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REVELATION - Behold, I am Coming Soon
Studies in the Book of Revelation
BOOK 4 - THY KINGDOM COME (REVELATION 10:1 - 12:17) – The two witnesses of the last days and the expulsion of Satan from heaven
PART 4.1 - PREPARATIONS FOR THE SOUNDING OF THE LAST TRUMPET (REVELATION 10:1 - 11:2)

3. Who Would Eat a Book? (Revelation 10:8-11)


REVELATION 10:8-11
8 The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” 9 I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. He said to me, “Take it, and eat it up. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” 10 I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

The voice from heaven, which had previously strictly forbidden John to write down the messages of the thunders, now commanded him to go to the glorious angel, who stood with one foot upon the sea and one foot upon the land. From him he was to receive the open book. John was not just passively to hear the radiant angel, but to approach and speak with him. That required courage, strength, faith and obedience. The angel answered John immediately and said: Take and eat the book.

Sometimes we think that as soon as we’ve heard something we´ve understood it. But of Mary it is said, as she learned the message of the shepherds and the saying which had been told them concerning the birth of the Savior Christ child: She kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19; see 2:51). Upon hearing the word of God a reflecting should come, a pondering, much like we would chew over a piece of food. We should not only memorize and preserve that which we have heard, but also pray it through, talk it over with God in dialogue. Whenever possible, believing friends should be asked their opinion. We should talk with spiritual counselors personally, or be counseled through their writings.

The angel warned John that the message he would swallow would be sullen and cause bitterness to his stomach. The message of Christ's victory would at first inspire him, be as “sweet as honey” to the mouth and palate; in the long term, however, cause pain and pity, as well as lead to a continuous sadness. At the beginning, the joyous message of the completion of the mystery of God showered the patriarch with joy, delight and consolation. The final pains of the end time, however, would cause many tears to flow from him. His immediate joy would not be taken away. It would, however, mix itself with heartfelt compassion for the persecuted brothers and sisters in faith, and be transformed into bitter sadness because of the increasing masses of demon-driven, godless people. The poet, Johann Lindemann, tried to overcome this conflict in song when he composed: In you is joy amidst all suffering, o you sweet Jesus Christ! (Lutheran songbook page 288; 398)

That which can be read in the book of Revelation appears to some as thrilling, horrifying or even dreadful. The revealed blows of judgment, as well as the coming temptations, cause the intercessory, merciful and priestly heart of the believer to passionately plead for the salvation of the lost even to the last second. No man who understands what he reads can endure the height and depth, the burden as well as the bliss of the revelations, save the “Spirit of comfort” strengthen, encourage, motivate, justify and bless him.

The aged patriarch received from the voice in heaven, as well as from the angel of the Lord, the command to further prophecy. This he was to do not only for his abandoned and persecuted churches in Asia Minor, but also in view of the Lord's dealing in the end time with many peoples, nations and languages. John had obeyed the heavenly voice, which at first had commanded him to be silent. He was obedient and faithful down to the minutest detail, therefore the Lord could entrust him with much (Luke 16:10; 19:17). The prophet's speaking and writing did not happen according to his own discretion. He did not follow his own personal impulses, but was obedient to the divine call. He had been translated into a dreadful loneliness in order to comfort millions of listening Christians, to enlighten them and keep them from going astray.

The voice out of heaven expressly commanded John to prophecy over many kings. This instruction made it evident that the seventh trumpet would not immediately sound following this vision, and that the dissolution of time and space would still take its time. Many kings in and around Jerusalem must still appear before evil would come to full bloom and ultimately be eradicated. The kingdom of God, however, would march relentlessly forward and break through.

PRAYER: Living Lord, the angel told John to eat the beautiful, sweet book, which became bitter and heavy in his stomach, according to its content. Help us, Holy One, to read, keep and digest spiritually the vision revealed by the apostle that we may be prepared for any good and evil rolling towards us.

QUESTION:

  1. What was, most probably, the book that the angel had revealed to John?

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