Revelation 10:1–11 (ESV)
The Angel and the Little Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the
sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal
up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth
and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told
him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey
in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
This angel described by
John is probably Jesus. In his hand was a little scroll that is open. John wants to write down what is on the scroll, but he is told not to write it down, but to seal it up. Then John is told to “Go, take the scroll that is open
in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” Then he is told to “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I look at this at God’s
Word containing both Law and Gospel. The Law is bitter, for it corrects and condemns sinners. At the same time, the Gospel is sweet in that it offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Salvation depends on both Law and Gospel. They
both go hand in hand. Without the Law, you would never know that you are a sinner, that you fall short, and that you are in desperate need of the Gospel. The Gospel is everything that God does for you... Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born
of the virgin Mary, lived a perfect life, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died, was buried, and was resurrected from the dead for the forgiveness of our sins. I did not ask for Christ to intervene on my behalf, but he did
with or without my asking. He loves me and gave his life for me so that I might not die, but have everlasting life. This is Christ’s work for me. This is the Gospel. Notice that verse 11 does not relieve John from taking
Gods message to many people. Verse 11 states: “11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” I pray: Lord, mold me and make me into a vessel to do your work.
Help me to share the Law and Gospel in good times and in bad. Help me to wear the full armor of God and to stand my ground with Satan, and to battle him with the Word of God. Thank you for the Gospel which has restored me, a poor lost sinner, and
given me the Kingdom of God. Amen.