Revelation Study Week 23 10:1-11

Last week we looked at the sixth trumpet which is the second woe. Now we get to an intermission or better yet a reminder.

Revelation 10:1-11

10 And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will be no more delay, 7 but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10 So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.11 Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.

Vs. 1 - another mighty angel, wrapped in a cloud, a rainbow over his head, face like the sun, legs like pillars of fire

Some believe this angel was Jesus but although the description given him is like that of Jesus, but Jesus is never described as an angle in the NT.

wrapped in a cloud - To show size, the cloud is around him, but he is not engulfed in it.

rainbow over his head - maybe another instance of size comparison or maybe to remind the people of God’s covenant

face like the sun - having the radiance of God...

legs like pillars of fire - the bringer of justice

Vs. 2 - 4 2 He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”

There is a little scroll that is already open in the angles hand, could it be the same scroll with the 7 seals, just smaller?

The angel set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. Is this another reference to his size. I think there are other ties than just size reference. maybe it is to show God’s sovereignty over all the earth?

I also think that it is in reference to the two beasts in chapter 13, the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the land. While these beasts have power that power is limited.

The angel gave a great shout, this should cause the 7 thunders to sound. John was not permitted to write what he heard.

Vs. 5-7 5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will be no more delay, 7 but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

There will be no more delay…the seventh trumpet brings the fulfilling of the mystery of God. What Mystery? God’s purpose for mankind.

Vs. 8-11 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10 So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.11 Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.

What is this scroll?

What is the meaning of sweet as honey in the mouth but bitter in the stomach.

These three verses are all about a recommissioning of John to write what share (or prophesy) what is happening.

This is what was told to Ezekiel in Ezk. 2:9–3:3.