Revelation 10:1-7

The Angel and the Little Book

1 I saw another 1strong angel 2coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the 3rainbow was upon his head, and 4his face was like the sun, and his 5feet like pillars of fire;
2 and he had in his hand a 6little book which was open. He placed 7his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;
3 and he cried out with a loud voice, 8as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the 9seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
4 When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, 10I was about to write; and I 11heard a voice from heaven saying, "12Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them."
5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land 13lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6 14and swore by 15Him who lives forever and ever, 16WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that 17there will be delay no longer,
7 but in the days of the voice of the 18seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then 19the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.

Revelation 10:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 10

This chapter contains a vision of an angel of a wonderful appearance, the voices of the seven thunders, and an order to John to take the book in the hand of the angel, eat it, and prophesy. The angel is described by his strength, a mighty one; by his descent from heaven; by his attire, being clothed with a cloud; by a rainbow on his head; by his face being like the sun; by his feet, which were as pillars of fire, the one foot set on the sea, and the other on the earth; by having a little book open in his hand, and by the loud cry he made, like the roaring of a lion, Re 10:1-3, upon which seven thunders uttered their voices, which John was going to write, but was forbid, Re 10:4; next follows a solemn oath of the angers; the gesture he used, lifting up his hand to heaven; the person by whom he swore, the living God; what he swore to, that time should be no more, and that the mystery of God would be finished at the beginning of the seventh trumpet, Re 10:5-7; then several orders are given to John, as to take the open book in the hand of the angel, which he did, to eat it, as he accordingly did; when he found it to be as it was told him it would be, namely, sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly; and then to prophesy again before people, nations, tongues, and kings, Re 10:8-11.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Revelation 5:2
  • 2. Revelation 18:1; Revelation 20:1
  • 3. Revelation 4:3
  • 4. Matthew 17:2; Revelation 1:16
  • 5. Revelation 1:15
  • 6. Revelation 5:1; Revelation 10:8-10
  • 7. Revelation 10:5, 8
  • 8. Isaiah 31:4; Hosea 11:10
  • 9. Psalms 29:3-9; Revelation 4:5
  • 10. Revelation 1:11, 19
  • 11. Revelation 10:8
  • 12. Daniel 8:26; Daniel 12:4, 9; Revelation 22:10
  • 13. Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7
  • 14. Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8; Numbers 14:30; Ezekiel 20:5
  • 15. Revelation 4:9
  • 16. Exodus 20:11; Revelation 4:11
  • 17. Revelation 6:11; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 16:17; Revelation 21:6
  • 18. Revelation 11:15
  • 19. Amos 3:7; Romans 16:25

Footnotes 2

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