God’s Wisdom | Daily Devotion
5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. 6 He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. 7 When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”
8 Then the voice from heaven spoke to me again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” 10 So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.
11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Revelation 10:5-11 NLT
John tells us he sees the angel that has his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, raise his right hand toward heaven, swearing an oath in the name of God, the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them. The oath of the angel declared, “There will be no more delay. When the seventh angel blows his trumpet God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”
God’s wisdom will be witnessed.
Hebrews 6:16 NLT tells us that “when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding.”
If this angel is Jesus Christ, the one whom God has given the right to judge the earth, the only one who was able to open the scroll which very well could be the title deed to the earth and universe, thus, the one given ownership of the earth to judge the earth and those who belong to the world – He is calling on God, who is greater than Himself to hold Him to His word. Jesus, the One who came to this earth to do the will of the Father—John 6:38, who learned obedience to God through the things He suffered, was qualified by God as a perfect High Priest – Hebrews 5:8-9.
The One who is sovereign and understands human weaknesses, and the human heart and mind is the perfect One who holds right timing to deliver on the judgments– Hebrews 2:18, Matthew 9:4. He holds God's wisdom.
Jesus holds time in His hand. He knows what is needed, when it is needed.
Thus, as the angel said there would be no more delay, when the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. Here is the culmination of God’s plan, which He spoke to the prophets.
Amos 3:7 tells us the Sovereign LORD never does anything until He first reveals His plan to His prophets. So, He revealed to them His mysterious plan.
God's wisdom revealed in His mysterious plan was then shared with the apostle Paul who states in Ephesians 3:3-12 NLT, “As I briefly wrote earlier, God himself revealed his mysterious plan to me. As you read what I have written, you will understand my insight into this plan regarding Christ. God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets. And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. By God’s grace and mighty power, I have been given the privilege of serving him by spreading the Good News. Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord. Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God’s presence assured of his glad welcome.”
Thus, the culmination of God’s mysterious plan is judgment for those who refuse Jesus Christ. It will happen just as God told His prophets.
There is power in the church though, even in this time – in those who come to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior – as the apostle Paul states, within God’s mysterious plan, His purpose is to use the church to display His wisdom in all its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in heavenly places.
There is power in the Christian church; as we obey Jesus Christ, the unseen rulers and authorities – both the angels and demons – witness the power and wisdom of God. They see God’s majestic glory. This is a part of God’s plan.
Our obedience plays a pivotal role.
Then John says, the voice from heaven, which could very well be God the Father, spoke to him again and said, “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
So John went over to the angel who stood sovereign over the earth, and asked for the scroll. The angel, who could be Jesus, said, “Yes, take it and eat it. It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach.”
For the angel to tell John to eat it, the angel knew John could handle it. But notice, the angel tells the apostle John exactly what will happen. So, the apostle John took the scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. He tells us, it was sweet in his mouth, but when he swallowed it, it turned sour in his stomach.
Very much like a word of knowledge of what’s to come. At first it’s sweet. It’s an eye opener. There’s excitement. But then once you comprehend the truth a little more – of what’s to come – the sickness that comes with the realization of the horrific coming judgment. Then John was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Thus, he was instructed to keep speaking out what he hears about what’s to come. He was to speak out God's wisdom.
Will you pray with me?
Abba, thank You for the church and it’s involvement in Your mysterious plan. We lift up every Christian to You, Lord, asking that You would turn the wandering back to Yourself, soften the hard hearts, encourage the timid, comfort the hurting, deliver the oppressed and heal the sick. Praying for every Christian to love obeying You, realizing every act of obedience plays a part in your mysterious plan as You showcase Your wisdom and power through the church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
