“And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “‘There will be no more delay!”
~ Revelation 10:6
Hi James and Ellen,
Have you ever seen an angel? What do you think that an angel looks like? What do you think that an angel does? Good angels are God’s helpers. Do you believe that God has an angel guarding you? Do you believe that God has battalions of His good angels in constant battle against the bad angels who sided with Lucifer? Lucifer is a fallen, pride filled, evil angel who is recognized today as being Satan. Do you believe that God has an apocalyptic moment already scripted when His good angels will once and for all destroy the bad angels who sided with Lucifer? Do you believe that God has already begun the last great battle that God says will take place between the forces that are defending good and the forces that are fighting for evil? Apostle John had a number of visions during the time that he was exiled on the Island of Patmos. Apostle John saw an angel in the vision that he recounted in Revelation 10. The angel who Apostle John saw in this vision was a mighty angel. Apostle John saw the mighty angel come down from heaven, put his right foot in the sea and his left foot on land. The mighty angel who Apostle John saw in this vision was wearing a cloud robe and a rainbow crown, had a sun face, a voice like a lion’s roar, fiery pillars for legs and a tiny, open scroll in his hands. A voice from heaven told Apostle John in this vision that he was to eat the tiny scroll. The voice that Apostle John heard from heaven was the voice of God – as God the Father. Verse 6 recounts Apostle John seeing the mighty angel in his vision raise his right hand towards heaven and saying “And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “‘There will be no more delay!” The mighty angel who Apostle John saw in his vision went on to say that when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet that the mystery of God will have been completed. Are you prepared for that moment when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet – which is when your grandpaa believes that the last cosmic battle will be fought between the good forces and the bad forces with the good forces totally obliterating the bad forces?
What do you think that the tiny scroll tasted like to Apostle John as he ate it? The mighty angel told Apostle John that the tiny scroll would leave a sweet, honey taste in his mouth while making his stomach turn sour. Your grandpaa believes that the sweet, honey taste was the good news that was written on the tiny scroll – that the good news that was written on the tiny scroll was that God would no longer delay His eternal plan of returning His universal realm into a sinless, eternal celebration of rejoicing in Him and of glorifying His name. But before this everlasting celebration can begin, awful suffering has to happen. This awful suffering is the bad news and the sour stomach. Are you hoping that what Apostle John saw in his visions during his exile on the Island of Patmos will take place sometime real soon – that God will put into motion all the pieces for the final battle to take place between the good forces and the bad forces? If you are questioning what it is that God is doing today and what God is going to do, you are not the only kids who are. Your grandpaa does not know what God is doing or what He is going to do; your grandpaa though does believe that what God is doing and what He is going to do is part of a much larger picture which involves bringing to an end Lucifer’s evil, prideful existence and the existence of all the bad angels who sided with Lucifer when Lucifer – because of becoming prideful, fell out of grace with God.
What do you think that God expects you to be doing right now so that you will be prepared for that moment in time when the final trumpet blast is heard? When the loud sound of seven thunders are heard rumbling over planet Earth, God’s divine punishment and final judgment will fall on every guy, gal and kid who has refused to make a decision of faith to unconditionally accept God’s love and grace in his or her life by believing what happened when Jesus cruelly suffered and unjustly died on a cross was for him or her. If you know that you are prepared for that moment when the visions that Apostle John had while he was in exile on the Island of Patmos will be completely realized and if you know that there are guys, gals and kids who are not prepared for that moment when . . . what do you think that God expects you to be doing for His sake at this time? Your grandpaa believes that you should first of all be always thinking of God – always continually thanking God for ransoming and canceling your sins through His suffering and the shedding of His blood – as God the Son, on a cross and praising Him for the gift of eternal life that He is freely giving you through His victory over death through His resurrection from being dead. It is not what you do – such as helping poor guys, gals and kids, going door to door to tell guys, gals and kids about the Good News that is found it the Bible, putting some of your money in an offering plate, . . . and it is not who you are – such as being a Sunday School teacher, preacher, missionary, . . . God expects you to be and do who He has hardwired you to be and do – which is to constantly talk with Him, continually read and think about what His Word – the Bible, says and continuously live your lives in ways that will always honor and glorify His name. If you have gifted your lives back to God, you are prepared for the final, thunderous trumpet blast.
Revelation 10 (774)