Chapter 10

Chapter 10, Book of Revelation

The Angel and the Little Book

I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;2and he had in his hand a little book which was open He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;3and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.4When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them."5Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,6and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that there will be delay no longer,7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.8Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land."9So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.",10I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.11And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land."9So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey. 10I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.11And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

Verse 1___The second and third woes (final woe) are yet to come. It will be so terrible that another angel appears to announce it. This angel represents deity. Keep in mind where we left off last week. The previous woe did not bring the nation to repentance.

We must recall that the opening of the seventh seal was preceded by two visions (see chapter seven). Here the sounding of the trumpet (11:15) is preceded by a new series of visions (10:1 to 11:14). John states he saw “another angel” having been clothed with a cloud.” The symbol of the cloud is the vehicle God's heavenly beings ascending and descending (see Zephaniah 1:15; Daniel 7; psalms 103, 104; Rev. 17, 11:2, 14:4f and in this verse). The “rainbow” is generally a sign of God's faithfulness to His people. The powerful angel's face was bright as the sun and His feet as pillows of fire. If we remember, Jesus was described in this manner in 1:15. However, in the New Testament (not so the Old) Christ is never called an angel.

Verse 2___The “strong angel” carried in His hand a little scroll having been opened. The scroll mentioned in chapter 5 was on the right hand of the strong angel and was too large to be concealed. In contrast, here we have a “little scroll (biblaridion). This book is John's commission. The book will be eaten by John (v.7) and that is his acceptance of responsibility. In this he is like the prophet Ezekiel (2:8; 3:3), was was given a scroll to eat. The words of the book being related are a prophecy (1:10) and John accepted the responsibility to say more concerning the nations.

This angel has universal authority over land an sea. (That's where he set his feet.) This is a powerful angel.

Verse 3-4__Everything is geared to let us know of the power of the messenger. This messenger means to make it clear that the ungodly will be dealt with. Thunder (the seven thunders) are associated with judgment. The "seven" speaks of religious judgment. Perhaps they stand for the seven bowls which will be complete judgment on Rome.

Then we are told that John was to “seal up” the things and not write them down. In Deuteronomy 29:29 we are told that there are some things that God keeps to Himself.

Verses 5-11___When the right hand is lifted up to heaven it means an oath is taken (See Daniel 12:7).

Verse 6___There shall be a delay no longer. _______There has been a delay. According to the last chapter we read, it was so the ungodly might repent. Their time is up (in the days of John).

Verse 7___”In the days of the voice of the 7^th angel.”
Remember, the 7^th trumpet contains the seven bowels, even as the 7^th seal contained the seven trumpets. With the sounding of the 7^th trumpet, the whole course of judgment has been covered. In the 7^th trumpet there are seven bowels. From the 1^st bowl to the last___that is the “time” covered by the 7^th trumpet.

Then is finished the mystery of God? What mystery? The one John is writing about. The conflict between the church and Rome.

The good tidings which he declared to his servants___This is the nice side of the revelation. Victory will belong to the church. This was revealed to his servants, the prophets. In 1:1 WE WERE TOLD that the purpose of this revelation was “to show His servants.” From the time and before John received these writings, the things written about were happening. If we remember, the time elements were told to us in this book. The “things that must shortly come to pass.”

Verses 8-9___John is told to “take the book” from the angel. The angel does not give the book it is taken. Like John, we must also take the book.

John was told the “eat it up.” As already mentioned, Ezekiel was told the same thing in his vision. The message of God must be fully accepted, not just in part.

It shall make the belly bitter and they mouth sweet.....It will be bitter because it has some bad news in it. The church will suffer much. Ezekiel had the same experience. Nevertheless, the word of God tastes sweet (Psalm 19:10).

Verses 10-11___”Thou must prophesy again over many peoples.” John found the word of the angel to be true when he ate the scroll. He committed himself to the commission and told what the eating of the book meant. Over many peoples he must preach.

By Lane Rogers