Sour honey

Think of some of your favorite TV series that you cannot get enough of. When I think of my favorite TV series I think of the hit series, House of Cards. One of the things that intrigued me the most about that show was the anticipation of what was going to happen next. There were scandals happening every episode and the creators of the show new how to end each episode leaving the audience wanting more.

I loved House of Cards because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen the next episode. Episode after episode I was drawn to my computer screen because of the anticipation that I had.

I feel the same way about my Bible. There are so many amazing stories in there that all lead up to one thing and that is Jesus Christ coming back.

Remember the last two posts I had about the angels sounding their trumpets and talking about the partial judgments? Well in Revelation chapter 10, the seventh angel appears.

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding the little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planned his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down." (Revelation 10:1-5)

The purpose of the angel was to announce the final judgments on the earth. This powerful angel conveyed his high rank and his authority from God by straddling the land and the sea. His huge size contrasts with the smallness of God's enemies. When things are going bad in our lives, remember that this angel represents the kind go power that is on your side.

When the seventh angel finally sounds his horn, the mystery of God will be revealed. Throughout history people have wanted to know what is going to happen in the future. God revels some of what will happen in the book of Revelation. But John was stopped from revealing certain parts of his vision.

Thinking about it that way, I think of our lives. Sometimes it seems like the path God wants us on is well lit and easy to follow. Other times, the path is hard to follow because we don't know everything. When we are in the state, we long for a way to figure things out because we care about our futures.

Later on in chapter 10, John hears a voice from heaven that tells him to go take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land. So John went to the angel and asked him for the little scroll...

He said to me, "Take it and eat is. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey." I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. (Revelation 10:9-10)

John ate the scroll that contained the mystery of God because he was instructed to do so. Sometimes we might have to do the most obscure things for God in order to grown and learn about the things we need to and want too.

God's word is sweet to us as believers because it brings encouragement, but it sours our stomach because of the coming judgment we must pronounce on unbelievers.

So what do I want you to a take away form this? God has revealed all we need to know to live for him now. In our desire to be ready for the end, we must not place more emphasis on speculation about the last days than on living for God while we wait.