This word “proclaimed” means to “preach good news.” God has always proclaimed that his servants would suffer, preach faithfully, and overcome our burdens. He’s ordained our sufferings for his glory, and our good. These are the sweet things of the gospel that we preach, even amidst human hatred. Their wrath is against God, and then us.

Do not let these things disturb you. We must preach, if we’ll be happy.

First, everything God does is on time and on schedule, even persecution [vs1-7]. "And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he proclaimed to his servants the prophets." There is nothing to fear for his saints. Our persecutions have been ordered. Our afflictions are part of the plan. 1 Thessalonians 3:3 - "that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this."

As Christ unfolds The Revelation, we see that he’s in charge of all, and we are safe. He has his feet on the land and the sea, exercising total dominion. We are cast down, but not destroyed. Persecuted, but not forsaken. We even hurt for our own good. 2 Corinthians 4:7 - "But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us."

Let the saints rejoice. Don’t take the enemy’s bait and murmur. Whatever happens to you, God did it in love, and he has a glorious reason. He afflicts Paul, so he can be humble [2 Cor 12:7-10]. Stephen is murdered, so he can be honored. All things bring to pass the salvation of God’s elect. Joseph is enslaved in Egypt, until he’s Pharaoh’s right hand man. Genesis 45:8 - "So it was not you who sent me here, but God." Nothing was by accident, nor caught God by surprise. Nothing is to be fretted over.

Make your requests known, and SEEK HIM IN HIS WORD. Let the Scriptures comfort you. Keep your eyes on Christ, and the truth of the gospel.

Secondly, we must preach the gospel [vs8-11]. "And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."" It is bitter in our belly, if we hold it in. We must proclaim the glories of the Lord, and the honor of his kingdom. We must give our lives for the gospel for our OWN SOUL’S SAKE. We cannot be happy and keep it in. This burden is from the Lord, and it is great. Jeremiah 20:9 - "If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot."

I spoke to a brother recently, who is heavily burdened, because he’s not preaching. I get physically ill, if I don’t preach. I’m nauseous in my stomach, because I’m not fulfilling my commission. Everyone is not a gospel preacher, but we’re all involved. Every saint must do what we can to be satisfied. The gospel must be lived out to be fulfilling. Knowledge without practice leads to misery, and the Lord will disturb us.

The more we labor, however, the more we’re satisfied. It is not labor in the flesh, but the Spirit. Conrad Mbewe said, “Nothing is as exciting as serving God in a hostile world,” and he is right: This is how we enjoy Christ, who thrills our souls.

Release the gospel, and your joy will be full. Live to see it go out, and you live most abundantly.

Thirdly, God’s given us power to afflict the conscience [Rev 11:5-6]. "And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire." Men hear us, and their righteousness turns filthy rags. They are rebuked for licentiousness, and told that faith without works is dead. We denounce the “lose your salvation” doctrine, and obliterate tongue speaking - the modern marvel of babbling nonsense. These things disturb men’s hearts by taking away false peace. Isaiah 28:15 - "for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.”

A brother told me how he was stripped. He came to see that he was a sinner. Church attendance and being raised in a “christian home” could not save him. Personally, I saw that all of my efforts amounted to nothing, because all that I could give God was sin. 1 John 1:8 - "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

This throws us upon the Lord Jesus Christ, casting us at his feet [Matthew 15:30]. Now, we’re helpless and have no self hope, which is no great feeling. The elect repent, but the reprobate are furious. We’ve killed their hope. Rolfe Barnard calls it, “Killing people’s gods.”

This is the task of the gospel preacher. We aren’t sneaking men into the kingdom. We are flat footed, like John MacArthur, telling people how it is. We don’t hold back on definite atonement, declaring that Christ made an end of sin. We stir up the anger of the proud and self righteous by teaching that salvation, including faith, is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

Oh, how wonderful it is to speak for God, and to suffer for him. 1 Peter 4:16 - "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." Suffer for him who suffered for you. Suffer for others to be saved. We have the highest honor to testify of the truth, even if men hate it.