Morning Sermon

December 30, 2007

Sweet and Sour

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There was a terrible tragedy in San Francisco on Christmas Day. A Siberian Tiger somehow escaped her enclosure and attacked three visitors to the zoo, killing one of them. The explanation for how such an attack could have happened has yet to be released, and we don't yet know how the tiger was able to escape the enclosure, reported to be surrounded by a wide moat and 12-1/2 feet tall wall. But aside from the tragedy, the reality is obvious. And one we often forget. Wild animals are just that, wild animals. And lions and tigers are generally identified as among the most wild of them all. And since the fall, they are not only capable of killing but actually rather proficient at it.

Yet how often have I gone to the zoo and been disappointed to see the lions and tigers simply sleeping peacefully! We want them to roar, we want to see and observe that great display of power without feeling threatened ourselves as we stand behind those safe enclosures. But John had no such sense of protection when he heard the lion roar. Actually, what he heard was the angel of the Lord coming down from heaven, crying "with a loud voice, as when a lion roars."

So it is the angel of the Lord roaring like a lion. And you should get the picture. The image of power and authority. And judgment. Listen to one Old Testament description of that judgment upon the nation of Israel along with all the other nations of the world,

Jer. 25:29 "For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth," says the LORD of hosts.' 30 "Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: 'The LORD will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation; He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes, Against all the inhabitants of the earth. 31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth-- For the LORD has a controversy with the nations; He will plead His case with all flesh. He will give those who are wicked to the sword,' says the LORD." 32 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Behold, disaster shall go forth From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up From the farthest parts of the earth."

The Lord roars in judgment. That's where we are this morning. With,

I. THE ROAR OF THE LION. v.1

In terms of interpretation, this starts out pretty easy, though not everyone agrees. I believe that the description here of the "mighty angel" must be a description of Jesus himself. The angel of the Lord, as he is revealed several times in the Old Testament. He is not just ANY angel, nor even any angel coming down from heaven, but he comes "clothed with a cloud."

A. The mighty angel is Jesus.

Just consider the words of, Ps. 104:1 "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, 2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain. 3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters, Who makes the clouds His chariot, Who walks on the wings of the wind."

To use the imagery of the Old Testament Tabernacle and the cloud of glory that filled it, to be clothed with cloud means to be clothed with all the glory of heaven. We have this picture of the glory of God in heaven from,

Ezek. 1:26 "And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking."

In John's revelation, the angel also had a rainbow. Remember,

Rev. 4:1 "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald."

It is Jesus, sitting upon his throne. He had a face like the sun and feet like pillars of fire.

Rev. 1:14 "His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength."

So here is Jesus revealed to us. And what is he doing?

B. The mighty angel speaks as a roaring lion. Remember where we are in this whole book, which Jesus opening the seals of God's judgment upon Israel, Jesus inaugurating and establishing the New Covenant.

Rev. 5:4 "So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."

The Lion is opening the seals. The Lion who has prevailed, who has overcome, who has accomplished the great work of being the mediator of the covenant. That Lion is speaking. More descriptively, he roars!

And there is an appropriate response, isn't there? v.3 "...When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices."

So the first question is, "Who are they?" Who is thundering? Although there are many possible suggestions, I think the clearest answer is that the voice of the Lord is itself the seven thunders. The reference would be to the seven-fold voice of the Lord in,

Ps. 29:3 "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; The God of glory thunders; The LORD is over many waters. 4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars, Yes, the LORD splinters the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes them also skip like a calf, Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the LORD divides the flames of fire. 8 The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; The LORD shakes the Wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth, And strips the forests bare; And in His temple everyone says, "Glory!" 10 The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever."

So there it is. The roar of the angel and the seven thunders are all a demonstration of the great glory of God himself. And the one who sits upon the throne as King forever is none other than King Jesus.

Now, what about, v.4

What shall I say about that? Nothing. The Holy Spirit told John not to record what was said, so I dare not even speculate! As one commentator notes wisely, "An astounding amount of scholarly ink has been wasted on the solution of this problem."

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."

Here is a secret thing! Secret content, though its intended effect upon us is not secret at all. When we come face to face with a revelation of the mighty power of God, the Lord who sits as King forever, then we cry out with those in the temple hearing the voice of Lord in Psalm 29, "Glory!"

We marvel at the glory of God.

Hab. 2:20 "But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him."

Or as we studied in, Josh. 5:15 Then the Commander of the LORD'S army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.

That's what we do as the mighty angel speaks with the roaring of a lion. You stand before him with reverence and honor, for you have seen the Lord.

Let's move on. v.5-7

Several things about that. First, what is presented to us is God taking an oath, the angel "raised up his hand to heaven." He swore an oath. According to verse 6, the God who created the heaven and the earth himself took an oath. It was the promise of judgment upon covenant breakers, the nation of Israel. And it was a judgment which, according to verse 6, would come with no further delay.

v.6 "...that there should be delay no longer."

The pronouncement of judgment would come, and it would come without delay. The reference is not to the timelessness of eternity, but that no more time would actually pass before this promised judgment is carried out. Another reference for understanding the primary and initial focus of this whole book upon the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Imminence is the emphasis here. The finality of the seventh trumpet is coming without delay.

v.7

But what is the nature of that judgment? What is it that the angel emphasizes about the pronouncement of judgment upon Israel? Specifically, what is "the mystery of God" which would be finished, according to verse 7?

That word "mystery" is such a fascinating word, referring to something kept hidden until God reveals it. And there is a clear answer and definition for this particular mystery which is finished and finally and fully revealed by this Revelation to John. And what is that mystery? That Jews and Gentiles together are the people of God. The mystery is that the gospel is for all the nations, not just the nation of Israel. The mystery of the gospel is that

Eph. 3:3 "...by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel."

That's the mystery, now revealed, "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel."

Eph. 3:8 "To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The mystery is that God's saving work is intended for the elect of every nation. The mystery is that the church is now the nation of God's people, and the church is comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. And according to Ephesians 2, both groups, Jew and Gentile,

Eph. 2:18 "...have access by one Spirit to the Father. 19 Now, therefore, you [Gentiles] are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

So the mystery which is being finished, that is, fully revealed, is the mystery of the establishment of the church. That's what God had declared to his servants the prophets in the Old Testament. And now it is fulfilled. The church of the New Covenant is established, and for that to happen, judgment would come upon the unbelieving nation of Israel. The Old Covenant would be ended and the New Covenant inaugurated. The new, international, universal covenant between God and his people from every nation.

And all of that is pictured for us with this mighty angel in Revelation 10. Just look at, v.2

I'll come back to the little book in a minute, but look at what the angel does with his feet. The picture is of universal rule and authority, universal sovereignty over land and sea.

C. The mighty angel reveals the mystery of the universal kingdom of God. Jesus reveals his authority over land and sea, every land and every sea. And so this is the mystery fully revealed, that Jesus would say to his church,

Mat. 28:18 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."

That's what this mighty angel is declaring to us. Jesus is king. And so to give you the right and proper application of all this, I'll return to Psalm 29, the beginning of the Psalm,

Ps. 29:1 "Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."

But what about the little book in the angel's hand? v.2 "He had a little book open in his hand."

Skip down to, v.8-11

Sweet as honey in your mouth. Bitter in your stomach.

II. SWEET AND SOUR. So what does that mean? I believe it has reference to the gospel which John is commissioned to preach, the mystery of the gospel. There is as sweetness to that, for indeed it is the good news! But there is much bitterness, too, anguish of heart and soul because the good news to those who are being saved is actually very bad news to those who are lost and dead in their sins.

Most especially, those of the nation of Israel who reject Jesus Christ.

This is very similar to the commission God gave to the prophet Ezekiel. Turn with me to, Ezek. 2:1 - 3:12

So Ezekiel is a precursor to John. There is, most clearly,

A. The sweetness of preaching the gospel. The sweetness for the one whose feet bring good news!

Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!""

There is such sweetness in the message of reconciliation to be found in Jesus Christ. As Paul declares,

Eph. 2:14 "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. 18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."

But what anguish there is also. What bitterness.

B. The bitterness of rejection and judgment. Ezekiel knew it. Jesus knew it. And John would know it. v.10-11

At this stage of the establishment of the church, the proclamation of the gospel means that the curse of the covenant shall fall upon the nation of Israel, and God's judgment shall come upon her through the invasion and destruction brought about by the other nations of the world. v.11

That's the bitterness. It is a judgment made even more specific in,

Rev. 18:1 "After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!"

Bittersweet, isn't it? The gospel of salvation is, at the same time, the proclamation of judgment. And so God declares to his own people,

Rev. 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!" 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore."

Jesus knew this bittersweet anguish himself, didn't he?

Mat. 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 "See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 "for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

Paul new the same anguish,

Rom. 9:1 "I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, 4 who are Israelites."

And so the little book, the scroll, represents nothing less that the gospel itself. It is the book of the covenant, the gospel which John was commissioned to preach to the world. It is the gospel which this written revelation given to John continues to declare. It is the gospel I declare to you today.

The gospel is well expressed in the words of praise we sang earlier, from Psalm 72: "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun does his successive journeys run; his kingdom stretch from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more."

So to all within the hearing of my voice, I proclaim to you the sweetness of the gospel.

Rom. 10:8 "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."

Acts 3:19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."

Acts 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

1 Tim. 2:5 "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."

But be assured, by the faithful promise of God, that...

2 Peter 3:10 "...the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."

Peter then speaks of the application for us.

2 Peter 3:11 "Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?"

That's the application of the study of the book of Revelation. As you study this pronouncement of judgment, the question to ask yourself is simple, "What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness." How is your practice of holy conduct and godliness? What a challenge! A challenge to godliness in life, in the life of a believer. One with the hope Peter defines with his next words,

2 Peter 3:13 "Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless."

There it is, people of God. The judgment day will come, a day of glory to those who by faith are freed from the condemnation of their sins. Therefore, with that hope, "be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless."

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