrible things believers have done. God then calls in the believers’ defense attorney, the Lord Jesus, to defend them. Based on the blood of Christ, the Judge (the Father) throws the case out of court.

The devil is not primarily in the business of immorality. He is in the business of religion. He loves sweetness and pseudo light. He wants people to focus on the so-called “divine spark” in every person produced through self and Satan. He wants to set up a kingdom independent of God. He wants to make this a “perfect kingdom,” but because of the sin capacity of people, his kingdom keeps failing. Now Satan’s doom is sealed with the coming of Christ.

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