Faith, Judgment, and the Urgency of the Gospel

Returning from a recent trip to Japan, I was struck by the spiritual darkness and the immense need for the gospel in that nation, where less than one percent of the population is Christian. Observing the rituals at Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, I was reminded of how easy it is for people to go through the motions of religion without truly knowing God. This experience set the stage for our exploration of Revelation chapter 10, a passage filled with mystery, symbolism, and a sobering message about judgment and hope.

In Revelation 10, John encounters a mighty angel who stands with one foot on the land and one on the sea, holding a little scroll. The angel’s appearance—wrapped in a cloud, crowned with a rainbow, face shining like the sun, and legs like pillars of fire—evokes the authority and presence of God, though I believe this is not Christ Himself but a messenger representing His authority. The scroll, distinct from the one in chapter 5, is given to John to eat. It is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach, symbolizing the dual nature of God’s message: the sweetness of God’s promises and the bitterness of coming judgment.

The angel declares that there will be no more delay—judgment is imminent. Yet, there is a mystery: John is told not to write down what the seven thunders have said. This reminds us that God does not reveal everything to us; some things remain hidden, and we are called to walk by faith, not by sight or knowledge. Faith means trusting God’s character even when we do not understand His ways.

The sweetness of the gospel is that Christ has already borne the wrath of God for those who believe. Yet, the bitterness comes when we consider those who do not know Him and will face judgment. The urgency to share the gospel is greater than ever, both in places like Japan and in our own neighborhoods. We are called to move from a faith based on knowledge and understanding to a faith rooted in trust—knowing God, not just knowing about Him. And as we walk by faith, we must also be faithful to share the hope we have before it is too late for others.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith Beyond Understanding: True faith is not built on having all the answers or understanding every mystery of God. It is rooted in trust—knowing God’s character and believing He is good and just, even when His ways are hidden from us. When we reach the limits of our knowledge, we are invited to continue walking with Him in faith, not demanding explanations but trusting His heart. [53:30]
• 2. The Bittersweet Nature of God’s Word: The message of God is both sweet and bitter—sweet because of the hope, grace, and promises it brings, but bitter because it also contains the reality of judgment for those who reject Him. Like John, we must internalize this message, allowing it to shape our hearts with both the joy of salvation and the sorrow for those who are lost. [60:10]
• 3. The Urgency of the Gospel: The time for delay is over; judgment is coming. The gospel is only good news if it reaches people in time. We are called to share the message of Christ’s sacrifice and forgiveness with urgency, recognizing that many around us—whether across the world or across the street—are in desperate need of hope before it is too late. [63:40]
• 4. God’s Sovereignty and Our Responsibility: While God holds the mysteries and the timing of judgment, He entrusts us with the responsibility to proclaim His truth to all peoples, nations, languages, and kings. Our calling is not to unravel every secret but to be faithful witnesses, offering the hope of Christ to a world facing judgment. [65:50]
• 5. Living by Faith, Not by Fact: Many live by knowledge, following God only when He makes sense to them. But the call is to live by faith—choosing to follow and obey God even when we do not understand, because we know who He is. This kind of faith is anchored in relationship, not just information, and it compels us to trust and obey, regardless of our understanding. [68:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:45] - Announcements and Prayer Requests
• [03:30] - Reflections on Japan and Mission Work
• [08:10] - Introduction to Revelation 10
• [10:00] - Reading Revelation 10
• [13:00] - The Mighty Angel: Symbolism and Identity
• [19:30] - The Cloud, Rainbow, and Authority
• [23:50] - The Little Scroll: Its Meaning and Distinction
• [29:40] - The Mystery of God and the Angel’s Oath
• [34:20] - No More Delay: The Imminence of Judgment
• [38:00] - The Hidden Message and Walking by Faith
• [46:11] - Spiritual Darkness in Japan and the World
• [53:30] - Faith Versus Knowledge
• [60:10] - The Bittersweet Scroll: Judgment and Hope
• [65:50] - The Call to Prophesy to All Nations
• [68:28] - Living by Faith and Sharing the Gospel
• [71:00] - Closing Prayer and Dismissal

Bible Reading

Revelation 10:1-11 (ESV) —
> Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
> Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

Observation Questions

1. What are some of the unique features of the mighty angel described in Revelation 10, and what do they symbolize?
2. What happens when John eats the little scroll, and what does this act represent?
3. According to the passage, what is John told to do with the message from the seven thunders?
4. What is the significance of the angel standing with one foot on the sea and one on the land?

Interpretation Questions

1. The angel tells John that there will be “no more delay” and that judgment is imminent. What does this reveal about God’s timing and patience?
2. John is told not to write down what the seven thunders said. What might this teach us about the mysteries of God and our need for faith?
3. The scroll is described as sweet in John’s mouth but bitter in his stomach. How does this bittersweet experience reflect the dual nature of God’s message to the world?
4. The sermon mentioned the spiritual darkness in Japan and the small percentage of Christians there. How does this global perspective affect our understanding of the urgency to share the gospel?

Application Questions

1. The sermon described how easy it is to go through the motions of religion without truly knowing God. Are there areas in your life where you are just “going through the motions”? What would it look like to move from knowing about God to truly knowing Him?
2. The angel’s message was both sweet and bitter—sweet because of God’s promises, bitter because of coming judgment. When you think about the gospel, do you experience both joy and sorrow? How does this affect your motivation to share your faith?
3. John was told not to write down everything he heard. Are there things about God or your faith that you struggle to understand or wish you had answers for? How do you respond when God’s ways are mysterious or hidden from you?
4. The sermon emphasized that faith is not just about knowledge, but about trust—especially when we don’t have all the answers. Can you share a time when you had to trust God without understanding what He was doing? What helped you keep trusting?
5. The urgency of the gospel was highlighted, especially in places where few have heard about Jesus. Who in your life (family, friends, neighbors, coworkers) might need to hear the hope of Christ? What is one step you can take this week to share with them?
6. The sermon challenged us to pray for those who don’t know Christ before we talk to them about God. Is there someone you feel burdened to pray for? How can the group support you in praying for this person?
7. The angel’s authority and God’s sovereignty were clear, but so was John’s responsibility to prophesy. How do you balance trusting God’s control with your responsibility to act and share your faith?