“READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT + ISAIAH” (RTNTI) PROJECT
Today’s Reading: Revelation 10 (NIV) | (NLT) [click version to read]
[You can read/download the reading plan here.]
Date: 4 October 2013
Written By: Dr Conrade Yap
1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
5Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’a ” 10I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
(Revelation 10:1-11)
There is a strange event in this chapter. The angel tells John to take the scroll and instead of reading it, to eat it. Moreover, the angel also says that the scroll will taste sweet to the mouth, but turns sour at the stomach. Will any of us be willing to eat it when told about the consequences? I suppose many of us will have several moments of hesitation. We may start to ask why we should be eating it. Maybe we can ask again whether we can skip the eating of it altogether. Maybe, we may start to bargain for something more palatable. Maybe, some of us may even do some discussion and analysis before we make a decision.
John just follows through with the request. He eats it and it tastes sweet in the mouth. Then he feels it becomes sour to the stomach. What impresses me in this is the accuracy of the judgments, the exact results as stated by the angel, and the total obedience of John. Upon the obedient eating of the scroll, John is then given the responsibility to prophesy further. It reminds me of this: The faithful must demonstrate their faith prior to becoming a prophet, messenger, or servant. Then and only then, one can say that one is serving God. For without faith it is impossible to please God.
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Time for Reflection: “Conviction of sin is one of the rarest things that ever strikes a man. It is the threshold of an understanding of God. Jesus Christ said that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict of sin, and when the Holy Spirit rouses the conscience and brings him into the presence of God, it is not his relationship with men that bothers him, but his relationship with God.” (Oswald Chambers)
conrade
This “Read Through the New Testament” project and commentary is sent to you from Theology@Work, a ministry that helps apply theology in our daily lives, and seeks to inculcate, faith, hope and love in our heads, hearts and hands. If you find this meditation helpful, forward it to friends or encourage them to subscribe here. You can contact me (conrade) at yapdates@aim.com.
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