THE MIGHTY ANGEL:
John decides to divert our attention away from the final trumpet to something else. The timing for this is essential. It is an interruption. A break in the programming.
“I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was around his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.” This definition of “mighty” is strong, like a warrior who has been in battle. The Strong’s Concordance states, “of one who has strength of soul to sustain the attacks of Satan, strong and therefore exhibiting many excellences.” Remember how Jesus sustained the attacks of Satan during His 40-day fast? He used the word of God. Our only offensive weapon in the armor of God is a sword of the Spirit. This is also the word of God. The less you know of God’s word the duller your weapon and the more vulnerable you are to Satan’s attacks. The more you know and understand God’s word the more effective your sword is against these attacks. He comes down from heaven with a cloud. Clouds, throughout the Bible, are God’s means of transportation. The rainbow is his identification of Whom he represents. The brightness of his face and feet are also signs of this angel being high in rank and power.
“He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.” He has descended from heaven to the earth.
“Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” This is evidence that there are things which will take place that we are not privy to. Trust in God when it comes to those things that you do not know. These seven thunders are saying things that we are not to know until it happens.
“The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.” I read this many times before coming to the conclusion that you can take this literally. There is nothing hidden here. Nothing to find. It will be as it is written. The angel coming from heaven, standing on the sea and the land, is directly related to God’s entire creation. God, who always was, created all things out of love for one purpose. To dwell with that creation. Our selfish sin nature pushed Him away as His glory consumes sin. His entire creation would be gone. He sent a piece of Himself as Jesus to take care of that problem so one day He could dwell with His creation again. It’s not rocket science. It’s very simple and this is the message that we are to bring to those who don’t know. People understand who Jesus is but often times having no understanding of the purpose behind it all. Have a great day.
