There is No "Pause Button" Here!

The Book that Promises a Blessing!

A study of the book of Revelation

by Pastor Frank Rice

Revelation 10:1-11

We’re familiar with that little pause button on our remote controls! It is a convenience for those who want to stop the action for one reason or another. We just hit the pause and start up again when we feel like it. Or, we may refuse to hit the pause button to continue the action if it’s scary, boring, disagreeable, or if it makes us feel bad. We have the liberty to delay the action! Not so here! We have come to a point in the book of Revelation where the action will proceed uninterruptedly & unstoppably. There’ll be no more delays…  

v      We’ve been introduced to Jesus Christ in all His majesty (chap 1). (You dare not face the future w/o a proper understanding of Him!)

 

v      We’ve examined Jesus’ criticisms and commendations of several real and representative churches (chaps 2-3). (A Christian without a church, with all its faults and foibles, is an abnormality.)

 

v      We’ve caught a glimpse of heaven and heard the choruses of exultant praise and worship of those intimately associated with the sovereign God (chaps 4-5)! (Read and ponder before proceeding!)

 

v      We’ve witnessed the opening of the first six seals, unleashing terrifying chaos and destruction on man’s dwelling place (chap 6).

 

v      We’ve seen the setting-aside of Jewish men on earth for an undisclosed purpose and heard the voices from heaven of those who died as a result of the aforementioned destruction (chap 7).

 

v      We’ve witnessed the opening of the seventh seal which released the seven angels with their seven horrifying trumpet judgments, after which men still refused to repent of their evil (chaps 8-9)!

 

v      A mighty, magnificent angel appears and speaks to John (vv. 1-4).

1.      The unidentified angel displays the majesty of His God (v. 1)! The cloud symbolizes God’s presence, the rainbow His mercy, the glowing face His purity, and the pillars of fire His judgment. The angel represents the One who sent him!

2.      “The magnitude of such angels helped ancient readers of such accounts, including Revelation, to stand in awe of the God who was infinitely greater than such angels.” (Keener)

3.      This is not the same mighty angel as in Rev 5:2; neither is there enough evidence to support the claim that it is Jesus!

4.      He holds in his open hand a small, mysterious scroll (v. 2a). We’re never really told what’s written in this little scroll.

5.      He positions himself strategically on the earth & sea, indicating the sovereign authority and ownership of his God (v. 2b).

6.      His stunning, majestic lion-like roar/shout introduced the voices of the seven thunders of judgment (v. 3; Psalm 29:3-9).

7.      The seven thunders spoke; but as John prepared to write what they had said, he is instructed to halt (v. 4)! That’s strange!

8.      “The concealment of the meaning of the seven thunders reminds us that God knows far more about the future then He tells us (Deut 29:29).” (Keener)

9.      “God has set boundaries to what is best for us to know, and we should acknowledge those boundaries.” (Keener)

v      This majestic angel promises with an oath that God’s plans will proceed without any more delays (vv. 5-7).

1.      The angel raises his hand to solemnly affirm that there would be no more delay; there will be no more time-outs (v. 5).

2.      He swears his oath by the eternal God, the One who lives forever and ever, not just “the living God!”

3.      He swears his oath by the creator God of the universe, heaven, earth, and sea, and all things in them. He owns it all and He is at liberty to do with it whatever He wishes!

4.      He declares that, when the seventh trumpet is sounded; what God had not disclosed previously would become known and would be followed thru to completion.

5.      “God has instigated the final events of world history, and nothing can delay them.” (Osborne)

6.      He refers to the prophetic writings as God’s commitment to keep His promises, even those which promise judgment.

7.      “’The mystery of God’ is His purposes for man and the world as revealed to both OT and NT prophets.” (Johnson)

 

v      God speaks to his servant and provides further instruction (v. 8)!

1.      His servant is told to approach the imposing angel and to take the small scroll from his open hand.

2.      His servant must have thought back to a very familiar passage from his study of the OT (Ezek 2:9-3:3).

3.      His servant is reminded, for the third time thatGod owns and exercises authority over all things, including this mighty angel!

 

v      God’s servant follows the instructions given him (vv. 9-10)!

1.      He approaches the angel and receives the little symbolic book from his open hand, along with a few words of warning.

2.      He does what the angel tells him to do, undoubtedly realizing the significance of this act and its implications. The message has both a sweet and a sour aspect.

3.      We love to quote Jeremiah 29:11 but ignore verse 10! Context tells the story of bitter captivity and then sweet deliverance! [Bitter “speaks of an extremely painful or bitter experience.” (Osborne)]

4.      “The reception of the Word of God into the innermost being is a necessary prerequisite to proclaim it with confidence.”

 

v      God’s servant is reminded of his duty to proclaim the truth (v. 11).

1.      He must prophecy irregardless of how he feels about it, or any anticipated or real consequences.

2.      He (we?) is to tell of God’s plans for nations & their peoples! God calls His people “to the same ministry of preaching repentance and judgment to a generation that has turned their backs on God.” (Osborne)

 

“Some circles (groups of people) condition audiences to expect only pleasant things from God, but His message is not always pleasant.” (Keener)

 

“Some witnesses rejoice to speak of love, grace, and the honey of God’s blessings but are loath to declare faithfully God’s justice and judgment. Others… are always ready to pound people with impending judgment while stressing infrequently, if at all, the love of the Lord. Either witness is inadequate, failing to have assimilated the whole counsel of God or, worse, having understood it, but failing to share all that God has said with his hearers.” (Patterson)