How does Revelation 10:11 connect with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20? Scripture Snapshot • Revelation 10:11: “Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.’” • Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Shared Mandate: All Nations Must Hear • Both passages make “nations” central. – Matthew: “all nations.” – Revelation: “many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” • The scope is universal. God never intended the gospel to remain local or ethnic; His plan has always targeted every corner of the earth (cf. Genesis 12:3; Psalm 67:2). • The call is not optional. Jesus commands; the heavenly voice commands. The same divine authority propels both. Continuity of Proclamation: From Commission to Consummation 1. The Great Commission marks the beginning of the church’s worldwide mission (Acts 1:8). 2. Revelation 10 pulls the curtain back near the end of history and shows that the mission is still active. – John, decades after Jesus’ ascension, receives fresh marching orders: “You must prophesy again.” – The gospel proclamation continues right up to the final judgments (Revelation 14:6-7). 3. Together, the two texts frame the entire church age: commission at the start, confirmation near the finish. God’s purpose does not change. Authority Behind the Task • Matthew 28 grounds the mission in Christ’s total authority: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” • Revelation 10 presents an angelic envoy from heaven, holding the open scroll—symbol of God’s revealed, unalterable plan. • The identical pattern emerges: heavenly authority → earthly proclamation. Content of the Message • Matthew: “teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you.” • Revelation: John must speak the words from the opened scroll—God’s unfiltered revelation. • Whether gospel invitation or prophetic warning, the content remains God-given, not man-made (cf. Jeremiah 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). Sweet and Bitter Reality • Earlier in Revelation 10, John eats the scroll: sweet in the mouth, bitter in the stomach. • The Great Commission carries the same dual flavor: – Sweet—salvation to those who believe (Romans 10:13). – Bitter—judgment for those who refuse (John 3:36). • Proclaimers must accept both outcomes yet stay faithful to the task. Encouragement for Us Today • The same Jesus who sent the first disciples promises to be “with you always.” • The same God who sent John to prophesy reassures us that His word will accomplish what He pleases (Isaiah 55:11). • Our role: – Go to all peoples. – Speak the entire counsel of God. – Trust His authority and presence until the mission reaches its consummation. |
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