WEEK 20 MEMORY VERSE:
”For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:17

Friday, July 31, 2009
Revelation 10:1- 14
The Hard Assignment
In this interlude between the sixth and seven trumpets, John is given a scroll to eat, which symbolizes receiving God’s word into his innermost being so that he could truly proclaim it with confidence. The announcement that “there will be no more delay” is a promise that the final purposes of God about to be accomplished. The time has com to judge the dead, reward those who follow Christ, and to destroy those that have destroyed the earth as his instruments of judgment. The seventh trumpet introduces this final progression of the events of the book – the final judgments of the bowls and the establishment of God’s rule on the earth. The bitterness of the scroll in John’s stomach signifies the distastefulness of being the one to proclaim a message of ultimate judgment, even though it at first tasted sweet (the joy of receiving any message from God). This chapter strongly confirms John’s prophetic call to bear this message of what is going to happen. Sometimes God might give you and me a task that is distasteful to us, as well. Even though the message John needed to deliver was heavy and unpleasant, he obeyed God so that God’s purposes could be fulfilled. We need to show the same kind of dedication, even when the tough assignment comes our way.

Prayer Starter:
Lord, thank you that you choose to use not only great apostles like John, but also ordinary people like me. Help me today to have courage when you lead me to do something that challenges and stretches me. And help me to get the maximum amount of personal growth in the experience.