The Apocalypse – Chapter 10 – Part 1
We are continuing our study into the Book of Revelation utilising the Matthew Henry Commentary. The Word assures us that there are blessings to be unearthed from simply reading the book. Revelation 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Today’s title is The Mighty Angel with the Little Book.
Keep your eyes fixed on My Son The path has been tried, Every step has been planned With a view to your progress; Of this you must understand. Never test your work by anothers or by what they leave undone. Yours to master the task I have set you; To keep your eyes fixed on My Son. In the Spirit of Adventure You will see so many wondrous sights. Go forward in My strength To scale those undreamed of heights. Never question your capability. That is for Me to decide. Whatever task I give you Know that I am by your side. All the resources of heaven I desire upon you to shower. Know that I as your friend and leader Could never set you a task beyond My power. To wait to feel strong is cowardly. My strength is provided for the task. Do not hesitate in expecting My strength Before you begin, I ask. It is not humility to hesitate to do the great task I set for you It is a lack of faith in Me. Realise My Words are true. Through lack of faith How much of My work goes undone. Once again I would say to you Keep your eyes fixed on My Son. By the late Andrew Feakin [passed away 16th March 2019]
Keys – The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
- The Lord God is always mindful of His covenant to us.
- His ways, both of grace and providence, are pure and steady.
- The Lord God has absolute power and dominion over the whole world.
- Those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Yesterday we ended Chapter 9 of the book of Revelation (or Apocalypse), today commence with Chapter 10 – The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And 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. Now when the 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.
A glory too great for mortality
Henry says – This chapter is an introduction to the latter part of the prophecies of this book. Here we have a remarkable description of a very glorious angel with an open book in his hand, Rev. 10:1-3. It is an account of seven thunders which the apostle heard with some discoveries, which the apostle was not yet allowed to write, Rev. 10:4. It recounts the solemn oath taken by him who had the book in his hand, Rev. 10:5-7. The apostle is then given a charge Rev. 10:8-11.
This is an account of another vision from John, between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets. The mighty angel, is similar in appearance to the ‘Son of Man’ and so set forth to induce us to think it could be no other than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! He was clothed with a cloud: he veils his glory, which is too great for mortality to behold. Clouds and darkness are round about him and a rainbow was upon his head. He is always mindful of his covenant, and even when his conduct is most mysterious, yet it is perfectly just and faithful.
All His ways are pure and steady
The face of this angel was as the sun, all bright, and full of lustre and majesty, Rev. 1:16. His feet were as pillars of fire and all his ways, both of grace and providence, are pure and steady.
This angel set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth, to show the absolute power and dominion he had over the world. It also indicates that he has a message for the whole world. And he held in his hand a little book, probably the same one that was sealed but was now opened.
He cried aloud, as when a lion roars (Rev. 10:3), and his awful voice was echoed by seven thunders. Seven solemn and terrible ways of discovering the mind of God. The apostle was given the warning not to publish, but conceal what he had learned from the seven thunders, Rev. 10:4.
The secret things belong to God
There is much that we are not yet to know (Deut 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.)
This mighty angel took a solemn oath. He lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever. That there shall be time no longer. This is to mean either that there should no longer be a delay in fulfilling the predictions of this book. That the mystery of God shall be finished, Rev. 10:7. Or, that when this mystery of God is finished time itself shall be no more. That all things shall be at length for ever fixed, and so time itself swallowed up in eternity.
Adapted from the Matthew Henry Commentary
Prayer for the Day
Prayer: Father, I come to You. I thank You that You are always mindful of Your covenant with us. Thank You that all Your ways are pure and steady. We can rely on You for You never fail and are always sure. Thank Your for the assurance that You have absolute power and dominion over the world. So our hearts can be secure. May those things that have been revealed to us lead us to live as we ought to live. That we and our households might be saved. We bless Your name forever. Amen.