Through prophecy, the Book of Revelation emphasizes the God’s coming judgment. It’s imperative for the world to repent in response to God’s Word (the Gospel of Jesus) as well as the mission of the Church to proclaim this message to the world, and the glory and suffering that accompany the fulfillment of this mission.

Hearing and comprehending God’s Word the Gospel of salvation brings with it the joy and elation of receiving new life. The Scriptures contain passages that are comforting and pleasant, as well as those that are not. We feel joy and keen interest when reading about the comfort and protection bestowed upon humanity; however, when the Word speaks of admonition, sin, and our own disobedient hearts as if the Bible were piercing right through us, we often succumb to pride and temptation rather than embracing repentance.

For human beings who, due to sin, prioritize temptation over obedience and thus fail to truly comprehend the Book of Revelation. It serves as God’s final warning to the world. Through judgment and prophecy, it underscores the reality that the Day of Judgment draws ever closer with each passing day, representing the world’s ultimate and intensifying warning. This mounting of God’s catastrophic judgment upon the world seems to continue here.  Only to be interrupted by a voice from heaven.

Chapter 9 we see the six seal had been broken and is occurring just before the seven seal and the two witnesses appear on scene in Chapter 11. This is during the tribulation period. We come to Chapter 10 the world is receiving its final warning to repent and confess.

Revelation 10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

This mighty angel is not one of the seven who were sounding the trumpets. He is not identified but is shown to possess earth for God. His message is to John and all the earth. In the wake of humanity’s refusal to repent and confess, an angel descends from heaven with a clothed with cloud, and rainbow on his head, his face blazing like the sun and his legs burning like fire. With one foot placed on the sea and the other on the land, his fearsome appearance initially gives the impression that the end has come.

I must say that many of our commentary writers are divided on this issue some claim that the Angel is Jesus coming in angel form. However, still others say no.

Let me explain the difference as I first read it I was trying to figure the two sides and as it became clearer you can see it is clearly not Jesus here. I agree with a lot of the symbols John is describing we could gather that idea too. However, we must clearly understand Jesus’ mission was fulfilled already. John clearly wrote it is another mighty angel. Jesus is not an angel. The Bible is clear on this.

Reason one Angels are messengers, and this angel has been sent on a mission down from heaven to deliver a message. To the world and to John and to those in the tribulation. Seems as if God is giving those one more chance at accepting His grace and mercy.  Jesus has His resurrected body, and He is seated at the right hand of God the Father. His throne has a rainbow above it.

Jesus and God are equal. Since this angel wore this as a crown and used it as a sign to remind us of God’s promise, we can see that his authority comes from God. Furthermore, his clothing was like clouds, and his face shone like Moses’ face did when he stood before God.

Revelation 10:2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

A little book- contained only a portion which John was now to make his own. This refers that this is the Word of God or the Bible with the instructions for John, and all of us.  This scroll (Bible) apparently so. It contained the angel’s written orders for the mission he was about to fulfill. Too include John’s mission. We will come back to this….

He set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, – the angel is here to claiming the territory for God and Jesus before the antichrist tries to claim it for himself.

Revelation 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

His voice sounded like thunder, and in response, seven more thunders roar out, what one would imagine to be the decisive negative verdict on the godless, which would unleash a last, devastating series of punishments upon the earth.

But a voice from heaven interrupts the waves of terror by telling John, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down”. The message of thunder is to remain sealed and unspoken. Need to know bases, don’t write this. This particular message was not for humans to know.

Like the rainbow that adorns him, the angel signals at least a temporary halt in the storm’s fury.  A promise from God.

 Revelation 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

The angel who gave a clear message to John, we can see God’s promise, the rainbow, love that surpasses the fury of a storm, and God’s grace and patience—for He desires everyone to be saved—and the certainty of His promise. Revelation is primarily designed to reveal and not to conceal God’s purpose and future events, some revelation was kept hidden as illustrated by God’s prohibiting John to write what “the voices” of the seven thunders said. They spoke in their own voices, that is, voices peculiarly their own, and not now revealed to men.

Revelation 10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

Revelation 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

This angel lifted up his hands and swore an oath to God in Heaven, if this angel would have been the Christ, He would not give an oath to himself.  It was customary to lift up your hand towards heaven, appealing to the God of truth, when taking a solemn oath.

Next, he says “that there should be time no longer:” this shows us, an interval of time. The martyrs shall have no longer a time to wait for the accomplishment of their prayers for the purging of the earth by the judgment of God. The appointed season or time of delay is at an end. Time shall end and eternity begin.

Revelation 10:7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Let us seek to be taught by Christ, and to obey his orders; daily meditating on his word, that it may nourish our souls; and then declaring it according to our ability God has given to each one.

Revelation 10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

We need to take it in.  In its full contents so entirely as to be assimilated with (as food), and it becomes part of ourselves, so we can impart its teachings to others more vividly.  It was the Lord’s will he was doing, and because, John followed the instructions of God.

Revelation 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

Most men & women feel pleasure in looking into future events, they take an interest in it, waste their time and money visiting fortune-tellers, and find joy in their own foolishness. The Almighty God speaks through the Holy Spirit and the Bible. No one has ever seen God, and He does not speak directly to anyone. However, He teaches through angels to prophets and apostles. Who can fully know, or understand the word of God? God reveals the bitter curse of sin, suffering, and the cross, death, and resurrection. He makes us God’s people who can choose between the terrifying and dreadful Satan and hell, and He delivers us from the fear of the horrific persecution we face and the desolation and curses that will befall the earth through the Gospel (Jesus).

When the Bible and books of prophecy are thoroughly digested by the apostle, and us the contents would be bitter; there were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, such desolations in the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would be painful to our minds. I am grateful that we have come to know the Bible through God’s people who obeyed,  His tremendous promises and warnings commands to “eat this” and fully grasp its meaning. Still the angel instructed him to “Take it and eat it up” Fully comprehend its meaning; study it thoroughly.

Revelation 10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

. The Bible is divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament, and here, the “little book” refers to the New Testament. We never want to get to far away from this Bible.  The New Testament begins with the word “book” (Greek, “biblus”), of which “the little book” (Greek, biblaridion) is the diminutive, “the little Bible,” the Bible in miniature.

The Bible is the essential book that leads us to eternal life by restoring the relationship between God and humanity, which has been broken by sin. Amen.

Spreading God’s word of truth to the world and living a holy life according to that word inevitably entails persecution, suffering, and sacrifice, bringing with it great pain and anguish.

The mission and attitude of a believer must not stop at merely enjoying the joy of the gospel (the sweetness in the mouth); rather, we must not shy away from but bear the suffering (the bitterness in the stomach) that comes with bearing witness to the gospel in the world.

Revelation 10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

John clearly gets the message here from the Angel “Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings”. We can understand this to be like what he said to all Disciples and Apostles in Matthew 28:19 when Jesus said “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” John was to write the book of revelation for all to read. Multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-language, to both poor and rich and those in powerful positions. Thou must write, not only for the instruction of the Jews, but of those in the different provinces, as well as the Gentiles and emperors and potentates in general. Amen!

Chapter 10 has two functions. It tells of John’s own feelings in declaring God’s plans. God’s will is recorded in a book (Bible) which is now open. His purpose is to be made known to all, as openly as thunder. John’s feelings were embittered with grief at the prophecy of the coming bitter persecutions of the Church. All set between the sixth trumpet judgment and the final seventh trumpet judgment. God’s patience and hope stem from His desire for all to be saved, and His delay in coming to the world is an expression of His love as He patiently waits. Therefore, I pray that believers will triumph in hope, believing that even if the end of the world seems slow to come and tribulation.

What is our problem?

Obedience is better than sacrifice; obedience nourishes my soul and is the path to the great blessing of entering the Kingdom of God. Amen.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Amen!