Journal Rev 10 (all references are from the ESV; changes in punctuation are mine)
Scripture: “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 he announced to his servants the prophets.” Rev 10:5-7
Observation: What is the mystery of God? Can anyone know outside of the Trinity or is it just the Father that knows….
Application: The verse prior said,
“And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write…but I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down…’” (Rev 10:4)
Let’s review: “I heard the thunder say something important,” says John. “So you did, just don’t write it down, I don’t want it published; keep it under seal until I say to release it…”
I wonder why God is mysterious. He even testifies of Himself:
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut 29:29)
What is it about me that I want to know about the secret things of God? I don’t want to be left out; I want to be “in the know…”
Creator and creature: Man chafes at this. This reaction is indicative of the Original Sin: I think that, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5), I can be on a par with God.
God keeps secrets. Must; God is Omniscient and Eternal—He sees all of creation as a gestalt, nothing limits Him. Me, on the other hand, I am limited by tons of things that I know and tons more that I don’t know. Man is not equipped to know God’s secret things—my head would blow up…
Take this testimony for example:
“So then, He has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills…” and,
“But who are you, O man (created), to answer back to God (Creator)…has the Potter (Creator) no right over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” and,
“What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, IN ORDER TO make known the riches of his Glory for vessels of mercy…” (Ro 9:18-23)
Mysterious, isn’t it? Why does God prepare and choose some to be vessels of mercy and prepare others for vessels of wrath? Man cannot know; we are not privy to God’s mysterious thoughts, only that he does this.
“It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out.” (Prov 25:2)
Here’s a question for the Mirror: Should I search out the things that God has revealed? Or should I expend effort to search out the things God is keeping close to the vest?
I know that I have grown up in a generation that put a lot of effort in the training and effort to preach the Gospel, and perhaps not as much to understand the riches of the Gospel.
Prayer: Father, thank you for allowing what I read this morning in Revelation 10. I must admit (and as you already know) that I only understand Revelation dimly…I do not have any frame of reference other than my imagination and what you, Holy Spirit, cause me to see.
Help me see Revelation more through the lens of the Gospel.
AMEN.
PS: Recommended reading: Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God; J.I. Packer.
Ricky Two Shoes