Revelation

Revelation 10: God sends His servants to speak

Begin in prayer

Before we read how God keeps His word to the prophets and sends John to speak it, let us ask the Lord to teach us. Pray that He would give our family a love for His Word and show us Christ in it.

For I will proclaim Yahweh’s name. Ascribe greatness to our God!

Deuteronomy 32:3

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us that You keep every promise, and help us to see Jesus. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Between the sixth and seventh trumpets, John sees a mighty angel holding a little open book, with feet on sea and land. Seven thunders speak, yet a heavenly voice commands John to seal their words instead of writing them. The angel swears by the eternal Creator that delay will end and God's mystery will be finished as announced to the prophets. John must take and eat the open book, which tastes sweet as honey before making his stomach bitter. He is then commanded to prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages and kings.

As you read Revelation 10, look for the answers:

• Who does the angel swear by, and what does he say? (verses 5 to 7)
• What does the little book taste like in John's mouth, and in his stomach? (verse 10)
• Over whom must John prophesy again? (verse 11)

Reflect together

Key truth

God will do all He told His prophets, and He sends His servants to speak to many nations.

The angel's feet on sea and land match his oath by the Creator of heaven, earth and sea, declaring authority over the whole world. The raised hand recalls the solemn oath in Daniel's vision, giving the announcement the weight of God's sworn purpose. No further delay means the promised completion has reached its appointed time, rather than that time itself ceases to exist. God's mystery is His purpose made known through the prophets, and He will finish what He declared. Yet the thunders' words are withheld, so John receives no permission to fill in the silence. His task turns from sealed words to the book lying open in the angel's hand. Ezekiel also ate a book before speaking God's words, and John's eating pictures taking the message into himself. Its sweetness becomes bitterness as the joy of God's word carries the weight of judgment. Receiving that whole message prepares him to speak over the peoples and rulers who must hear it.

How does Revelation 10 show us that God will do all He told His prophets, and sends His servants to speak to many nations?

God will finish the purpose He declared to His prophets.

The angel raises his hand and swears by the eternal Creator of heaven, earth and sea (verses 5 and 6). He announces no more delay, with God's mystery finished in the days of the seventh angel's voice (verses 6 and 7). This mystery is God's revealed purpose, which the prophets had already declared.

God commands which words John must seal and which he must speak.

John hears seven thunders and prepares to write their words (verses 3 and 4). The heavenly voice tells him to seal them and leave them unwritten. God's command governs his silence as well as his speech.

John receives the sweet and bitter book before speaking again.

The voice directs John to take the open book, and the angel tells him to eat it (verses 8 and 9). Ezekiel had also received God's words through eating a book before his prophetic task (Ezekiel 3 verses 1 to 3). The book tastes sweet as honey, then makes John's stomach bitter (verse 10). John must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages and kings (verse 11).

Memorise

You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

Revelation 10:11

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, when God's Word shows my sin, will I turn to Jesus?

The little book was “as sweet as honey” in John's mouth, then made his stomach bitter. He had to receive God's message before speaking it again. The word that promises God's completed purpose also carries the weight of His judgment.

Our sin deserves that judgment, and no pleasant words can remove our guilt. Jesus Christ suffered God's punishment for His people at the cross, securing their pardon through His death. His sacrifice is enough for their whole need, and the Father raised Him to life. The Lamb who took God's book will complete the purpose His prophets declared.

Receive His Word with its warning and promise. Turn from your sin and trust Jesus Christ. Every person who comes to Him finds forgiveness, whatever nation or language is theirs. His mercy gives sinners reason to rejoice, and His certain judgment gives urgency to hearing His voice today.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God keeps every word He has spoken, and that Jesus is the sweetest part of it. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart. Parents, John was told to seal up what the thunders said, so we do not guess what it was.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that He will finish all He told His prophets, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

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 declared to his servants, the prophets.

Revelation 10:7

Lord God, thank You that You keep every word You speak. Thank You for Your Word, and for Jesus. Please lead each of us to turn from sin and trust Him, and help us to love Your Word this week. Amen.