When The Word Consumes You
Matthew Maher
• The Old is the New concealed. The New is the Old revealed. The Old + the New is Christ revered.
I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. — Revelation 10:1
He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land… — Revelation 10:2
• In his hand: God's prophetic Word. Beneath his feet: God's sovereign world.
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 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." — Revelation 10:3-4
• God has revealed everything we need to know, but that doesn't mean we will know everything.
The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and 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, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. — Revelation 10:5-7
• "Just preach the gospel" is the coward's camouflage for: "Don't say anything controversial."
Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth." So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth." — Revelation 10:8-9
• The Word of God is not just sweet when you consume it, but also bitter when it consumes you.
Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings." — Revelation 10:10-11
• The Word of God is a balm and a blade; a hammer and a healer; a fire and a flood.
Additional Scriptures Referenced: Revelation 5:1; Ezekiel 2:9 - 3:3; Daniel 7; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 17:15; Revelation 6:10; Hebrews 4:12
Discussion Questions
1. Where does Revelation 10 fall in the larger flow of Revelation, and what is happening in this interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets? Why do you think God again "pauses" the sequence of judgments here?
2. Revelation 10 shows that some things were intentionally sealed from John. How does the truth that "God has revealed everything we need to know, but that doesn't mean we will know everything" challenge our need for answers or control?
3. What did you learn about "the mystery of God" and the way God's plan unfolds from Genesis to Revelation? How does seeing the "whole puzzle" broaden your understanding of the gospel?
4. Why is God's Word sometimes sweet to receive but bitter to carry? Where have you personally experienced that tension?
5. What is the difference between tasting the Word and consuming the Word? What are some signs that Scripture has moved beyond information and is actually transforming you?
6. John consumed the Word before he was commissioned to proclaim it. What has God been putting into you through His Word that He may now want to carry through you to someone else?