Visit our new blog. It lists all the new things that we are doing and what new material has been added to our site. We even list new missionaries who sign up with us for technical support so you can pray for them. FCM News
1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was
robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like
the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He
planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted,
the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I
heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders
have said and do not write it down."
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land
raised his right hand to heaven.
6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the
heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it,
and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be
no more delay!
Revelation 10:1-6
Explanation:
The purpose of this mighty angel is clear--to announce the final
judgments on the earth. His right foot on the sea and left foot
on the land (10:2) indicate that his words deal with all creation,
not just a limited part as did the seal and trumpet judgments. The
seventh trumpet (11:15) will usher in the seven bowl judgments,
which will bring an end to the present world. When this universal
judgment comes, God's truth will prevail. We see two scrolls in
Revelation. The first contains a revelation of judgments against
evil (5:1ff). The contents of the second little scroll are not indicated,
but it may also contain a revelation of judgment. Throughout history
people have wanted to know what would happen in the future, and
God reveals some of it in this book. But John was stopped from revealing
certain parts of his vision. An angel also told the prophet Daniel
that some visions he saw were not to be revealed yet to everyone
(Daniel 12:9), and Jesus told his disciples that the time of the
end is known by no one but God (Mark 13:32,33). God has revealed
all we need to know to live for him now. In our desire to be ready
for the end, we must not place more emphasis on speculation about
the last days than on living for God while we wait.
7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,
the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to
his servants the prophets."
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more:
"Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel
who is standing on the sea and on the land."
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll.
He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach
sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey."
10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It
tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my
stomach turned sour.
11 Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples,
nations, languages and kings."
Revelation 10:7-11
Explanation:
When God's plan for human history is completely revealed, all prophecy
will be fulfilled. The end of the age will have arrived (see 1:15
and Ephesians 1:9, 10). The prophet Ezekiel had a vision in which
he was told to eat a scroll filled with judgments against the nation
of Israel (Ezekiel 3:1ff). The taste was sweet in his mouth, but
the scroll's contents brought destruction--just like the scroll
John was told to eat. God's word is sweet to us as believers because
it brings encouragement, but it sours our stomach because of the
coming judgment we must pronounce on unbelievers.
