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The Revelation to John - Chapter 10
Revised 2013
- The final woe is again delayed. The seer is commissioned again. Those who are to witness God’s actions in the last days need to be established. The final events will not start without further prophetic testimony. First an interlude - chaps 10 & 11 - between opening 6th & 7th scrolls (cf 7:1-17). But also introduce some themes in chaps 12 - 22 - a new commission. Sealed scroll of 1st cycle of visions held by God (5:1) was obscure, deliberately veiled. Open little scroll of 2nd cycle here has characters and conflict & resolution of last days more sharply defined.
- 1 John was in heaven, able to see both events in heaven and the corresponding events on earth. But now he is back on earth and a “mighty” angel comes down to earth. Only 2 other “mighty” angels (5:2, 18:21) so must be closely connected to God’s glory and having divine authority. Traditional metaphors: thunder, lion’s roar signs that day of judgement is beginning (Ps 29:3-9; Hosea 11:10; Amos 1:2; 3:8; Joel 4:16). Cloud & rainbow signs of God’s presence (Ezek 1:28). Angel’s face shines with the glory of God, as Jesus when transfigured, and Son of Man earlier (1:12-16). The demonic horrors of the last scene are erased.
- 2 Open scroll indicates message for everyone to read. Standing on both land & sea implies universality of the message. Scroll is open, but we are not told its contents. Angel appears modelled on Gabriel speaking to Daniel (Dan 10-12).
- 3 Seven thunders: God’s voice announcing judgement & doom (cf Ps 29:3-9). Also remind of 7 spirits of God. This “mighty” angel has “lion-like” voice (Hos 11:10), higher than other angels, so higher status.
- 4 Not all that humans hear from God is communicable: Paul “heard things that are not to be told” (2 Cor 12:4). John is not to communicate what he hears in the thunders of God speaking. He has to be content with the little scroll. Daniel seals up his revelation because it is for the generation that will live in the last days, not for his time. What John hears is for the Christians of his time, so sealing it indicates the end time is not yet come. But it is not far off: then all that God has announced will come to pass (10:6). “Voice from heaven” may be voice of risen Christ.
- 5 Raising hand to heaven traditional stance for taking oath: “Raise your right hand and say”. Angel stands one foot in sea, one on earth, one hand pointing to heaven. His message is important for whole created order - including heaven!
- 6 swears by the eternal God, who created Heaven & earth & sea: 3 parts of the whole universe. “No more delay”: cf Dan 12:7; Hab 2:3. IE how long to the end - of the world, or of these troubles? The question that hung over all the prophets was not “Was their vision true?” but “How much longer before it came to pass?” John is also a prophet, and experiences the answer to this question - “no more delay”, accompanied by strong oath (Dan 12:7). Little, short scroll my indicate end is near.
- 7 “The mystery of God” - God’s mysterious plan, or purpose, promised by the prophets (Amos 3:7), guiding creation towards the fullness of God’s reign (21:1-22:5), the end of the present age when the forces of evil will be put down, God’s reign will be established, all creation will be made new. 7th trumpet (11:15-19).
- 8 The “voice from heaven”, “Son of Man” = risen Christ (10:4) tells John to get the scroll.
- 9 Scroll was sweet because announced final victory of God’s people; sour because also announced their sufferings Cf Ezek eating words of woe: sweet at first, then he learns they are directed against Israel (3:1-3). The book of destiny cannot be read easily, it has to be digested and meditated on before communicating its content. Here it is at first sweet, but on reflection its import is seen to be ominous (Cf Ezek 2:8-3:3) & bitter - cf Zeph’ bitterness at having to announce the day of the Lord (Zeph 1:14).
- 10 Small scroll differs from larger (5:1): pleasant news of victory, bitter news of painful coming disaster seer now has to prophesy about. Ingesting scroll makes words the prophet’s own, so better able to proclaim it. God’s word is sweet, including the vindication of faithful witnesses and divine judgement on evil tormentors, until the implications have been digested.
- 11 Like Ezek (Ezek 3:1-4), he is now told to go & prophesy. And he is to go to all peoples and kings of the earth, not just like Ezek to Israel - and especially to the Roman emperor. Further prophesy - in chaps 12-22. Not clear who is “they”. He is to prophesy again, but not yet finished the first commission, unless chaps 2-11 fulfill commission of chap 1.