启示录10  教会的终极使命
 
GK611晨祷生命读经
24.02.2026 
主讲：陈炎明传道


引言：教会存在的终极理由！

一、基督威严的展现（10:1-2）

经文在这里的描述非常不寻常，显然这不是“一般天使”，而是： “基督威严的彰显”。“虹” 在创世记代表神与人的约。	“脸如日头” 是启示录第1章对复活基督的形容。“火柱” 是出埃及记神同在的象征。“一脚踏海一脚踏地“是显示掌管全地的权柄。谁有这样的能耐呢？这位“天使”就像是战胜死亡的耶稣基督啊！

上一章说在第六号天使吹响的时候是最黑暗的时刻，然而神却显明一件事：世界虽然混乱，但主仍然掌权。这章显然不是灾难的信息，而是“安定信徒的心”。小书卷是神把即将发生之事的作出宣告；审判进行时，神仍在说话。

信徒的平安不是来自环境稳定，而是来自主仍掌权。当你焦虑时，第一件要做的不是分析局势，而是回到神面前祷告敬拜。

二、七雷之话被封住（10:3–4）

约翰听见七雷的声音，准备写下：神却说：不可写出来。神有些启示是“故意不让人知道”的。启示录不是让人计算末日日期，神没有把一切细节交给人类。所以，任何“末日时间表推算”都违背圣经原则。圣经给我们的是方向，不是日历。

七雷不是让人研究，是让人谦卑。神对历史的掌控远超过圣经中已经写下的部分；我们不需要知道全部时间表，只需要相信神仍在掌权，并忠心完成你的使命。神隐藏七雷，其实是在保护人，若人知道全部未来，人就不会活在信心里，只会活在计算里。

不要等完全明白神的带领才顺服。很多人迟迟不服事、不奉献、不回应呼召，是因为想先看清楚结果。神常常是要我们：“先顺服，后领受”。

三、时日已到不耽延（10:5-6）

很多人误解这句为“时间结束”。原文意思其实是：不再耽延。意思：神的计划将进入最后阶段。不是世界立刻结束，而是救赎历史进入倒数。神的审判从不仓促，但也绝不无限拖延。

换句话说，历史一直像在等待、延后（神给人悔改机会）；但从这里开始，神不再拖延，祂的旨意要迅速完成。这是一句对世界的警告，却也是对信徒的安慰：看似缓慢的神，其实从未失控；当祂定意行动，历史会立刻向终局推进。

不要把属灵的事一再拖延。想和好的关系、想悔改的罪、想关心的人、想传福音的对象···，即日就行动吧！神的恩典虽然无限，但是绝对有时限！时间一到，机会就没了。

四、要约翰吃小书卷（10:7–10）

这位“特别的天使”要约翰吃小书卷，结果是“口中甜、肚腹苦”。这是旧约以西结先知有过的经历（结3:3-4）。甜代表救恩的信息，神的应许与盼望。苦则是审判的信息，是人的不知悔改的绝望。也就是说：真正的传道人不是只讲祝福，也必须讲悔改。这是对教会的提醒：福音若只剩安慰，就不完整。

神不仅让教会“知道预言”，更要教会“承担预言”。就像我们领受真理时是喜乐的，但要活出并传讲真理，常常伴随着艰难的代价不是吗？

不要只选择“听你喜欢的真理”。成熟的信徒，是既接受神的安慰，也接受神的修剪与挑战。

五、关键的一个托付（10:11）

你还要指着多民、多国、多方、多王再说预言。意思非常清楚：在最终审判前，神要最后一次向世界说话。换句话说：第9章灾难之后，第10章神没有立刻毁灭世界，祂先传达“信息”。这就是教会的使命。为什么神还不结束世界？答案：因为福音还要被传。世界越来越黑暗，神仍然给人机会。

世界还未结束的一个原因，就是还有人需要听见你所认识的主。

总结：灾难中的信息是宣教

在审判临到之前，神先把“书卷”交给祂的子民；不是要他们预测未来，而是要他们向世界发出最后的呼召。所以这章其实是在对教会说：你不是灾难的旁观者，你是神最后的使者。

虽然世界的灾难越来越多，但是传福音的呼召仍是神对教会的最后托付，你怎么回应呢？


  

Revelation 10: The Church's Ultimate Mission
GK611 Morning Devotion
24.02.2026
Speaker: Rev David Tan


 Introduction: The Ultimate Reason for the Church's Existence!

I. The Manifestation of Christ's Majesty (10:1-2) 

The description here is highly unusual, clearly not depicting an ‘ordinary angel’ but rather ‘The manifestation of Christ’s majesty.’ The “rainbow” in Genesis  ymbolizes God’s covenant with humanity. ‘A face like the sun’ mirrors the description of the resurrected Christ in Revelation chapter 1. The ‘pillar of fire’ represents God’s presence as in Exodus. ‘One foot on the sea and one foot on the earth’ signifies authority over the entire earth. Who possesses such power? This ‘angel’ is none other than Jesus Christ Who has conquered the death!

The previous chapter described the darkest hour when the sixth angel sounded his trumpet. Yet God revealed one truth: though the world is in chaos, the Lord still reigns. This chapter is clearly not a message of disaster, but about stabilizing the hearts of believers. The little scroll is God’s proclamation of things to come; even as judgment unfolds, God continues to speak.

The believer’s peace does not stem from stable circumstances, but from the assurance that the Lord still reigns. When anxiety assails you, the first step is not to analyse the situation, but to return to God in prayer and worship.

 II. The Words of the Seven Thunders Sealed (10:3–4) 

John heard the voice of the seven thunders and prepared to write it down, but God said: ‘Do not write it down.’ Some of God's revelations are ‘deliberately withheld from human knowledge.’ Revelation is not for calculating the date of the end times; God has not entrusted every detail to humanity. Therefore, any ‘end-time timetable calculations’ violate biblical principles. Scripture gives us direction, not a calendar.

The seven thunders are not for human study but for humility. God's control over history far exceeds what is written in Scripture; we need not know the entire timetable, only to trust that God remains in control and to faithfully fulfil our mission. God conceals the seven thunders to protect humanity. If people knew the entire future, they would not live by faith but by calculation.

Do not wait for complete understanding of God's leading before obeying. Many delay serving, giving, or responding to their calling because they wish to see the outcome first. God often requires us to ‘Obedience before Inspiration.’

 III. The time has come without delay (10:5-6) 

Many misinterpret this as ‘the end of time.’ The original meaning is: no further delay. This signifies God’s plan entering its final phase. It does not mean the world ends immediately, but that redemptive history enters its countdown. God’s judgement is never hasty, yet it is never indefinitely postponed.

In other words, history has seemed to wait and defer (God granting opportunities for repentance); but from this point, God will no longer delay, and His purpose will swiftly be accomplished. This is a warning to the world, yet also a comfort to believers: the seemingly slow God has never lost control; when He resolves to act, history propels towards its conclusion without delay.

Do not continually postpone spiritual matters. The relationship you need to reconcile, the sin you need to repent of, the person you need to care for, the one you need to share the gospel with… act today! Though God’s grace is boundless, it is absolutely time-bound! When the hour comes, the opportunity is gone.

 IV. John is Commanded to Eat the Little Scroll (10:7–10) 

This ‘special angel’ commanded John to eat the little scroll, the result being ‘sweet in the mouth but bitter in the stomach’ This mirrors the experience of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:3-4). Sweetness represents the message of salvation—God’s promises and hope. Bitterness signifies the message of judgement—the despair of unrepentant humanity. In other words, a true preacher does not merely proclaim blessings but also call for repentance. This serves as a reminder to the church: a gospel that offers only comfort is incomplete.

God not only enables the church to ‘understand prophecy,’ but also commands it to ‘bear prophecy.’ Just as we rejoice when receiving truth, but living it out and proclaiming it often comes with a costly price., does it not?

Do not merely choose ‘truths that please you.’ Mature believers accept both God's comfort and His pruning and challenges.

 V. A Crucial Commission (10:11) 

“You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.” The meaning is clear: before the final judgement, God will speak to the world one last time. In other words: after the disasters of chapter 9, God does not immediately destroy the world in chapter 10. He first delivers a ‘message.’ This is the Church’s mission. Why has God not yet ended the world? The answer is because the gospel still needs to be proclaimed. As the world grows ever darker, God continues to offer people opportunity.

One reason the world has yet to end is that there are still those who need to hear of the Lord whom you know.

 Conclusion: The Message Amid Calamity is Mission

Before judgment falls, God first entrusts the ‘scroll’ to His people—not that they may predict the future, but that they may issue the final call to the world. Thus this chapter essentially speaks directly to the Church: you are not bystanders to disaster, but God's final messengers.

Though the world faces ever-increasing calamities, the call to preach the gospel remains God's final commission to the Church. How will you respond?