Revelation 10
Scripture
Vs 1 Then I saw another mighty angel … and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.
VS 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring …
VS 4 … I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “… do not write it down.”
Vs 6 and (the angel) swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it …
Vs 7 … that the mystery of God would be fulfilled …
Vs 10 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 had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.
Observation
John sees another mighty and powerful angel.
The mighty angel has a small scroll, though, with words that remain secret to us.
John hears the words, but is told not to write them down for us.
The angel makes clear what is more important than the actual words.
The angel makes clear that there is something greater than him … God who created everything,
And His mysteries, God’s mysteries, will be fulfilled.
It is good to receive the Word of God (sweet), even though it reveals what may be bad for some (bitter).
Application
Mystery with Certainty … Good with Bad
To be a Christian, I must be content with paradox.
If you can’t handle paradox, then Christianity is not for you.
Two seemingly opposite things can both be true at the same time.
Am I made from dust or am I made in the image of God? … BOTH
Am I “wretched” or am I “perfected”? … BOTH
Is God one or is God three? … BOTH
Is Jesus human or God? … BOTH
Do I fear the wrath of God or love the whisper of God? … BOTH
And these are just a few …
Revelation 10 reminds me of yet another … the “already, and not yet” of the Kingdom of God.
The mighty angel stated that the end will come to pass … it “would be fulfilled” … CERTAINTY
Even if I can’t know the ways in which it will be fulfilled … MYSTERY
This is FAITH … I can know it well, without knowing it entirely.
I can trust the sovereignty of God … and be pleased with it!
The sovereignty of God is Good News … even if I know there will be bad times.
For many, the prophecy of God will be worse than “bad”, it will be mortal.
I can know that God is both all-loving and all-powerful.
And I can be eager to receive His good word … SWEET
Even if I know it will entail destruction before new creation … BITTER
In the meantime, I must be content in the paradox of a mature AND child-like faith.
Prayer
Thank you, God, for your Word and its certainty
Help me, Spirit, embrace and endure its mystery
Help me trust You
Help me love you
Help me share your good word
In Jesus name
Amen