Good News, Bad News

Reflections on Revelation 10:1-11

The seventh trumpet is not blown immediately after the sixth trumpet.  Instead, John sees a mighty angel coming down from heaven.  He is wrapped in a cloud (cf. Daniel 7:13), a rainbow is over his head (cf. Revelation 4:3), and his face shines like the sun (cf. Revelation 1:16) suggesting his close relationship with the Faithful and Holy One sitting on the throne and with his Son.  Unlike the seven thunders which are hidden or sealed, the angel's message is not sealed, but is open in his hand. 

The mighty angel raising his right hand to heaven and, swearing by him who lives forever and ever, declares that there would be no more delay but that the mystery of God previously announced to the prophets would be fulfilled when the seventh trumpet is sounded.  Two allusions to the Old Testament suggest that the mystery of God refers to vindicating his servants and bringing an end to their suffering.  In Deuteronomy 32:40-41, God lifts his hand to heaven and swears that he will take vengeance on his adversaries who oppress and corrupt his people.  Then in Daniel 12:7, a heavenly messenger raises his hands to heaven and swears that the suffering of the holy people would cease at the end of a time, times, and half a time.  Daniel did not understand, and the words were sealed (their meaning hidden), but now the angel reveals when the suffering of God's people would end:  it would end at the sounding of the seventh and final trumpet (Beale, 1999, pp. 537 ff.).

Immediately after this, a voice from heaven instructs John to take the scroll in the angel's hand.  The angel gives him the book and tells him to eat it.  He also tells John the book will become bitter in his stomach, but it will be sweet as honey in his mouth.  The message of God's judgment on behalf of the oppressed saints was sweet as honey in John's mouth, but upon reflection the message becomes bitter in his stomach. Judgment is a message of mercy to the oppressed, but it is necessarily also a message of condemnation to the oppressing nations.   This side of the message is bitter not only because the judgment is horrific, but also because the nations refuse to heed the warning.