Chapter 10
v1: Mighty angel… Powerful warrior. He, too, comes with revelation – to give us insight, and help us to make wise decisions.
· The rainbow is G-d’s covenant keeping sign. (see Gen 9v16-17) I love the fact that we have the privilege of still seeing it today! Any covenant G-d has made G-d will keep. G-d has promised to never again destroy the earth with water. This time He is going to bring destruction with fire (Is 66v15-16, 2 Pt 3v3-13) Fire refines. G-d is going to bring refinement and purity into His creation. (As new creations, this should already be manifested in our behaviour/deeds. 1 Cor 3v12-15)
v2: The little book (scroll) holds yet more revelation that is going to be revealed.
· Prophetically the sea is turbulent, always changing (Is 5v30, Ps 65v7)
· Land is stable/consistent. This angel brings both together by planting a foot on each.
v3-4: Seal up… This verse alludes to the fact that what we are reading about here is related to the same thing that Daniel saw (Dan 12v4-10 – here, as well, we see angels on the land and above the waters). G-d did not tell Daniel everything. He shared with him that there was going to be a victory, but then commanded him to seal up the prophecy for it involved a time yet future.
v5 -6: Just like in Dan 12v7 this angel too adopts a posture for taking an oath. The oath that the angel in Daniel made was to give a time limit to the great persecution. The oath that this angel gives is also related to time -“no more delay”, the time has run out. G-d is going to bring about Israel’s redemption while He is in the midst of judging the nations.
v7: What is this mystery of G-d that will be accomplished just as the prophets announced?
The covenant keeping G-d is going to judge the(unbelieving) nations and is going to redeem/rescue Israel! He will reveal Yeshua (Jesus) as the Messiah to the Jews – as a nation. (see Roms 11v25-36) ALL Israel will be saved!
v8: That little book (scroll) will reveal Yeshua as Redeemer to the Jews (see 2 Sam 7v22-26, Zech 12v10-14 and 13v1-2 and 13v8-9 – 2/3rd is a high price to pay, but the remnant 1/3rd will be rescued)
v9: A change is coming. When things in the world seem to be looking up (sweetness), and people are saying ‘peace and safety’ sudden destruction (bitterness) is on its way (1 Thess 5v3)
v10: Ezekiel also ate a scroll that was at first sweet to his taste and then bitter (Ez chapter 2 and 3v1-14). After eating of it, his commission was to take the Word, that G-d had given him, to the Jewish nation.
v11: John’s commission (after eating his scroll) was to speak the Word of God to all peoples and nations. Even at this late-stage G-d is still pursuing rebellious people and giving them a chance to repent. His Word, if heeded, would be life to them (Ps 119v103, Jer 15v16)