REVELATION 10:1-3
by Mako Kato
This angel is mighty. These images in verse 1 remind me of a couple different things in Israel’s history. There are pictures of a cloud and a pillar of fire. This reminds me of Exodus when God leads the Israelites by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. A rainbow makes me think of Noah and God’s promise never to send a worldwide flood again. A face that shines makes me think of Moses after coming down from the mountain and Jesus at the transfiguration. These are all images of God’s power, judgment and care for his people.
Some have even taken these images and concluded that this angel is really Jesus. I would disagree, because angels in the New Testament always refer to angels, as one commentary pointed out. Thinking back on the beginning of Revelation it says that Jesus sent an angel to reveal these last things to John. Also, Christ is reigning in Revelation and is worshiped. This angel is not worshiped although he is powerful.
The angel had in his hand a little scroll (we’ll go into that later) and he had his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land and he called out like a lion. This is one powerful being. But even this mighty angel doesn’t deserve our worship.
Even a strong and beautiful angel pales in comparison to God. God is the one who created the angels and reigns supreme over all. These verses remind me of God’s holiness and righteousness. His power goes out of him like when Moses came down from the mountain with his face shining, because he had been in the presence of God. This angel, likewise, had been in the presence of God in heaven and so his face was like the sun.
This past Sunday, Pastor Mike shared about Christ-centeredness as opposed to just doing the “Christian” things. John saw in the shining face of the angel the glory of God. It wasn’t the angel, and it wasn’t Moses, it was Christ’s light shining. What about us? Can people see that our faces shine because of Christ?
I’d like to end with a reminder from Paul:
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true).”
Ephesians 5:8-9 (ESV)
