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The Angel and the Little Scroll (v. 1-11)
Then John saw another angel come down from heaven on a cloud with a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire. He was holding a little scroll in his right hand, his right foot was on the sea and his left foot on land, his voice was like a roaring lion. When he called out the seven thunders sounded.
I have no idea which details here are important or what any of it means. The seven thunders jumped out to me, but as with the rest of this, I have no idea what to make of it.
Again, Guzik. Some people say that this angel is supposed to be Jesus, others think it is angel of the lord Michael. The little scroll represents authority of some kind. The place where he put is feet represents his authority over all of the earth. The seven thunders are apparently the voice of the lord, from Psalm 29.
When John heard the seven thunders, he was going to write down what they said, but a voice from heaven told him not to. Then the angel raised his right hand to heaven and swore to God that there would be not more delay, but that the seventh trumpet would be sounded as announced.
So this angel is promising God that there would be no delay, does that mean he is interrupting the process to do what he's doing?
Apparently the delay is an act of mercy as it allows more time for repentance. I wonder if this is something that Guzik just made up, or if something comes up later mentioning this. Because I would think that it is too late to get the seal from God at this point.
There is apparently much discussion about the fact that John was told not to write down what God said. What was he instructed not to tell us, some think it is a message that some stuff will not be revealed until then.
John was told to get the scroll from the angel, and when he did the angel told him to eat it, it will be sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. He was then told he was to prophecy to many people.
What?
The scroll represents the word of God. The fact that he is told to eat it but not forced is important because no one can have the word forced upon them, they must take it willingly. I would argue that in this situation he really had no choice. The analogy of a gunman asking you for your wallet and then saying it was your choice seems apt to me here. John was really not in a position to say no. Also, what is the relevance of the word of God being bitter in your stomach?
This book gets stranger and stranger with each passage. I would have to think the angel is Jesus, who else could stall god? Then again, he is god, so...
ReplyDeleteI also agree that John did not have much of a choice in the matter of eating the scroll. In much the same way the credulous who believe they will roast in hell eternally did not have huge choice in believing all of this nonsense, particularly in centuries past...
Ironically enough, the metaphor of the scroll being sweet to the taste but bitter to the stomach may just be the most accurate thing in this whole book, at least as far as I have heard it explained. There are two takes on this I know of:
ReplyDelete1) Knowing God's word is sweet, but living by that word will cause you some difficulties in your life. (I don't like this one nearly as much as the next one.)
2) When you hear about your Salvation, it is very sweet, indeed. However, as you digest it, you come to realize that you are one of the chosen few. Many, if not most of the people you know and presently care about will not be saved. They will perish in their sins, and possibly be tortured for eternity. (So you have a deep personal happiness, being saved and getting to hang out with Jesus, but you are still living in the world, and you know most of the people you see will be condemned. It is a bitter sweet picture.)
ReasonBeing: I agree, this book is completely nuts.
ReplyDeleteTWF: That's an interesting view of the bitterness of the word. It has a bit of logic to it, but it is also one of the reasons I think the whole idea of heaven doesn't really work. Any parent who has a child who won't get into heaven can't really have a perfect afterlife knowing their child is being tortured. It's interesting how different people can take the same premise and run in opposite directions with it.