Revelation 10:6-11

6 1and swore by 2Him who lives forever and ever, 3WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that 4there will be delay no longer,
7 but in the days of the voice of the 5seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then 6the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.
8 Then 7the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take 8the book which is open in the hand of the angel who 9stands on the sea and on the land."
9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "10Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey."
10 I 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.
11 And 11they said to me, "You must 12prophesy again concerning 13many peoples and nations and tongues and 14kings."

Revelation 10:6-11 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 14

  • 1. Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8; Numbers 14:30; Ezekiel 20:5
  • 2. Revelation 4:9
  • 3. Exodus 20:11; Revelation 4:11
  • 4. Revelation 6:11; Revelation 12:12; Revelation 16:17; Revelation 21:6
  • 5. Revelation 11:15
  • 6. Amos 3:7; Romans 16:25
  • 7. Revelation 10:4
  • 8. Revelation 10:2
  • 9. Revelation 10:2
  • 10. Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:8; Ezekiel 3:1-3
  • 11. Revelation 11:1
  • 12. Ezekiel 37:4, 9
  • 13. Revelation 5:9
  • 14. Revelation 17:10, 12

Footnotes 2

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