Daily Devotional Monday 10th July 2023

by William Moody

Revelation 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10:1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

(ESV)

This mighty angel is described as being wrapped in a cloud (v1) which spoke of him being in presence of God. The rainbow over his head speaks of the faithfulness of God and how the angel speaks for the God who keeps His covenant promises. The face of the angel shining like the sun speaks of him reflecting something of the glory of God, whose presence He has come from.

He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land (v2b), this is showing that he is claiming authority over the whole world. The angel calls out with a loud voice like a roaring lion and as he does seven thunders sounded (v3). He is God’s servant being used to fulfil God’s purposes.

The sealing of the message of the seven thunders is in contrast to the little open scroll which the mighty angels holds in his hand (v2). This reminds us that God reveals the truth we need to know, but there is a lot of other truth which God in His wisdom and love chooses not to reveal to us now.

Not only must John take the scroll he has to eat it (v9). More and more John is being brought in to be part of this revelation. When we embrace God’s truth into our hearts and lives and then share that truth, we like John become part of God’s wonderful plan in the world (v11).

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.