Revelation 10:1-8

1 And I sawe another myghtye angell come doune from heven clothed with a cloude and the rayne bowe apon his heed. And hys face as it were the sunne and his fete as yt were pyllars of fyre

2 and he had in his honde a lytell boke opyn: and he put his ryght fote apon the see and his lyfte fote on the erth.

3 And cryed with a lowde voyce as when a lyon roreth. And when he had cryed seven thondres spake their voyces.

4 And whe the vii. thondres had spoken their voyces I was aboute to wryte. And I herde a voyce from heven sayinge vnto me seale vp thoo thynges which the vii. thondres spake and write them not.

5 And the angell which I sawe stonde apon the see and apon the erth lyfte vppe his honde to heven

6 and swore by him that liveth for ever more which created heven and the thynges that ther in are and the see and the thynges which therin are: that there shulde be no lenger tyme:

7 but in the dayes of the voyce of the seventh angell when he shall begyn to blowe: eve the mistery of god shalbe fynisshed as he preached by his servauntes ye prophetes.

8 And the voyce which I herde from heven spake vnto me agayne and sayde: goo and take the lytle boke which ys open in the honde of the angell which stondeth apon the see and apon the erth.

Revelation 10:1-8 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.