REVELATION: Bittersweet Prophecy

Our previous discussion surrounding Revelation 8 and 9 had a definite focus on Greco-Roman culture and its impact on the interpretation of Revelation. That means we ought to look at Revelation 10 with eyes turned toward the ancient Hebrew Text. I don’t do this to be cute or simply for the sake of redundancy; I do this because it is such a radically different way of reading Revelation than most of us were handed. It takes a redundant training to help us remember the lenses through which we ought to see apocalyptic literature — culture and text, text and culture, and text to context.

So we turn our sights toward Revelation 10 with a desire to keep our eyes peeled for references to the Tanakh, and particularly the apocalyptic books.

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 a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted 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.”

Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 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! But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. 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. Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

Now, maybe you are starting to pick up on some of the references yourself. Did you hear anything that you might have heard before? If not, that’s fine, because many of us were not taught the importance and relevance of the “Old Testament.” However, from this point on, we ought to remind ourselves frequently of the need to get into that front two thirds of our Bibles — if we’re ever going to understand our New Testament properly.

But I digress. You may have noticed a few sprinkled references pulled out of the book of Daniel as you read the passage above. You may have also noted Ezekiel. John seems to be pulling language from the beginning of Ezekiel and the end of Daniel — both books being apocalyptic visions. John continues to be set on the goal of encouraging his readers to persevere in hope.

Let’s take a closer look at a couple of these callbacks to Ezekiel. Consider Ezekiel 1:

I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

I would encourage you to read the larger portions surrounding this passage; it continues to add to the brilliant picture John is referring to. Nevertheless, we have an incredibly similar description of the visions here, complete with references to that “rainbow in the clouds.” Such a phrase would have certainly taken the Jewish reader back to the story of Noah. In all of this apocalyptic talk of seals and trumpets and earthquakes and destruction, is this a message of fear? With one reference, John is able to speak to those fears, remind people that God promised always to remember His covenant with the earth, and also remind them that their ancestors had heard this message before — right from the mouth of Ezekiel.

Consider, as well, the more recognizable reference to Ezekiel 3:

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel—not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.” 

Again, you could keep reading in Ezekiel 3 and continue to see parallels to Revelation; and again, please realize that this message in Revelation has — without a doubt — been heard before. John is not saying brand new things; he is saying things that have been said long before him in ancient texts.

You can almost hear John communicating his intent and call in the Revelation 10 reference (see above). He inserts the Greek word palin into the Text, a word meaning “again” or “anew.”

“You must prophesy again…”

“These people need that encouragement; they need the reminder. This is a hard calling, John. My words are sweet to the taste, but they are hard to hear and digest when you are sitting in the heat of oppression and fear. But go tell them, John. Tell them I’ve never forgotten them. Tell them what they are fighting for and trying to preserve is worth it. Tell them to overcome. Tell them to run the raced marked out for them.”