Journal Entry // December 17, 2022
And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven (ESV)
Revelation 10:5
As I was thinking through my reading this morning in Revelation 9 and 10, I read through the notes in my study Bible and it mentioned that this verse shows the uniting of the three spheres of creation. We see this in that the angel has one foot on the sea, one foot on the land, and his right hand raised to heaven. I found this detail intriguing as I had never really contemplated the importance of this image alongside the proclamation that the angel was delivering. That message being that he swore by the Creator (the one who created these three spheres) that there would be no more delay in the fulfillment of the mystery of God. This mighty angel was here to proclaim that the long awaited for mystery would be revealed to all the world. There would be no more delay as the Lord would unite all of heaven and earth under the headship and authority of Christ alone.
In this message there are a couple of key components that need to penetrate and stir the affections within me. First, all of creation is the domain and realm of King Jesus. He is the mighty one standing on the sea and the land that brings into unity the heavenly and earthly realms. He is the one that transcends across the barrier and unites everything under his banner, rule, and authority. I feel as though I lose this important fact in my daily journey through this life. I get so focused on the here and now of this present reality, that I lose sight of the bigger picture. I reduce Jesus down to some great powerful god whose only purpose is to focus on me and my situation. Sort of the same line of thought that Job wrote about during his suffering. I filter everything that is happening through the lens of how it affects me. Even in my praise and adoration of Jesus, I want to make myself the central point of focus. The passage reminds me that the central point of focus is Christ alone. He is the One who unites the three spheres of creation and he is the one they are united under. Does he care for and love me completely? Absolutely. I need to remember that while Jesus is full of grace and mercy, he is also this mighty One who rules over all of creation.
Second, is that there is no more delay. What has been announced through the prophets and declared through the life of Christ is the revelation of the great mystery of God. The time has come upon us all. There is no room for frivolity and hesitation. It is foolishness for me to act as if every day is the same in a long stream of endless monotony. For this is what I am prone to doing on a daily basis. I become complacent with the good patience and mercy of Christ in my life. What I see as monotonous and routine, is the patience of Christ in my life. He is patient in his approach with me. He is working each and every day to bring me understanding through humility. Not this simple trite notion of humility that the world wants to see. A humility built upon politeness and self-deprecation. The humility that is being ground into my heart is the humility of acknowledging that Christ alone is the mighty One of all creation. He is the one that can stand on both the land and sea. He is the author and finisher of what is seen and not seen. No, the humility that Jesus is working in me on a daily basis is grounded in this beautiful picture of Christ. For when I see Christ as he truly is pictured in this verse, then all my fears and doubts will melt away. How can I not humble myself and worship this mighty One pictured in this verse.
The more I think and write about this image of Christ with his right hand lifted toward heaven, the more in awe I am of his majesty and glory. I am so simple in my thoughts. Simple meaning that I am hyperfocused on my own perceived rights and needs to the neglect of this beautiful picture of the power and authority of Christ. The mighty One who is described in this verse is also the one who abides with me. The One who unites all of creation under his own authority is also the one who has made his dwelling in my heart and is with me even in this moment. He is the one walking with me on this journey through life. He is my loving shepherd who is guiding me along this path to the springs of living water, where he will wipe away every tear from my eyes. This same tender, merciful, patient Shepherd is also this same mighty One standing on the land and the sea with his right hand raised toward heaven. He is my God, and he is my Savior.