Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. “I saw another
strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the
rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet
like pillars of fire;”
The beings of eternity are not like us at all.
We are simply made of matter; limited in time and space. This angel
is pure energy, or even more likely, someone much MORE than energy as
we understand it. Clothing would be irrelevant to such a being, who
was clothed with a “cloud.” A “rainbow”
encircled his head, which is a reminder of God’s promise of mercy to
Noah (Genesis 9:12-17), and is a reflection of the rainbow that
encircles God’s throne (see Revelation 4:3).
His face was “like the
sun” in its brightness and his legs were “like
pillars of fire” in a furnace. His appearance is very similar
to the Lord’s manifestation, as seen in Revelation 1:16, which is an
indication that those who love and serve the Lord, will receive His
reflected glory. John observed, “WE shall be
like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). God
shares His glory with those who trust in Him.
Verse 2. “and he had in
his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the
sea and his left on the land;”
This “strong angel” (verse 1) held a “little
book” in his hand. It’s tempting to think this is the 7th
angel of the group that were “given seven
trumpets” (Revelation 8:2 & forward), but that angel will not
be seen again until Revelation 10:7. This is another angel of God,
who had his “right foot on the sea and his
left on the land.” If you or I had one foot in the sea and
another on the beach, no one would get the impression of SIZE in our
act. But it sounds like this angel has one foot in the middle of the
Atlantic Ocean and the other in Eastern Europe!
From that perspective, the book in his hand may
have seemed “little” to the Apostle
John, simply because the being was very LARGE! Size in eternity may
have no relevance, much like time and space have no meaning in such a
place. But this verse is a reminder that we are SURROUNDED by
powerful beings at all times. Often we have had a near accident, and
breathed, “Whew, that was close!”
There are great dangers from the world of the unseen, and we are
probably delivered every moment, without even realizing it. God has
assigned many to watch over us at all times.
Verse 3. “and he cried
out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried
out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.”
We recently were near a lion in the Tucson,
Arizona, Zoo, when he decided to roar. The sound was immense, and he
wasn’t really even trying very hard. This immense “angel” now cried
out with a voice that reminded John of the roaring of a lion. Another
sound we remember quite well from Tucson, is the crash of thunder,
which is very loud indeed. Like an echo from the other side of a
valley, “seven peals of thunder”
responded to the cry of this angelic creature.
This would be a cry of great agony, for neither
God nor His angels enjoy bringing judgment upon His people. We are
ALL His people, in the sense that He created us, and He wants LIFE for
us all – John 3:17. This verse has reference to Jesus Christ, for we
are reminded that He is the true Lion of Judah. The cry of this
servant of God would be terrifying, for it is the cry of God’s love,
betrayed by His people. Note again that the thunders are the RESULT
of the act by this angel. It may be that all “natural” events
(thunder, earthquakes, etc.) are reflective of events in the
supernatural realm.
Verse 4. “When the
seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a
voice from heaven saying, ‘Seal up the things which the seven peals of
thunder have spoken and do not write them.’”
Pastor Chuck Smith has had much to say about this
verse. He pointed out that this verse refutes the idea that we (on
earth) can have COMPLETE knowledge of God’s plans and intentions. By
commanding John to “seal” and “not
write” this information about the “seven
peals of thunder,” we are left with PARTIAL knowledge of the
future. I think we know much less than we think we know about many
things.
Actually, to admittedly know LESS, is a good
thing! If you look at life from the perspective of what gives lasting
pleasure, it is NOT knowledge; but instead, it is love. He loves us
and enables us to love. We must love God as the Senior Partner, our
Leader and King. Look to Him in faith (faith wrought by Him, in Him,
through us), trusting in Him – not demanding to know things, and you
will have the best of life, for He will indeed give you His love.
Verse 5. “Then the
angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his
right hand to heaven,”
This angel is among those we have been reading
about, who have had (and will have) a profound effect on mankind. He
is to be an active participant during a time that will ring down the
curtain on this whole period of history. Yet here he is, lifting his
hand to heaven, looking to the Lord for delegated authority and
direction. This angel is greater in size and power than we are, and
yet, he looked to the Lord, and (next verse) “swore
by Him.” We must look to God, as well.
That’s so important to see. It’s hard to pray,
for it is HUMBLING to pray. Prayer is faith in action, an admission
that He knows what is needed and we don’t. Our power is limited and
so is our understanding. Prayer says, “I
need You, God.” This great angel was “on stage” at a critical
moment, but he looked to God. Like the “seven
peals of thunder” that were sealed up in the preceding verse,
there is much we don’t know. But go when He calls, and He will direct
your path.
Verse 6. “and swore by
Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in
it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in
it, that there will be delay no longer,”
God is the highest authority in relation to
heaven and earth. He who created all things, OWNS you and me. We
belong to Him, and to the extent that we do not acknowledge Him, we
are in rebellion against Him. He is the One who has rights, and it is
His decree that we shall trust in Him. Notice that, at the time of
this verse, the end of this age will have come. There will be no
reason for God to delay the end, for faith will be no more. We shall
see that some on earth trust in Him, but at some point, no further
people will turn to Him, and therefore, the suffering of this world
will mercifully end.
Time will soon be over; and just like death is
intended to be the doorway to real life, the end of time is also the
beginning of eternity. Notice that the “axe” has not yet completely
fallen on humanity. There is still a pause here, before final
judgment is to come. On the mere possibility that you, or someone
like you may yet repent and turn to Him, His judgment will unfold
slowly, for He loves you and me.
Verse 7. “but in the
days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound,
then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants
the prophets.”
Now the seventh angel is about to sound his
trumpet, and the “mystery” of God will
be revealed for all to see. The Apostle Paul understood the mystery
(Greek “musterion”) of God, and he
told us that it is “Christ in you, the hope
of glory” (Colossians 1:26, 27). Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
literally enters the “hearts” of those who are willing to place their
faith in Him. Without true hope, we are utterly lost, and faced with
endless depression. But He IS our hope and we can trust in Him.
Now, at the time of this verse, history is very
near the point where, “every eye will see
Him, and they also who pierced Him, and all the tribes of the earth
will mourn because of Him” (Revelation 1:7 and Zechariah
12:10). This is the message given to and through God’s servants, the
prophets. They all spoke of Him, though often in the form of a
parable, a “mystery,” but the time is soon coming when the “mystery”
will be no more – We shall see Him face-to-Face.
Verse 8. “Then the
voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and
saying, ‘Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who
stands on the sea and on the land.’”
How wonderful to hear a literal “voice
from heaven,” as John did. If you think about it, he walked
with Jesus in His life here on earth. He was with Jesus when He was
transfigured (Matthew 17:1-13), and he was now (as recorded in the
Book of Revelation) literally taken from the Isle of Patmos, to the
throne of God. John’s blessings were many, but so are ours, for as
Jesus told a disciple, after His resurrection from the dead, “Blessed
are those who have NOT seen and yet have believed” (John
20:29). EVERYTHING is given to those who BELIEVE in the Son of God.
We saw this large “angel”
who has one foot in the middle of the ocean and the other in the midst
of a continent, in verse 1, where he was called a “strong
angel.” And he certainly is. John had observed in verse 2
that he held “a little book which was open.”
John was now to make his way over to that being, and take the “little”
book from his hand. God has much to show to us all. In these verses,
He is showing you the throne of God and the things of God. We are
blessed indeed.
Verse 9-10. “So I went
to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to
me, ‘Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your
mouth it will be sweet as honey.’ I took the little book out of the
angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and
when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.”
This is the kind of responsiveness God expects
from us. In verse 8, John was told to “Go,
take the book,” and we find in verse 9 that he immediately
went, telling the angel, “Give me the little
book.” God “speaks” to His little ones (those who trust in
Him) continually, through His Holy Spirit. Our response is often that
we will “think about it,” and there is value in restraint, for as John
noted in 1 John 4:1, we are to “test the
spirits, whether they are of God.” But when there is no doubt,
as there was none for John in these verses, then we must act
immediately as God directs.
These verses are strongly reminiscent of Ezekiel
3:1 and context, where the prophet was told to “Fill
your stomach with this scroll.” Ezekiel did as he was told,
and “it was in my (his)
mouth like honey in sweetness” (Verse
3). The bitterness is later implied in Ezekiel 3:14. The sweetness
suggests the pleasure and readiness with which Ezekiel and John
received God’s commands. The bitterness is found in the nature of
God’s message – Judgment on the people of this world.
Verse 11. “And they
said to me, ‘You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and
nations and tongues and kings.’”
John the Apostle, the human writer of the Book of
Revelation, was a prophet; that is, he had been given the gift of
prophesy by the Lord God. It’s important to see that EVERYONE in the
body of Christ, the church, is gifted by the Lord. It’s easy to look
at John, or someone like Moody, or Billy Graham, and conclude, “I
don’t measure up.” For here is John, exercising a ministry of
prophesy that is still effective in many nations, after 2000 years.
And yet, just as every part of the human body is important to the
person, so every person in the true church, the body of Christ, is
important to us all, and to God.
You MATTER to God, just as surely as John matters
to Him, though you may not fully understand. Simply trust in the
Lord, and see, as Paul did, that the greatest gifts of all are not
“tongues” or “prophesy” or whatever, but “faith,
hope and love, these three,” and he
continued, “the greatest of these is
love” (1 Corinthians 13). If you are called to prophesy, as
John is being called in this verse, then do so, but don’t forget to
love, for that is indeed the greatest gift of all.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
P.O. Box 92131
Long Beach, CA
90809-2131 USA
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
