Revelation 10, we'll be looking at the entire chapter. You may remember we're going through the trumpets. The trumpets are trumpets of warning and talking about the distresses that are coming upon the earth. And I just had the sixth trumpet sound and saw what happened when it sounded. And we're ready then for chapter 10. 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 when I heard a voice from heaven saying, seal up. But the seven thunders have said, I do not write it down. 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 announced to his servants the prophets. Then the voice I heard from heaven spoke to me again saying, go take the stroll 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 as sweet as honey. 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'd eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, you must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings. When my uncle was about nine or ten years old, he and some of his buddies were standing out on the dock by the big lake that was near where he grew up. Now, his buddies knew that he didn't know how to swim, but they also knew that a good way to teach a person how to swim is just to push them into the water. They heard it often. They knew that the person would overcome their fear of the water. They were out of instinct to begin to swim and to float and to do what is necessary to swim. So they did that. They unexpectedly pushed him off the dock into water that was fairly deep. Much deeper than he was tall. It would be nice to say that with that start my uncle became a very powerful swimmer. He won the bronze medal in the Rome Olympics. It would be nice to say that, but it's not true. He nearly drowned. As he was going down and disappearing and not to come up again, his buddies figured out they needed to do something. And so they jumped in and they were barely able to get him out of the water. He barely survived. And what had been a mild fear of water, Suddenly he became a great dread of the water, and he never swam all of his life. And his younger sister, which is my mother, picked up that fear, that dread of the water, and of course she never learned how to swim. And even down to me, I swam a little bit, but I'm pretty afraid of the water as well. And it illustrates that we can think that we know something. All our friends know that same truth. It's widely accepted. But it can be completely wrong. And I think that often goes on in Christian circles, that people think they know what is true about the end times, about the book of Revelation, about where we are in terms of the second coming, And when Armageddon is going to be. And they can be confident. They can listen to preachers on TV. There are books that they can read. Even movies that have been made. And it's all fascinating. It's all very illuminating. And you can go and assume that you understand. And that you're correct. But like my uncle's buddies, you can be wrong. They thought they had a surefire way to teach them how to swim, but they were wrong. And I think many, who think they understand God's timeline of history and what's going on and where things are, are going to find out they're wrong as well. And thus, we want to look here at chapter 10. and see that there's symbolism here that has great application to us, but not in terms of trying to figure out where we are in the timeline or how close we are to Armageddon or something similar, but deeper meanings and more profound for us. And so I'll look at four of the symbols and then what they mean, what their application is. The first, as you look at chapter 10, you need to understand that it's an interlude. The 6th trumpet is sounded. And we've just read at the end of chapter 9 what it brings. And we would expect, as it has been the pattern, that the very next line would be, then the 7th angel blew his trumpet. The 6th is over, now the 7th. And that line is there. But you have to go to chapter 11 verse 15 to find it. There's an interlude. Now the first four trumpets are fairly brief. They're in chapter 8 and they give us some of the physical judgments that come upon people. Then the next two are given more space. They're in chapter 9 and they're the woes. More detailed judgments that fall upon those who would be hardened against God. The judgments that will happen to them. Sort of the final judgment that's still awaiting. And then we would expect they're going on to that last great woe. That final judgment that's going to come upon the people. But it's not there immediately. There's this interlude, this chapter and a half that sets up that final trumpet. And God is doing that for a couple of reasons. One is really to highlight when it comes, that this final trumpet is unlike any of the others, even the woes that have come in the fifth and the sixth. And so it's creating in us some expectation, some suspense. You know, so the pattern of God is already done in Revelation. You may remember we have the six seals and then the seventh seal comes later and longer, more detail. We're kept in suspense. But it's not simply a literary device. It is that. But I think there's also something else. God is also using it as a teaching device. Because we often think we know what God's game plan is, what God is going to do, how God is going to work in history. And we lay it all out. And there are a lot of preachers who like to lay out all the events that are going to come in the exact sequence until Christ returns and the final judgment. But oftentimes, what actually happens is unexpected. There will be delays in what we think is going to happen next. And those delays are for the sake of repentance. It is to give more opportunity for men and women who are in sin to repent and turn away. And so one of the things we need to learn from this is we need to be careful when we think we know God's timeline. One of the ways I hear this is that we'll have people coming and saying, well, God is going to judge our nation because of. And maybe it's abortion, maybe it's because now we're legitimizing gay marriage or whatever it is, and they're just holding their breath. How soon is God going to do it? Because surely God is going to judge our nation. Very quick. And yet we need to realize that God's timeline is not ours. God had determined that He was going to judge the Canaanites for their sin. And how long was it between the determination that He was going to do it to when it actually took place? It was 400 years. And God may have determined to judge our nation. for abortion, for the immorality that goes on. But he may wait 400 years. We don't know the time line. And oftentimes, they also have the same thing with the second coming, that people will indicate that the signs are all indicating that Jesus will be returned shortly. And there's a church in town that today is starting a series of sermons that's going to go for a couple of months on the countdown to Armageddon. And I'm not there, but my guess is it's an indication of the steps to Armageddon, how close we're coming. God often delays, often gives more chance for repentance. longer than we might think. And there's really that same sort of idea that we have limited knowledge. Even the Christian has limited knowledge. He's brought out in verses 3 and 4. There's seven peals of thunder recorded for us there, and it seems to be seven words of God, seven messages that are communicated to John, which he thinks he should record for us. But he's told to seal them, not to record them, not to write them down. These truths are for him. They're not for God's people. Do we understand that? That there's some things that we don't get to understand and know? You know, Deuteronomy tells us The reveal things are for us and for our children. But the secret things belong to God. There are things that are going to be hidden that we won't know. That we can't know. And it does seem to be that certain truths that are given to those who are more spiritual. Hear John. In Corinthians, Paul receives a revelation that he can't even describe to the Corinthians. And we need to be mindful that we don't have all the information. And so we need to stay away from giving the impression that we know all. We know certain things. And we can know them with certainty because God has told us these things. But there are lots of things that God has not told us. And we don't know. And we better not speculate about it. Including the time of Christ's return. Well, what is the application as we see this interlude? Well, first, there's the danger of charting God's judgments. It's dangerous and really presumptuous of us to think we know the details of when God is going to act, when he's going to judge a people. And you can see. You know, Christians who think they can do that, the Westboro Baptist Church is maybe a leading example of that, that they know what God is doing and why. But we need to be careful. We don't know for sure how soon or how long God may judge us in. We don't know when Christ is going to return. The second application is that delay. It's really to give time for repentance. It's to allow those who are mired in their sin, who have not repented and believed in Jesus Christ, to do so. And so every day that God delays, it's a day in which men and women, boys and girls, are called to repent. Called to turn away from their sin and to trust Jesus Christ. with the warning that that delay will only be for so long. Well, the second symbol that we see in these verses is the mighty angel, the strong angel, found in verse one and following, who calls out with a loud voice. And of course, the immediate question, who is this mighty angel? What does he symbolize and what is he doing? And some of it is not so easy to understand. But some of it is pretty clear. The fact that he's a mighty angel that clouds out with a loud voice as he's standing on both the sea and the land is an indication that he can be seen and heard by all. His message is a message for all to hear and to understand, to see and to understand. As even for those who might be classified as hardened unbelievers. who want to ignore God, who want to ignore God's message. They are not able to. Well, who is he? Well, we see reference that he's with the clouds. If you look through scripture, we see it's always someone who's divine, someone who's God, who's with the clouds. Riding with the clouds. He mentions the rainbow surrounding him. And that takes us back to the first rainbow. To Noah. God's covenant faithfulness. God's promise of preserving the people physically. Which he also does spiritually. This one has his face like the sun. Brilliant. I think implying holiness. It's a phrase that is very much like the one in chapter 1, verse 16, which refers to Jesus Christ. His legs are, Carl, pillars of fire. And that would remind us of the exodus, the cloud, the pillar that was with the people that signified God's presence with them, His guiding them, His protecting of the people. And so I think it's most likely, looking at all those things, that it's a reference to Jesus Christ and how he's executing his responsibilities as that lamb who'd been slain, as that one who'd broken the seal, as the controlling of history and the events as they take place. He's executing his rule over this earth. And so the application is the fact that Christ is ruling the history, whether it be directly or through some mighty angel. Yet standing behind that angel would be Jesus Christ. And his reason is to protect and to guide and to be with God's people. often looks down upon Christians, often mocks Christianity and even Jesus Christ. But it's teaching us that we have divine help, Christ's help, His guidance, His protection. How comforting, what a joy it is to know these things as we live in this world. For the third symbol, that we see in this chapter is that oath that this mighty angel makes in verses 6 and 7. And basically, if you look at the oath and what it's saying, it's affirming that God's will is going to be done and it's going to be done quickly. And what it is saying to us is that there's an unchangeableness about God's plan. God has planted out this angel who may be Jesus Christ, is affirming that it is going to be done all according to God's plan. And it revolves around the mystery of God. The mystery is used in the New Testament of God's secret purpose, found in Christ, that was hidden, but now has been revealed. It was a mystery to people in the Old Testament, but now it is known. And it would include such things as the way in which he saved his people was by the death of his own sons. It would include the idea that the Gentiles as well as the Jews would be part of God's people. And it would include also it seems in this context that Jesus Christ is going to be the judge of all men and nations. and even kings. And thus, it's pointing to the fact that God has had one purpose through all the ages. And that climax, that goal toward which all of human history has been moving, is going to come, and it's going to come quickly. God will bring it about, that final culmination. It would involve the judgment of evil and the deliverance and the vindication of God's people. You might just notice the description by whom this oath is made. It says how serious it is. It's the God who is in heaven. What you've already seen is where the throne is. That's at the center of the universe. The God who lives forever. That One who is eternal, who gives eternal life to His children, who is the Creator of all. And the promise and the oath is there will be no delay. We can think of it, there's not going to be any undue delay. That final judgment is coming exactly at the time that God had planned it out. Not a day later, not a minute later. The application then is to see that God is in control of human history. The world may seem out of control, screening here and there. The world forces around us may seem to be triumphing. Evil may seem to be winning out. Conditions getting worse each day. Not so. God is in control. Jesus Christ is sitting on the throne. And evil will shortly, without delay, will be overthrown decisively. And thus, you and I can have hope and comfort as we know this truth and as we live in this world. The fourth and final symbol is a little book or a little scroll that's in the hand of the angel, which is open. which can be known, unlike the appeals that are to be sealed, not to be written down, which we're not to know. The message is something that we are to know. And verse 11 makes clear that this parole, the message John must proclaim. And that word must implies an obligation, really an obligation given to him from God. And it's a prophecy concerning many peoples, nation, languages, and kings. A similar phrase is found seven times in the book of Revelation, but here's the only time where kings are put in. It implies that the words which John has, which the prophecy of what's going to happen, the judgment that's going to take place, involves all peoples, but it also implies those who are in sovereignty, those who are in leadership, those who are kings. They're going to answer for what they have done, for the way they have led. They are going to face judgment. They're not spared from it. Especially, I think, with his mind is what happened in chapter 11 and following. The judgments that are coming in that final judgment that's going to be according to God's Word. And if John, as he speaks of it, is speaking to the nations, and they are to know that one day they are going to stand before the righteous judge, Jesus Christ. It's a message that we're still to proclaim to the world that each one, whether they're the most powerful man in the country or the lowliest citizen, they will stand before that righteous judge. Think of three applications as we think about this. The first is we're to take to heart what God has said. What he says in Revelation about judgment, about the final day of judgment, it is true and it is coming and it will come exactly when God has determined it. And God's word is a standard by which we will be judged. You know, in Christ, we can be forgiven our sins and stand unashamed before the fox. And yet that standard, that unchanging standard, is where God is set. And I would think about this in terms of a debate going on in a denomination, talking about, you know, ordaining homosexuals as pastors. And one of the church leaders got up and made a very passionate plea to the body of church leaders assembled and said, basically, we've got to go beyond the Bible. He said, we've done that already. You know, we did that in ordaining women. And then he goes on to give several more examples and he says, now, now is the time to go beyond the Bible on homosexuality. Not so. God's Word is supreme. It's supreme over nations. It's supreme over kings. It's supreme over churches. We go wrong whenever we go past it or we ignore it. It's a standard. By which everyone will be judged. The second application is that you and I must follow the example of John and take in that word. Notice verse nine. So I went to the angel telling him to give me the little book. Really demanding it. Taking initiative. And it's interesting, because in the context, there's a couple of times that God has already addressed them and said, take it. You know, you take and you eat, or the angels said it to John. But John just doesn't pass up with weight. He goes and wants. And that word take, it really has a sense of devour. To take it in, to eat it up. Really to take it into your being. Don't just nibble away at the Word of God. Consume it. It's your spiritual lifeblood. For John to carry out his ministry, he needed it. He needed that Word. And to be true to that Word. And the same applies to us as well. would it be devouring that word and not just sort of nibbling it. The third application, we can see the effect that that word has on John. It has two effects. One is sweet in the mouth, and then the second is bitter to his stomach. And what's that saying? Well, it's talking to us about the message of the Bible, the message of the gospel. And it's both those things. To God's people, it's sweet. It's a blessing. It's announcing of good news. So it fills us with delight. But for those who are unbelievers, it's really filled with stern denunciations and woes for those bent on doing evil. And the response, as we know this, should be, first of all, that we would be faithful in proclaiming not only the good things, but the bad things. That those who are apart from Jesus Christ will suffer judgment. But as we notice that it's sort of an internal bitterness, it's saying, as we see this message and we see it being rejected by people, it should cause some really internal strife in us. It should grieve us. Whenever men and women do not respond to the gospel, and maybe they're hardened in their sin and they're in a lifestyle of immorality or whatever, It would be easy to think, well, if they're going to get what's coming to them. But God's heart is greed. Whenever men and women turn away from Him, do not respond to the good news. And we should have that same sort of grief. That same sort of bitterness. Not glee that somebody is going to suffer judgmental. For the bitterness, the sorrow. Realizing how serious it is. Not desiring that on our worst enemies. Let alone our co-workers, our friends, our relatives. It should be grievous when we understand the very nature of God's judgment. Heavenly Father, we look and see what you've revealed to John that he was able to record for us. And it prepares us. for that last trumpet, to know that there is a final day of judgment when all will stand before you. And we be judged, not on our sense of right or wrong, but according to your word. According to whether we have believed you and repented. and trusted in Jesus Christ or not. Help us to understand that truth and what it means. How it applies to people around us who do not know Christ. That we would be fervent in our love for them and our prayers for them and our speaking the good news to them. But just as we enjoy that sweetness of the gospel of Christ, that we would want it for each one. And I pray that if there's anyone here, one of the boys or girls, one of the adults, that each one would know what it means to trust in Jesus Christ, to repent of their sins, and trust in the salvation that's found in Him Not by what we do or our efforts, but what He has done for us. Help each one to trust in that way. We pray in Christ's name, Amen. Turn to Psalm 2.