|
Revelation 10: God’s
Little Book of Revelation
Introduction:
Revelation 10 serves as an interlude between the sixth and
seventh trumpets, reminding us that God’s judgments are
never random but perfectly timed. This brief “intermission”
reveals a mighty angel, a little book, and the assurance
that God’s plan is nearly complete (Revelation 10:1–3).
The Setting of
Revelation 10
We are about halfway through the book of Revelation. The
first six trumpets have sounded, each bringing God’s
judgment upon the persecutors of His people in the first
century. These judgments fell upon the Roman Empire, which
was trying to enforce emperor worship and compel Christians
to bow before men.
The first four trumpets symbolized natural
disasters—volcanoes, earthquakes, and other calamities that
weakened Rome’s structure. The fifth and sixth trumpets
represented moral and economic collapse, the decay that ate
away at Rome from within. The empire became corrupt beyond
imagination—plagued by drunkenness, immorality, and every
kind of perversion.
God did not cause the Romans to become immoral, but He
allowed them to destroy themselves through sin. Romans 1
teaches that God “gave them up” to their own passions. Sin
carries its own consequences, and the collapse of that
society proved it.
Now, in Revelation 10, the vision pauses. It is as though
the curtain drops between acts. God grants His people a
moment to reflect before the final trumpet sounds—a reminder
that He is still in control.
The Mighty Angel
and the Little Book
John sees a mighty angel descending from heaven, clothed
with a cloud and crowned with a rainbow. His face shines
like the sun, and his feet are like pillars of fire. He
holds a little book open in his hand and stands with one
foot on the sea and one on the land—symbolizing authority
over the entire earth.
This angel’s message applies to all creation. His voice
roars like a lion, and when he cries out, seven thunders
answer. Throughout Scripture, thunder often accompanies
God’s judgment. Seven thunders represent the completeness of
His wrath upon the wicked.
When John prepares to write what the seven thunders said, a
voice from heaven stops him: “Seal up the things which the
seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” God reveals
much—but not everything. Some mysteries belong to Him alone.
No More Delay
The angel lifts his hand to heaven and swears by the eternal
Creator that there will be delay no longer. The seventh
trumpet will soon sound, and when it does, “the mystery of
God will be finished” (Revelation 10:6–7).
This is a key moment in Revelation. For centuries, God had
delayed judgment, giving nations time to repent. But now
that time had run out. The persecutors of the saints had
refused every opportunity to turn from their wickedness. The
delay was over; full judgment was coming.
Notice this phrase: “The mystery of God would be finished.”
The mystery here refers to the unfolding of God’s redemptive
plan—His dealings with nations and His final victory for His
people. What had been hidden from earlier ages was now being
revealed in full.
The message could not be clearer: God’s plan of judgment on
Rome was about to be completed. It was not a distant
prophecy meant for people thousands of years later—it was
happening then, in the first century, just as God said it
would.
The Mystery
Revealed Through the Prophets
This “mystery” of judgment had been foretold long before
John’s time. As early as Daniel 2, the prophet interpreted
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the four world empires. Daniel
foresaw Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and finally Rome—the
last great kingdom to fall.
Daniel 2:44 says, “In the days of these kings the God of
heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be
destroyed.” God promised that His kingdom—the church—would
rise even as worldly empires fell.
That prophecy was fulfilled in Christ. The Roman Empire,
once thought invincible, was destined to crumble. Hundreds
of years before it existed, God declared that it would be
broken into pieces—and it was. This was part of the mystery
being revealed to John: that God’s eternal kingdom would
triumph while Rome’s earthly power would perish.
John Eats the
Little Book
A voice from heaven commands John, “Go, take the little book
that is open in the hand of the angel.” John obeys and asks
for the book. The angel says, “Take and eat it; it will make
your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in
your mouth.”
This act mirrors Ezekiel’s experience in Ezekiel 2–3, where
the prophet also ate a scroll filled with lamentations and
woes. To “eat the book” means to internalize its message—to
understand it fully and deliver it faithfully.
John obeys. He takes the book, eats it, and finds it both
sweet and bitter. Sweet because it reveals victory for God’s
people—bitter because it also foretells suffering and
judgment. The same message that comforts the faithful
condemns the wicked.
The gospel itself contains both sweetness and bitterness. It
promises the crown of life to the faithful (Revelation
2:10)—sweet indeed. It warns of persecution and eternal
punishment for the unfaithful—bitter truth.
All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution,
but those who endure will reign with Him. The gospel, like
the little book, contains both hope and sorrow.
Prophesy Again
After eating the book, John is told, “You must prophesy
again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” The
message is not over. John’s next visions—chapters 11 through
20—will repeat the same themes with new symbols and imagery.
Revelation is not strictly chronological. It moves in
cycles, showing the same great truths from different angles.
The first half (chapters 1–9) and the second half (chapters
11–20) describe the same victory of God over evil, but the
second section uses more graphic and detailed imagery.
Through it all, the message remains unchanged: God reigns.
He judges the wicked, defends His church, and rewards the
faithful.
Application for
Christians Today
The message of Revelation 10 still applies. God remains in
control. The world may seem dark, and evil may appear to
triumph, but the faithful must remember: God has not lost
control for one second.
When Christians today feel outnumbered or mocked, we must
take courage in knowing that the same God who judged Rome
will judge all who oppose His will. He will vindicate His
people in His own time.
Our duty remains unchanged—be faithful, shine light in a
dark world, and trust that God’s justice will prevail. The
world may hate the truth, but the Christian must never stop
proclaiming it.
Faithfulness means endurance through trial. The promise of a
crown of life is not for those who merely believe, but for
those who remain faithful until death.
Revelation 10
Sermon Outline:
I. Introduction to
the Interlude
-
Revelation 10
parallels Revelation 7—both serve as intermissions.
-
Context: six
trumpets have sounded; God’s partial judgments have
fallen (Revelation 8–9).
-
Purpose: to remind
Christians that God, not chance, directs history.
II. The Mighty
Angel and His Authority (Revelation 10:1–3)
-
Mighty angel
descends with a rainbow crown and a little book.
-
Stands on land and
sea, symbolizing universal authority.
-
Seven thunders
announce complete judgment.
III. God’s Hidden
Purposes (Revelation 10:4)
IV. No More Delay
(Revelation 10:5–7)
-
Angel swears by the
eternal Creator that delay is over.
-
The seventh trumpet
will reveal the “mystery of God.”
-
The partial
judgments (one-third) will now give way to total
judgment.
V. The Mystery of
God Completed
-
Refers to God’s
eternal plan revealed through Christ (Ephesians 3:3–6).
-
Also foretold
through the prophets, especially Daniel 2.
-
The fall of Rome
fulfills God’s purpose to vindicate His people.
VI. John Eats the
Little Book (Revelation 10:8–10)
-
Symbolizes total
understanding and obedience.
-
Sweet in the mouth:
God’s promises of victory.
-
Bitter in the
stomach: the suffering of persecution and judgment.
-
Parallels Ezekiel’s
experience (Ezekiel 3:1–3).
VII. Prophesy
Again (Revelation 10:11)
-
John is told to
continue proclaiming God’s message.
-
The next visions
(chapters 11–20) repeat the same truths with greater
detail.
-
God’s ultimate
control and victory will be seen more vividly.
VIII. Modern
Application
-
Christians today
must remain faithful amid moral decay.
-
The world still
hates the light, but God still reigns.
-
The call remains:
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of
life” (Revelation 2:10).
Call to Action
We are reminded that God’s Word is both sweet and bitter. It
promises life to the faithful but warns judgment for the
disobedient. Like John, we must “eat the book”—know it, live
it, and proclaim it to the world. The time of delay is past.
God calls us to faithfulness, endurance, and courage. Stay
faithful through persecution and trial, for the crown of
life awaits only those who endure to the end.
Key Takeaways
-
God is sovereign
over all nations (Revelation 10:1–3).
-
His judgments are
purposeful and just (Revelation 10:6–7).
-
The mystery of
God’s plan has been revealed through Christ (Ephesians
3:3–6).
-
God’s people are
called to endure persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
-
Faithfulness, not
mere belief, secures the crown of life (Revelation
2:10).
Scripture
Reference List
-
Revelation 10:1–11
– The mighty angel and the little book.
-
Romans 1:24–28 –
God gave them up to their passions.
-
Daniel 2:44–45 –
The prophecy of the eternal kingdom and fall of empires.
-
Ezekiel 3:1–3 –
Eating the scroll: internalizing God’s message.
-
Revelation 2:10 –
The crown of life for the faithful.
-
2 Timothy 3:12 –
All who live godly will suffer persecution.
-
Deuteronomy 29:29
– The secret things belong to the Lord.
Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at
Granby, MO
|
The
church of Christ
.jpg){kind=small}
