Revelation 10:1-7

The Word of Christ Unleashed

A sermon by Pastor Joe Haynes

Preached on January 20, 2019 at Beacon Church

The whole book of Revelation is a revealing of Jesus Christ, given as a message from Jesus Christ “to show his servants the things that must soon take place”. But the message was sent to John as a vision to write down just before the end of the 1st century. Over 1900 years ago. We interpret the Bible literally according to the ordinary sense of the words, but that gives us a problem: why are we still waiting for Christ to return? This leads some interpreters to make the mistake of thinking most of these predictions were fulfilled in the 1st century; it leads others to think most of these predictions won’t happen until a few years before the end of the world as we know it. In these 25 or so sermons so far, I have tried to show that the book of Revelation is best understood when we take the opening verse literally: it was to show us things that must soon take place. In verse 3 John wrote, “the time is near”. Jesus told John to write down everything he saw, the things current in his time, “and those that are to take place after this” (1:19). The book began with seven letters to current churches near where John was living at that time. After those seven letters John is told he is about to be shown “what must take place after this” (4:1). Then John saw in heaven a Lamb, representing Jesus, who opens a scroll sealed with seven seals, and one seal at a time, he is shown symbolic predictions about the things about to happen in history: the seven seals take the reader to the end of the 4th century and the Christianization of the Roman Empire; the first six trumpets take us to the end of the 15th century and the fall of Constantinople. The lands where the Christian message had spread, were given written prophecies that so far had come true, one after another, and in order. So did this make people more ready to believe in Jesus Christ?

The end of chapter 9, is both amazing and tragic, in that it tells us what effect these predictions had on unbelievers:

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk,  21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.  (Rev. 9:20-21 ESV)

The idol worship described there is the superstitious religion that calls itself Christian but actually prays to idols of Mary and the saints instead of trusting Jesus alone. That’s how high the stakes are when we come to chapter 10. In the flow of the whole prophecy, and in the history up to the 1400’s, the Christian faith had been drowned in religious superstition and hypocrisy, church leaders kept their people in darkness. Even if people went to church on Sunday, they never even got to hear the Bible taught in their own language, much less have a chance to read it for themselves. Into that spiritually dark world, when the flame of the Gospel had been snuffed out, the next scene John sees is a gloriously bright, colossal messenger descend from Heaven, taking his stand on land and sea, claiming the whole world as belonging to Christ, announcing that the time had come to judge and unmask the leaders of the Christian religion who were really enemies of Jesus Christ, and to gather people once again to Jesus. To explain these seven verses, I’ve broken this down into a) What the angel looks like, b) What the angel does, and c) What the angel says.

What the angel looks like

“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,” (Rev. 10:1 ESV). Almost every scholar I’ve read admits that this angel looks like a symbolic portrayal of Jesus. It is hard to overlook how similar this is to how Jesus is shown to John in chapter 1. Some, like Matthew Henry or John Gill, think it is Jesus; others, like MacArthur, that it’s just an angel. The appearance is like Jesus, but the way he swears by God in verse 6 is unlike Christ. I take it that he appears like Jesus because he is meant to be seen as a special messenger representing Jesus—angel means “messenger”—and that he speaks like he does in his oath, with such confidence and knowledge, because he symbolizes the authoritative proclamation, even preaching, of Jesus’ words. Verse 1 says he is “another mighty angel”; in chapter 8:3 we were shown “another angel”. In that passage, the angel acted out the part of a High Priest taking coals from the altar of burnt offering and presenting them on the altar of incense: we are told that incense and smoke is the prayers of the saints—the altar stands for the sacrifice of Jesus that makes His people holy so that we can pray directly to God knowing our sins are forgiven through Christ. So that angel was not even a real angel but a character in the dramatic vision John was shown, and what that angel symbolizes is the work of Jesus Christ. What this angel in chapter 10 symbolizes is the Word of Jesus Christ.  These two angel scenes are not predictions but explanations. They provide theological explanation for why the judgements that follow each scene are right and just. Both scenes expose the depth of the rebellion that follows. If I’m right about this, verse 1 tells us 5 things about the message from Jesus:

1. The message is divine: John saw it “coming down from heaven”. It is not a natural message or a human message, but a supernatural, divine message from God. 

2. The message reveals the glory of God: John saw that it “was wrapped in a cloud”.

• MacArthur rightly says the visual of the angel wearing the cloud "symbolizes his power, majesty, and glory, and the fact that he comes bringing judgment".[i]

• "And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud." (Exo 16:10 ESV)

• " And the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever." " (Exo 19:9 ESV)

• "Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.  16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.  18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. "  (Exo 24:15-18 ESV)

3. The message reveals a covenant of grace: John saw that the angel was crowned with a rainbow (our translation says it was “over his head”, but in 14:14 the same wording is used for a golden crown on the head).

• Again I agree in part with MacArthur: "…the rainbow represents God’s covenant mercy in the midst of judgment (as it did in 4:3)."[ii]

• The image of the bow as a sign of covenant grace comes from just after the Flood in Genesis 9:13: "I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth." (Gen 9:13 ESV)

• The crown of covenant grace then reminds me of how Jesus is described in Hebrews 2:9: "But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." (Heb 2:9 ESV)

4. The message reveals the glory of Jesus Christ: John saw “his face was like the sun”.

• At the beginning of the vision, when John saw Christ glorified he wrote, "his face was like the sun shining in full strength." (Rev 1:16 ESV)

• The Gospel of Matthew records that Jesus was visibly glorified by His Father in front of his disciples so that they would know when they look at Jesus, they are looking at God; when Jesus speaks to them, it is God speaking to them. Matthew writes, "And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light." (Mat 17:2 ESV) This angel represents the message of the glory of Jesus Christ.

2. The message reveals the way of salvation: John saw “his legs like pillars of fire”.

• By this message, the Lord delivers us out of our darkness into the light of His salvation. Looking back on the way God led Israel out of Egypt and ultimately to the Promised Land, Nehemiah says that God led them "by a pillar of fire in the night to light for them the way in which they should go." (Neh 9:12 ESV)

• And again, "you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud to lead them in the way did not depart from them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night to light for them the way by which they should go." (Neh 9:19 ESV)

• As Peter put it, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1Pe 2:9 ESV)

What the angel looks like exclaims the Gospel of Christ. My friends, listen: the way behind us is darkness, the way ahead, is the Promised Land. What is Jesus calling you to leave behind? These five descriptions of the appearance of the angel give us a picture of the message from heaven, about the glory of God, and the covenant of grace, the glory of Jesus Christ, and salvation through Him that leads us out of darkness into light. Next we see what the angel does and therefore a glimpse of what the message of Jesus Christ would accomplish.

What the angel does

2 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,  3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.  4 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. 10:2-4 ESV)

John saw that the angel had a “little scroll” open in his hand—that little scroll will be the topic of next Sunday’s sermon. The next thing John saw in verse 2 is where he takes his stand—deliberately on sea and on land. In the symbolic imagery of this vision, drawing its pictures from the rich vocabulary of the Old Testament Scriptures, the significance of this is not hard to see.

1. 1. The message claims authority over all people and nations: John saw the angel “set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land”.

• The prophet Nehemiah praises God saying, "You are the LORD, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you." (Neh 9:6 ESV) -- the way this angel takes his stand suggests that he is declaring that all worship belongs to Jesus--as if it's a challenge to any Enemy who dares to deny the exclusive prerogative of Christ as the object of all Christian worship!

• "By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;" (Psa 65:5 ESV) -- in the Old Testament, and in Revelation, while the "seas" represent all the rest of the nations, "the earth" or "land" represents specific people, in Revelation, the land of the Roman Empire.

• “…[The angel] 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…” (Rev. 10:6 ESV). The angel's oath explains where he places his feet: the One who created the land and the seas deserves to be worshipped as the only Lord by all His creatures. And in fact, the Old Testament prophets predicted that through the Messiah, the day would come when all the nations will worship Jesus (the angel’s oath has more to say about this):

  • • "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." (Hab 2:14 ESV)

    • "They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.  10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples-- of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious."  (Isa 11:9-10 ESV)

1. 2. The message makes known the Word of Christ: John saw the angel “call out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring”. It makes His enemies tremble and gathers His people to the sound of His voice.

• In chapter 5, Christ was described as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the only one worthy to open the larger Scroll because of His victory over death and sin: "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.""  (Rev 5:5 ESV) It is fitting that the message of Jesus, when proclaimed and made known, is described like a Lion roaring! His Word will not be silenced. In these Scriptures we do not encounter gentle suggestions and advice, in this Message we hear the loud call of command, a roar just as loud as we would expect to come from the mouth of a colossal being straddling land and sea. The commands of His voice are to be obeyed; His promises of grace are to be believed.

• And the Prophet Hosea predicts, "They shall go after the LORD; he will roar like a lion; when he roars, his children shall come trembling from the west;  11 they shall come trembling like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria, and I will return them to their homes, declares the LORD…Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One."  (Hos 11:10-12 ESV) What a comfort when we need it most! In the Scriptures, specifically the Gospel, we hear the voice of Jesus! And as we come trembling to the sound of His promises, He receives us as beloved “children”!

1. 3. The message initiates the final judgement: John saw that in response, “the seven thunders sounded”.

Interpretations are all over the place regarding the seven thunders—not what the thunders say, that’s not something John was allowed to share with us. So it’s wise to be careful here. But in chapter 8, right after “another angel” acting as High Priest took hot coals from the altar of Christ’s sacrifice and threw them down in fiery judgement upon the land, “there were peals of thunder” (8:5). We see “thunder” connected with judgement from God again with the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl. The idea is clearly connected with judgement. But the phrase here is not just thunder, it is “the seven thunders” as if readers would recognize the reference. And they would because it’s a reference to Psalm 29. The voice of the LORD is compared to “thunder”—and count with me how many times it repeats “the voice of the LORD”:

3 The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. 

4 The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 

5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.  6 He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. 

7 The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. 

8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 

9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, "Glory!"  (Ps. 29:3-9 ESV)

“The voice of Yahweh,” (translated, “the Lord”) thunders seven times. In the poetic parallels we read about what God does—He “breaks the cedars”, He “makes [the land] skip”, He “shakes the wilderness”—and every time, the things God does are accomplished by His speaking—by His voice! Therefore, taking insight from this passage to understand what “the seven thunders” are, I suggest that they stand for fullness and completion (viz. “seven”) of what God will accomplish through His Word—His voice.

Now notice that as soon as the angel called out, the seven thunders sounded—immediately. “…[The angel] called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded,” (Rev. 10:3 ESV). If we are right to take the angel’s call as a symbol that the Word of Christ will be proclaimed, then as soon as that happens, there is an immediate effect that begins. Eventually that effect will grow to accomplish—like the seven-fold thundering of God’s voice makes, breaks, and shakes in Psalm 29—a complete and full judgement on the world. Judgement for what? The seven thunders were in answer to the Word of Christ—the judgement falls upon on those who reject the Word of Christ, as John 3:18 says, "whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” The call of the angel, the roar of the Lion of Judah, the proclamation of the Holy Scriptures of the Word of Christ foretold in the descending of this angel to earth, this will be a decisive event in world history. The eternal destiny of every soul will depend on how they respond to this event: those who believe will be saved (c.f. John 3:16) and those who do not believe will be judged (John 3:18). What the angel does establishes the authority of Christ. Next, what does he say?

What the angel says

5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven  6 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,  7 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 ESV)

If we are to see this angel as a dramatic representation of the message of Christ, the doctrines of grace which we call the Gospel, then we can see three astonishing implications in verses 5-7:

1. The recovery of the Gospel is the way God will unite all of Creation (v5)

2. The recovery of the Gospel would set God's final plans in motion (v6)[iii]

3. The recovery of the Gospel will ultimately fulfill the greatest of God's promises: bringing all of Creation under the Headship of God's Son (v7)

Paul writes of this ultimate plan of God: "…making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth,"  (Eph 1:9-10 ESV). What the angel says encourages the people of Christ!

In the next few weeks I pray that the Lord will enable me to show you what He has revealed for us in these next major predictions up to the sounding of the seventh trumpet: that when the seventh trumpet is "about to sound" (see the KJV, NASB, NIV), there would be an unprecedented, unstoppable recovery of the Gospel that would change the world. That history would show when it seemed as if the enemies of grace had finally snuffed out the light once and for all, just then, a spark of flame would pierce the darkness, and the fire of the Gospel would spread and catch and blaze forth. But the battle would not be won by armies and swords. It would be won by the Word of Christ, nothing more and nothing less than the spread of the preaching of Holy Scripture: the Word of God would be unleashed.[iv] In this series on chapters 10-14, we will learn about “The War Against the Saints”; but as the seven thunders rumbled, and the angel’s oath declared, the outcome of this war is already decided. As He announced beforehand to the ancient prophets, the mystery of God is finally about to be revealed! We are living in that time. So listen to the warnings; obey the commands of Christ. But come to the sound of His voice, find safety in His Word of grace, take refuge in His promises: believe in Jesus.