Title: The Little Book and the Angel
Contents
2007' Lecture on Revelation from the pulpit of the tendency (62)
"Little Book"
Revelation 10:1-11
We have been thinking about chapters 1 to 9 in the exposition of the book of Revelation (above). In Revelation 1, we studied the introduction of the book of Revelation. In Revelation 2~3, we studied the history and spiritual truth of the seven churches in Asia. It was the Lord's diagnosis, prescription, and promise to the worldwide church. In Revelation 4, we thought of the throne of God, which is the center of the revelation event. In Revelation 5, we thought of Jesus Christ, the executor of the revelation event. He was the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David, worthy to open the book sealed with the seven seals. He received the book sealed with the seven seals from God, and in front of this amazing fact, the whole universe and the heavenly world mobilized to sing a song of glory.
We see the seven-seal plague in Revelation 6.
And in Revelation 7, we saw the 144,000 sealed before the opening of the seventh seal. They were a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue (Rev 7:4-9).
In Revelation 8-9, when the seventh seal is opened, we see the opening from the first to the sixth trumpet.
The phosphorus plague (Revelation 6) was a symbol of persecution. The trumpet plague was a symbol of warning (Revelation 8-9). The central purpose of these disasters was God's revealed activity to save the saints in tribulation and to judge the wicked.
We saw that Revelation 7 is between the sixth and seventh seals. It shows the ultimate victory of the church (saints). We see that between the sixth and seventh trumpet plagues there are also Revelation 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of Revelation.
Revelation 10 is a revelation about a little book.
Revelation 11 is a revelation about the two witnesses.
Revelation 12 is a revelation about a woman clothed with the sun, a son she bore, and a red dragon.
Revelation 13 is a revelation about two beasts.
Revelation 14 is a revelation that shows the final victory of the church, that is, the final victory of the 144,000.
㉠ The little book held in the angel's hand (Revelation 10:1~7)
In Revelation 5:1, there was a “book sealed with seven seals”. It was God Himself who sat on the throne who had this book (Revelation 5:1-7). It was the Lamb, Jesus Christ Himself, who received this sealed book (Rev. 5:7).
However, there is another book in Revelation 10. This was called a small book. This book was not sealed with seven seals. The little book was also held by an angel.
1. What kind of angel (shape, Rv 10:1)?
1) He was called another mighty angel.
Revelation 10:1 says, “And I saw another mighty angel… ' he said. Who is it? He is sometimes called Michael, and he is also called Jesus Himself. But not Jesus Himself. What is certain is that he is a capable higher angel in the spirit realm. The word ‘strong angel’ suggests his power.
2) It is an angel who came down from heaven wearing clouds.
In Revelation 10:1, it says, “Another mighty angel came down from heaven in a cloud… ' he said.
This refers to an angel descending from heaven wrapped in clouds.
This shape is reminiscent of the scene when Jesus ascends to heaven or when He returns (Acts 1:9~11, Rev 1:7, Matt 24:30, Rev 14:14, Psalm 104:3).
This cloud appears seven times in the case of Revelation as a cart when God Himself moves (Revelation 1:7, 10:1, 11:12, 14:14, 15, 16).
3) An angel with a rainbow on his head.
In Revelation 10:1, it is also said, “There was a rainbow on his head… ' he said. The ‘head’ is the highest measure of personality. It is a term used for personal angels. To say that there is a rainbow on his head means the brilliant halo that the angel is wearing.
This rainbow was the glory of the throne of God (Revelation 4:3). The rainbow also symbolizes the faithfulness of the unchanging covenant of Jesus Christ.
If so, this angel is coming down after being sent by the Lord of such glory. The angel is coming as a faithful messenger of the covenant.
4) It is an angel whose face is shining like the sun.
In Revelation 10:1, “… That face is like the sun... ' he said.
‘His face’ (hJ provswpon) means ‘his face’. 'Like the sun' (wJ" oJ h{lio") is 'like the sun', which means that the angel's face will shine like the sun shining in the sky.
If so, this angel must be a messenger reflecting the glory of Christ (Revelation 1:15~16). In the future, the righteous will receive the light of the glory of Jesus in the kingdom of God and shine like the sun (Matthew 13:43).
5) His feet are angels like pillars of fire.
Again, Revelation 10:1 says, “His feet are like pillars of fire.”
In Revelation 1:15, the feet of Christ are said to be “like brilliant tin refined in a furnace.” If so, this angel reflects the stern judgment of Christ.
A mighty angel, an angel clothed in clouds, an angel with the glory of a rainbow on his head, an angel with a face as hot and bright as the sun, an angel with his feet like pillars of fire!
He is an angel shining with the glory of Jesus Christ. The appearance of angels, the spirit creatures of the spirit world that attends to God's work of redemption, is truly a being of glory.
Because of the greatness of his demonstration and mission, isn't God dressing him with his glory? The appearance of the church on earth should be more glorious than that of the angels in the spiritual realm. The reason is that angels are servants for the descendants who will be saved (Hebrews 1:14).
The church (saints) that reflects and testifies to the glory of the Lord on earth must have power. You must be clothed with the glory of holiness. We must be true to the fulfillment of God's covenant. It must be sown with the splendor of glory. His face (the church) must shine like the sun.
It must foretell God's righteous judgment with strength like a pillar of fire. You must be a guide of hope to the people who have received light.
2. What is the angel doing (Ministry, Rev. 10:2-7)?
1) His hand is holding a small open book.
Revelation 10:2 says, “Take the little book that was open in his hand.”
An “open little book” (biblivon hjnew/gmevnon) refers to an open book.
(1) What is a small book?
① It may be the contents of Revelation 11-13.
② It may be the contents of the book sealed with seven seals in Revelation 5:1.
③ It may be the entire contents of the book of Revelation.
④ It may be the Old and New Testaments.
⑤ However, this is God's secret, the eternal gospel, ordained to the servants of the prophets (Rev. 10:7).
(2) What does open small book mean?
It means that the content has already been revealed to all people. It is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross. The great mystery of God's salvation is the gospel of salvation open to all.
2) His feet are treading the sea and the ground.
In Revelation 10:2, “… His right foot was on the sea and his left foot on the ground... ' he said.
Here, ‘sea and land’ refers to the whole world of unbelief (Psalm 98:4, 7).
The term ‘stepping on’ means the establishment of a firm stand still. It means that no one can shake the position he has established. The angel's work is a universal work dealing with the entire universe.
3) His mouth is the ministry of proclaiming a powerful message.
This angel's cry,
(1) They shouted loudly like a lion's roar (universal cry).
Revelation 10:3 says, “They cried with a loud voice, as a roaring lion, and when they cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.”
Why is he shouting so loudly,
① Because the content of that cry is so serious and certain.
② It is because the contents are related to the whole of creation.
③ The content of the cry is to draw attention to salvation to believers and judgment to unbelievers.
(2) They cried out that they would not delay (Jesus' Second Coming).
In the second half of Revelation 10:6 it is said, “I will not delay”.
This angel took an open book in his hand and cried out in an oath before God. This is a message to inform that the judgment of Jesus Christ is imminent according to the mystery of the gospel he received from the Lord. It is a cry that heralds the coming of the end. “I will not delay” means that there is no more time. It means that the end is coming soon. It is the second coming of Jesus.
This angel raised his right hand and swore to God that the end was near (Revelation 10:6).
They shouted the truth of the end, the truth of the end, the truth of the end. It is the second coming of Jesus Christ.
(3) They cried out for the fulfillment of the gospel (saved saints).
Revelation 10:7 says, “On the day the seventh angel utters his voice, when the trumpet is blown, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as the gospel preached to his servants the prophets. “The day the seventh angel sounds the trumpet” is the day of the final judgment. It is the final judgment and second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
At that time, the mystery of God, that is, the gospel movement, will come to fruition.
Why was the gospel called the mystery of God?
① This is because those who are not born again cannot understand the meaning of the contents even if they hear and see the events of the Gospel.
② Because it is not believed even though it is true.
③ It is because people are unaware that it is going on in the historical world.
④ This is because, in reality, the sound of the seventh angel's trumpet has not yet been released (Great Judgment).
Noah's judgment of the flood and the work of saving the ark are open secrets. The history of the Passover and the ten plagues of the Exodus movement are open secrets. The coming, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are open secrets.
The coming of Jesus Christ, the judgment, and the kingdom of eternal life are open secrets. It is knowledge that is open and known to the believer. It is experiential knowledge. But to unbelievers, even if it is open to them, they cannot know it or believe it, so it is like a secret. Paul said that this mystery is great (Ephesians 5:31-32).
The marital union is an event of public secrecy. Our union with Jesus Christ is an open secret. A woman conceived cannot be a secret. The dissolution cannot be a secret either. It is a kind of open secret (1 Thessalonians 5:1-4).
Then, a powerful angel is an angel sent by the Lord. It is the angel who came with a small book in his hand. The book was an open book. of what has been disclosed. The angel once again informs the whole creation that the secret contained in this book is certain and will come true.
The mighty angel, in a loud voice, was, in effect, shouting out the important will of God recorded in the book. It means that the end is over when Jesus Christ judges the world. It came to herald the end. He also came to shout that the day of the end will be the fulfillment of the gospel, that is, the fulfillment of salvation for the saints.
I don't know why the seven thunders sounded. What is certain is that a powerful angel was heard when they cried out the message of judgment (the end) and salvation.
This is a sign that reveals the majesty of God's judgment. I don't know if the angel's message is a reminder to the created world that it is a very important and urgent matter of truth.
The powerful angel who came down from heaven is a messenger in the place of Jesus Christ. He is a lion holding the gospel of Jesus Christ in his hand and shouting aloud to the whole universe.
Now this book is given to the Lord's Church. The church should open the Bibles of the Old and New Testaments high. And we must shout the gospel of salvation written in the midst of it. You have to shout with your mouth. You must shout in deeds. Evidence of goodness is evident by looking at its fruits. The true Church of Jesus Christ is a powerful group to bear witness to the revelation of the Word of the Bible unfolding among us. If the church is silent, won't the stones by the roadside cry out?