The day is approaching when all those mysterious judgment pictures of God’s Word shall be made real in action (v. 7). Apocalyptic studies are understood by those who walk in close fellowship with God and while they have their charm, to the true man of God, they have also their bitterness when really appropriated, by reason of the startling and terrible prospective they reveal (v. 9).
Revelation 10
1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.
5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.
9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Revelation 10:1 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:2-3 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:2-3 cont. – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:4 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:5-7 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:8-10 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:11 – J. Vernon McGee
Revelation 10:1-11 – The Angel with the Little Book
If one of God’s angels is so strong and glorious, what must the Lord of angels be! From the splendor of His retinue, we may estimate the wealth of the Prince. How exactly does this description of the little book suit the word of the Cross, that is, the message of the gospel! Things are spoken to the saints, which, as Paul says, no tongue can utter. They are sealed to the unbelieving but opened to the children of God. Notice that magnificent description of the ever-living God, the Creator, the Unfolder of the mystery of His dealings,Revelation 10:6-7. See also I Corinthians 2:12.
The gospel is full of sweetness and delight in its first conception. The sense of peace with God, the consciousness of pardoned sin and acceptance in the be-loved, are like the music of heaven or the dew of paradise. But the cross cuts deep into the self-life, as we carry the sentence of death in ourselves. We learn the necessity of being crucified with Christ, if we would enter into His resurrection joys; and so the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrates lower and lower, dividing soul and spirit, the joints and marrow. Our Lord never concealed this from those who sought to be enrolled as His followers; but there is blessedness in the bitterness, as springs of fresh water arising amid the brine of the sea. —Through the Bible Day by Day
Revelation 10:6 – Time’s one great day begins with the creation of man, and ends with the coming of the Lord; but already in God’s sight that expanse is nothing more than a point; and to ourselves, when from eternity we look back, it will seem a speck upon the infinite. As one star differeth from another star in glory, this day will shine more brightly than all the rest, for it is the bride’s birthday; it is the date attached to every name in the Lamb’s book of life. (Arnot)
Revelation 10:6—Time no longer.
Time is but an incident in the procession of eternity: a wreath of cloud on its expanse; a throb of its pendulum; a drop in its multitudinous ocean. There was a moment when it began; there shall be another of its pause and cessation.
But we may look for this expiration of the Time Ages without alarm. We have already received the germ of the eternal life, which existed before time began, and will last when it has fulfilled its course. “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life” (1 John 5:11-12). We are the children of eternity; our eternal life dates from the moment of our regeneration; we know not how it befell but we awoke in the time sphere to discover that we were objects of an eternal love, and that we are destined to a life which will outlast the universe of matter. From everlasting to everlasting Thou art God; and Thou hast made us partakers of thy divine nature, who art, and vast, and art to come!
From times eternal God has been elaborating his secret purpose, which surely must include the overruling of evil for good; the vindication of his permission of evil; and the final restitution of all things. For long that mystery has remained unfinished. God has not told his deep design. To many questionings He has given no reply. But the moment is at hand when the mystery of God will be finished, and the draping vail will be removed. Then, beloved, but not before, you will understand. Then you shall see the end from the beginning; and in God’s light, see light. —Our Daily Homily