Read v.1-11
Intro: Divide this Chapter into 3 sections
A) John
sees this giant Angel - who in his
description looks very similar to the vision of Jesus John
received in Ch. 1
B) Face like the Sun / Rainbow around his head / feet like Pillars of fire / loud voice that roars
1)
He
looks so much like it that many commentators have said this is Jesus Kind of a
Preview of Coming attractions -
A) ( Note 2 things ) Why this
is not Jesus / But why whoever this is does He look like Jesus
1st Why this is not Jesus - Several reasons
A) #1 V.1 Another Mighty Angel - (Grk word (allos) Another of the
same
Kind takes us back to Ch. 8 /
7 Angels w/ the 7 Trumpets
1)
But If John was
Talking about Jesus he would have used the grk word heteros for another = another of a Different Kind
2nd Reason this is
not Jesus is because although Jesus did appear in the O.T. as the Angel of
the Lord never does in the N.T.
A)
And whenever Jesus is
Mentioned in the Book of Rev. / John always gives Him AN
UNMISTAKABLE TITLE
B) Ch. 1:5 the faithful
witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the
earth.
Ch. 1:11 Alpha
and the Omega, the First and the Last," / CH. 2:18 Son of God,/ Ch. 3:7 He who is holy, He who is true,
1)
Ch. 3:14 the
Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
A)
We
could go on & on Different Titles that Jesus revealed Himself to John
as (
Never Vague Never abstract)
3rd reason is it is
inconceivable that Jesus the 2nd Person of the trinity would take
the Oath that is recorded in v.6
6 and He 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,
A)
Especially since we are told
by Paul in Col. 1:16 speaking of Jesus
16 For by Him all things were created that are
in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and
for Him.
17
And He is before
all things, and in Him all things consist.
B)
So for those reasons I dont think this Angel is a reference to Jesus
1)
Which would cause one
to question well why does He look so much like Jesus 2Nd
CONSIDERATION
C) It is the same REASON that when you study through the Bible you see that there were other Angels who also had similar Features
1) I like the way Eugene Peterson describes them: "Vast, fiery, sea-striding creatures, with hell in their nostrils and heaven in their eyes."
So why does this Angel resemble Jesus ?
Some have suggested & I tend to agree w/ this idea ( They look like Jesus /been in the
Presence of Jesus)
A) It is a Principle of scripture that declares you become what you worship !!!!
Psa. 115: 4 But their idols are silver
and gold, made by the hands of men.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes,
but they cannot see;
6 they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but
they cannot smell;
7 they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but
they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
B)
Why
you see people walking around looking like Elvis / or some other celebrity
1)
Or
you listen to them talk and what ever they are into all they talk about /
Surfing / Cars / Homes / Money
Now
this Principle of you become like what you Worship is a great Principle for us
Because we worship the Lord more like Him
A)
So as we come together here
on Sundays Worship & study God is doing a work to make us more like
Himself !!!!
B)
He
is TRANSFORMING US to be more like Him / molding & Shaping our very hearts
after His
1) It happens more &
more as we spend time w/ Him!!!!
C) Like Moses on Mt. Sinai Face was Shinning Glow / Comes down the Mt. There is a Shinning / a glory / a RADIANCE on his face !!!
1)
All
Israel says WOW !!!! - WHY? They recognized that Moses had been in the
Presence of the Lord
A)
But after a few days it says that the Glow began
to fade from Moses face so He put on a Veil hide
that the Glow was fading
1)
Went
back into the Presence of the Lord get that Glow Back
In Reality we do the Same thing
you get up tomorrow & spent time w/ the Lord Glow go off into your day
/
A)Living in this world has a
way of taking the glow right out of you !
A) Why each day we need to spend time w/ the Lord INDIVIDUALLY in devotions it is that way of getting that glow back
B) Also TOGETHER
That is also why mid week Bible study is so
important
1)
because
we are like coals in a fire / what happens together - flame gets brighter
CC)We come together like we are today & we Brighten
each other up so that when we go out Little Embers Shinning for the Lord
1)
It has a way of affecting your Attitudes Someone cuts you off coming
out of Parking Lot Smile Love your Bro. It is Sunday
CC)But by the time Wed.
afternoon comes around the World has affected your Glow Cut off Get out of my way you Jerk
1)
You
shake your Head & give them that little stare when you drive By
CC)What is needed I need to get back w/ the Other
coals Brighten up
1)
Why
Personal Devotion that time we spend alone w/ God & Fellowship ( that time
we spend seeking the Lord w/ the Body are so Vital)
And that is what we see here I think this Angel looks a whole
lot like Jesus because he has been in the Presence of Jesus
A) He is becoming like the one He worships / This description also signifies that
He comes in w/ all the Authority of Heaven behind Him
B) Notice that the
Angel puts his feet Oceans & the Land this
signifies a take over
1)
The
World has been under the control of Satan the god of this world long enough
here the Lord is saying Im putting my foot down ITS OVER
A) This symbolizes the Final take over of planet earth is about to be set in Motion ( as the 7th trumpet is sounded, 7 Bowl judgements are unleashed)
1) V. 6,7 No more Delay The Mystery of God Finished
4 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."
II. The 2nd Message that is sealed
A)
John
hears the thunders & starts to write these down but is told to stop which
is kind of odd since this is the book of Rev. Unveiling
B)
So
what was uttered ? We dont know some try to speculate but it is better to be
Silent where the Bible is silent
C)
But
why was John told not to write : Suggest two Possible reasons
1)
One this message was Just for John
2)
Or
It was a Message for a Latter time !!!!!!
A)
Dont
know for sure & wont know this side of Heaven but those Principles are
very real in our own lives
See we all have times
where the Lord shows us something in the Word or speaks to our hearts about a
certain conviction
A)
And it is for us !!! Gods
message to me
B)
But our tendency is to think it is for everyone Listen to what the Lord thundered to
me
1)
But
it was not for everyone else or at least not at that time it was simply what
God was working in Your Life / speaking to You
A)
That
is one of the reasons that I never do my devotions in the books that I am
teaching out of
1)
See
when I am studying Sun .am / Night / Wed. night or Tues. Staff meeting or Tues
Chapel or Mens Retreat or whatever
A)
I
always get ministered to by the Scriptures & I always get challenged
spiritually but I am constantly thinking
1)
What do you
want to say to Your Body at CCV Gods word to Us
A) But when I sit
down each morning to spend time w/ the Lord in the section that I am reading
out of personally
1)
Lord what are
you saying to me better Christian / Husband / Dad / Pastor
A)
And
those things I am looking at FOR ME - I might not every share those things or
maybe not for a long time
1)
It
is between the Lord & I what He is doing in Me May not be the same
thing He is doing in You
Need to learn to
Discern is this for me !!! Or is this something that the Lord is saying that He
wants me to Share !!!!
A)
REMEMBER MARY shepherds came
Lk. 2 16 And they came
with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely
known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.
18 And all those who heard it marveled at those
things which were told them by the shepherds.
19
But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.
So we dont Know what was said
/ this has really bugged some / but to
me it is a Blessing - Produces 3
attitudes in us
A)
1st
keeps us Humble when I start thinking
that I have all the answers I become pride full & self sufficient
B)
There
are so many things I dont understand about God / Trinity / Eternity / Gods
Foreknowledge & Sovereignty
1)
But
that doesnt bug me it encourages me / I am so Glad that God is bigger than I can figure out / bigger
than I can comprehend
A)
Moody asked about a certain Passage : Mr. Moody How do You explain this / Moody
responded I
dont
1)
Well how do
you Interpret
I dont / Well
I do you Understand it
.I dont understand it / Well what do w/ it
.. I Believe it !!!!
131:1 LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes
lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too
profound for me.
2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, , like a baby with its mother. I am at peace, like a baby
with its mother.
A) There isnt a more peaceful sight than that a little Baby asleep in the arms of its Mother ( Once Crying Now Content ) My Kids Rocker
1)
It
is that heart that says to the Lord There is a lot that I dont understand but I will trust
you for what I do understand & rest
So it has a Way of Keeping me Humble / Also has a way of keeping me Useful #2
George
Washington Carver was The son of ex-slaves, SHARP GUY EARNED a college education. After graduating from
Simpson College right before the turn of the century, Carver was invited to
remain at his alma mater as a science professor. Perhaps feeling
overwhelmed by the prospect of this new responsibility, he prayed, "Lord, show
me something of the mysteries of the universe." But there
was no response.
"Maybe I'm
asking for something a little too big for me", he thought. "Lord, show
me the mysteries of our earth," he prayed. But again, no response. "Lord show me something about our
bodies", he then prayed --- to no avail.
Finally he prayed, "Lord show me something about a peanut",
and he writes that he experienced a strange sense of God's presence.
So George
Washington Carver began to study the peanut, which, up to that time was thought to be a
fairly useless commodity. In the ensuing years,
he discovered 300 uses for the lowly peanut.:
Soap, shoeshine, ink, and of course, peanut butter,
A)
His discovery helped strengthen the economy of the south which was
really struggling up to that Point !!!
1)
Keeps
us seeking the Lord
I love that Lord I
dont understand the Universe / Lord I dont understand the Mysteries of the
earth
A) But as you keep seeking
the Lord
He gives you some insight into something little that will have a major impact
on your sphere influence
So it has a Way of
Keeping me Humble / 2nd it
has a way of keeping me Useful / 3rd Keeps us stable
A)
We
so often like to ask Lord why / knowing though that even if the Lord explained
to us His reasoning it wouldnt make sense
B)
You
won't find a single verse in Scripture which promises we'll understand/ closest
we get here is what Paul said in 1 Cor. 13:12
1) Right now we know in Part !!!!
C)
Not reasoning that we need BUT RESOURCES that is so often what the
Lord gives / when we turn to Him
1)
That
peace that surpasses all understanding
/ Strength in times of weakness !!!
The
sixteen year old daughter of G. Campbell Morgan lay on her deathbed. As he prayed, the Lord gave him the
Scripture about Jairus. "Come
quickly" said Jairus to Jesus, "My daughter is sick even to the point
of death". "I will come"
Jesus said. But on the way, another
need arose and He was delayed in reaching the house of Jairus. When He finally
arrived, messengers said "Don't bother to come in, Master. She's
dead." But Jesus took the hand of Jairus' daughter and said "Daughter
arise" and she was healed.
Mark 5:41
G. Campbell Morgan embraced the
promise and knew his daughter would also be healed. But Three days
later, she died.
A)
"Wait a minute, Lord" he cried. "You gave me this scripture: daughter arise".
B)
And the Lord gently whispered, "That's exactly what happened. I took her hand, said
"Daughter arise --- and took her to heaven."
2 Timothy 1: 12 For this reason I also suffer these things;
nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded
that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.
A)
Several passages that liken the Word to food !!!!
Jer.15 : 16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And
Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
Psa. 19 The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
10
More to be desired are they
than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
1Pet.
2 the Milk
A) But this word that is our spiritual food has both a SWEET & SOUR effect on our lives
1)
Some
parts of the Word are Sweet - Psalms
HAGADAZ BAR
Hebrews Steak / Eph. Pizza ( Favorite Passages)
A)
Some passages you study RIGHT ON !!! YES LORD / AMEN !!!
Preach it Brother !!!!!
1) Wives submit to Your
Husbands - Irritates some ( Lewis
Talbot)
C)
Listen to a Message that is not an issue I am ok there / but
then something is said that just hits you BUSTED that is me
1)
Bitter
or Sour I dont want to deal w/ that tune it out
Like watching T.V.-
Ballgame commercial Compassion International starving kids
A) I dont want to deal w/ this right Now Clicker
B) We do that w/ the Word Click turn on Music tune out go do something Else Becomes it is Sour / It is Bitter
C)
But
if we would RESPOND
to that Conviction of the H.S. instead of REISISTING IT ( that word that was Bitter / sour
becomes sweet
1)
As
we watch it transform our very Lives !!!!
Grow / Fruit
Rev. as a Book is
both Bitter & Sweet - Read about my
Lord coming Back Rapture Sweet
A) Read about Trib Realize that I am going to Miss / this Not appointed unto
Wrath SWEET
B) But it is also Bitter when I Realize that People I know are going to go through this ( Makes my stomach uncomfortable - )
1) I have got to say
something
C)
Like Paul I am a Debtor Got to Share (risk offending) Believe that there
is power in the gospel
1) There are some People I need to talk to / Relatives I need to Write