What You Need to Know Part 1

Summary of Revelation 10

A mighty angel comes down from heaven clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets  Then the voice which I heard from heaven said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel…” So I went to the angel…” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Takeaways

• Our God is a great leader and cannot be defeated. He will justly deal with all the forces of evil in the world.
• John, Jesus’ servant, becomes part of history, His Story, when he takes the scroll, eats it (digests it) and becomes prepared to play his role in the plan God has for the end of times.
• The “mystery” of God are those things revealed by Jesus. Some biblical mentions of mysteries that can be revealed to us: Romans 11:25, Ephesians 3:3-11, Romans 11:25, Colossians 1:27-2:3, Colossians 4:3. This is the time when all of God’s mysteries will come to an end.
• John is instructed to preach the Gospel to all peoples, nations, tongues and kings, that is, to all the world. One can only proclaim the Word of God if it has been taken in and received to your innermost being…a prerequisite to proclaiming it.
• We are given all the information we need to know to play our role in His plan. No more, no less.

One Couldn’t Help But Ask…

1. It was said, “Be in the word”. This week we hear that we are to ingest/digest the word. How are we to take in “The Word” so that the mysteries of the bible are revealed to us? If Jesus needs the Holy Spirit to guide His life, how much more in need of the Holy Spirit are we?
2. A “mystery” is something unknown before God has revealed it to us and therefore unknown to the nonbeliever. Can you share with the group an example from your life when a biblical “mystery” has been revealed, understood, and embraced? In other words, what changes in your life have you made because of God, the bible, and Jesus Christ?
3. What should you do when you cannot think of a response to the afore mentioned question?