CHAPTER 10
VERSE 1: (Chapter 10)
​The MIGHTY 'ANGEL'
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"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:"
Here is the "mighty angel come down from heaven". There is no one mightier than the Lord Himself. Look at all the descriptions together, and you will see Jesus ...
DESCRIPTIONS Given In This Verse:
1. JESUS HIMSELF COMES "DOWN FROM HEAVEN": The Lord Jesus says in His own words in John 6:38: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." This 'Mighty Angel', Jesus, will come down from Heaven during the Tribulation Period just as He came down before.
2. JESUS IS "CLOTHED WITH A CLOUD": "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9). "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26). ""Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him..." (Revelation 1:7).
​3. ..."A RAINBOW WAS UPON HIS HEAD": The rainbow is the symbol of divine faithfulness. It is the token (symbol) God created to bind the covenant between Himself and the earth ... "I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth" (Genesis 9:13). "As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD" (Ezekiel 1:28). "...and there was a rainbow round about the throne" (Revelation 4:3). ​​​
​5. JESUS' "FEET AS PILLARS OF FIRE": "And His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace" (Revelation 1:15). "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives..." (Zechariah 14:4).
(Also see the description of Christ in this study of Revelation 1:13 - 16.)
​​4. "HIS FACE WAS AS IT WERE THE SUN": ​"For the LORD God is a sun and shield" (Psalm 84:11). "...His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength" (Revelation 1:16). "... in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5)
VERSE 2: (Chapter 10)
​​In HIS HAND a LITTLE BOOK OPEN
"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,"
Now the Lord is showing us what is in His hands. It is a "little book". 1 John 3:11: "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning..." 1 John 1:5 states: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you..." This is the Word of God. God's Word is indeed a little book compared to the Book of Life. John 21:25 says: "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." God has given us His Word from Genesis, the beginning of time, until Revelation - the end of time.
This "little book" is not the scroll that was sealed with the seven seals that we learned about in Chapter 5 of Revelation. The scroll is a sealed book. This "little book" is an open book. The scroll is not yet opened. It will be opened during the Tribulation Period.
The Lord is standing on the earth, in this verse, at a time of judgment. The Word of God is given to us to learn judgment. The Bible was given for we could "Receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity" (Proverbs 1:3). 2 Timothy 3:16 clarifies that "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness". People will be judged out of this "little book": "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12).
The Lord is standing, with "His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth" holding His Word. He is showing the world that He had given us His Holy Scriptures which reveal His way of Salvation and His judgments on those who refuse Him. The Lord has pleaded with mankind for thousands of years. He has asked all people to come to Him throughout all generations. Most have refused and most will continue to refuse: "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:14). The Lord has revealed Himself to mankind through every century, through every age, and to every person. In this verse, the Lord is revealing Himself again. It is up to each person how they will respond. However, Jesus' own words say: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets (Bible today), neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead" (Luke 16:31).
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VERSE 3: (Chapter 10)
​ROARS LIKE a LION
"And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when He had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices."
The "Mighty Angel" is standing with one foot upon the sea and one foot on the earth (verse 2). This shows that He is Lord of the sea and the earth. As the Lord is standing there, He roareth like a lion. He is not a lion animal. He is the LORD ALMIGHTY. We studied about the Lord being 'like' a lion in Revelation 4:7 and that Jesus is referred to as "the Lion of the tribe of Juda" in Revelation 5:5.
When the Lord stands on the earth and sea at this time, He is announcing His power. When a lion roars, he usually is not happy. The Lord is not happy with mankind. He has pleaded with them over and over to repent and come to Him. People won't. He gave His life for them and most of mankind will keep rejecting Him. The Lord is not happy.
"...and when He had cried," There is another verse in the Bible that tells us Jesus cried. Not "Jesus wept", but that He "cried with a loud voice". Mark 15:34: "And at the nineth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice..." Here in our verse in Revelation, Jesus will cry very loudly, "with a loud voice", for all to hear. When the Lord cries out for all to hear, the "seven thunders uttered their voices." Thunder is regarded as Jehovah's voice and also as a symbol of divine power. Job 37:2-4 states: "Hear attentively the noise of His voice, and the sound that goeth out of His mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and His lightening unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: He thundereth with the voice of His excellency; and He will not stay them when His voice is heard."
The Lord's cry will cause a response from Heaven. Our verse says: "when He had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices". A 'voice' was heard from Heaven once before. It is found recorded in Matthew 3:17: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The voice of God the Father was heard from Heaven when Jesus was baptized. Jesus came to the earth to die for our sins on the cross. We will hear the voice of God the Father again when Jesus stands on this earth.
VERSE 4: (Chapter 10)
​​The SEVEN THUNDERS
"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 "seven thunders" utter voices. Wow! John hears them. John was about to document everything that was said, when he hears "a voice from heaven". The "voice from heaven" is from God, the Father.
John is instructed, from God the Father, to "Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not". Back in Revelation 5:1, we studied about the book that was sealed and how the Lord Jesus was the only one worthy to open the seals. God had that book sealed because the time to unseal it was not yet. In Daniel 12:4, God told Daniel: "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end..." And in Daniel 12:9, God said: "... Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end."
God has a special reason why He does not want John to write what "the seven thunders" had said. The time that God wants it revealed is not yet.
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VERSE 5: (Chapter 10)
​The MIGHTY 'ANGEL's LIFTED HAND
"And the Angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up His hand to heaven."
We now see this 'Mighty Angel', our Lord, standing on "the sea and upon the earth". John 6:38, Jesus states: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me." This shows that the Lord has dominion over the land and the sea. He lifts "His hand to heaven". When these "seven thunders uttered their voices", the Lord knows what they said. He lifts His hand in reverence and praises His Heavenly Father.
It is God's will for us to lift our hands in praise and reverence to the Father. 1 Timothy 2.6 teaches us why we should lift our hands and praise God: "Who gave Himself a ransom for all..." This instruction continues in verse 8 of 1 Timothy 2: "I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands". David said in Psalm 63:4 that he (David) "...will lift up my hands in thy name". God commands us Psalm 134:2 to lift up our hands in church: "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD." This is a command, not an if you want to. We are to lift our hands in praise to our Heavenly Father. There are many, many verses throughout the Bible encouraging us to lift our hands to God (Psalms 28:2; 88:9; 119:48; 141:1-2; 143:6; 2 Chronicles 6:12-13; Ezra 9:5; Nehemiah 8:6). In 1 Kings 8:22, 38, King Solomon spread his hands towards heaven.
We do have to be cautious in the lifting of hands. Satan likes to take things out of context. Satan likes churches who like to cause a commotion while lifting hands. But God says: "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). Lifting our hands to our heavenly Father should be in reverence and honor to Him. This is what Christ is doing here in this verse. Look at the next verse ...
VERSE 6: (Chapter 10)
​HE CREATED ALL THINGS
HE CAN END ALL THINGS
"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:"
Hebrews 6:13 tells us that when God makes a promise "... He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself". The Lord lifts His hand to His Father and praises Him. The Lord first lifts His hand in praise to the Father and states that God "... liveth for ever and ever". The Lord praises His Father because He "created the heaven, and the things that therein are". He states that God created "the earth, and the things that therein are". He also praises God for creating "the sea, and the things which are therein". This all relates back to Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." We are now at the end times in Revelation, and this is being said again. The book of John in Chapter 1:2-3 tells us that Jesus was with God in the beginning of creation: "The same (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made." The Lord is still with God at this end time of the earth, just like He was with Him at the beginning of the earth, and Jesus raises His hand in reverence to His Father.
The Lord confirms that there shall "be time no longer". The time of people being martyred for the Lord will come to an end. The time of evil and sin will come to an end. The time of the anti-christ, beast, and false prophet will all come to an end. Then time itself will come to an end ... "there should be time no longer". Revelation 21:25 says: "... for there shall be no night there" .
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VERSE 7: (Chapter 10)
​The SEVENTH ANGEL BEGINS to SOUND
"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."
Six of the seven angels have sounded their trumpets. Now it is time for the seventh angel. This angel "shall begin to sound". As he begins to sound his trumpet, "the mystery of God" will unfold. God will reveal everything to us so we can understand it all. God states in this verse that "He hath declared to His servants the prophets". God has told every generation of mankind about Himself. He has told us that the End Times would come. From Noah in Genesis to John in Revelation, God has let the world know that there will come an End Time ... A Tribulation Era. When this seventh angel sounds, "the mystery of God" will be revealed to all mankind. Everyone will then have a total understanding of God ... even the unsaved.
VERSE 8: (Chapter 10)
​
The LITTLE BOOK
INSTRUCTIONS
"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."
John hears "the voice" again coming from heaven. John recognizes this voice. John heard this voice first in Revelation 4:1: "... and the first voice which I heard ..." The voice of God instructs John. God says: "Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the Angel..." John is instructed to approach the Lord Jesus and receive the "little book" from His hand.
The Lord wants us to come to Him and receive His Word. He holds His Word, the Bible, in His nail pierced hands out to us. It is up to each of us to take His Word and read it.
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VERSE 9: (Chapter 10)
​
JOHN ASKS for the LITTLE BOOK
"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."
John approaches the Angel. John asks the Angel for the book. This is what the Lord Jesus says to all of us: "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Luke 11:9). When John asked the Lord for the "little book", it was given to him without any hesitation. "And He said unto me, Take it". God wants us to have His Word. He wants us to read it and learn about Him. The Lord holds His Word out for us to take.
The Lord gave John instruction on what to do with the "little book". Remember, Revelation is to 'reveal'. The Lord gave us the Bible so we can know about these things to come. God says in His Word: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). If you don't understand something in the Bible, God says to "ask of God" and He will give "liberally". Liberally means a lot! God will give you lots of understanding and wisdom IF you would ask Him.
The instructions to John is to "Take it, and eat it up". This sounds a little strange, but not so strange when we read what Jesus says in John 6:48: "I am that bread of life". Jesus also says in John 6:51: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." The Lord gave His 'flesh', His body, to die on the cross for "the life of the world". He gives those who ask everlasting life. "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" (John 3:16). Take the Word of God and feast on every word written. It will satisfy your soul.
The Lord tells us what happens when we 'dine' on the Word of God ... "it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey". First, the Angel tells John that "it shall make thy belly bitter". When we read the Word of God, it tells us that we are sinners ... "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Isaiah 64:6 tells us that "...we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags..." Then God's Word goes on to tell us that because the very best we could ever do is still as a 'filthy rag' in God's eyes, then we cannot enter into His presence. We are not fit for Heaven. A Holy God cannot even look upon sin, let alone have it in His presence. We are sinners. This is the 'bitterness in our belly'. "How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?" (Job 15:16)
God gives hope to us in the rest of the verse ... " it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey". When we realize that we are a sinner, that all our good works are like "filthy rags", and we ask Him to forgive us and come into our hearts, His Word then becomes as "honey" to us. Psalm 119:103 says: "How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
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VERSE 10: (Chapter 10)
​JOHN TAKES the LITTLE BOOK
"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 Angel hands John the "little book" because John asks for it. The prophet, Jeremiah, had a similar experience to John's. Jeremiah says: "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts" (Jeremiah 15:16). When we get saved, there is a great "joy and rejoicing" in our heart. It is an unexplainable feeling when your sins are forgiven, and the Lord comes into your heart! "... rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10).
The other part of this verse says that John's "belly was bitter". The closer we get to the Lord the more of our own sins we notice. It's kind of like "Spring cleaning". We come out of a cold, dark winter. Rays of Spring sunshine flows into our windows. The beams of light illuminate the unnoticed dirt particles that are floating around. We become more and more aware of the dirt in our home. And so it is with our own life as we read God's Word and draw nearer to Him. The apostle Paul said of himself: "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24). Paul was very close to the Lord. God had him write a lot of the books of the New Testament. The closer Paul drew to the Lord, the more Ihe saw on himself. The closer we draw to our Saviour, the more dirt we will see on ourselves, and the holiness of God is more clearly seen.
Do you know the meaning of a church steeple? Originally, the church steeple stood higher above all other structures in a town for everyone to see. The steeple points up to God. It indicates that He is the Way to Heaven. A steeple illustrates that the Lord is to be lifted up above all. The bells rang out over the land for all to hear. The bells sound out the invitation for all to come.
The base of the steeple is much larger than the very tip of the steeple. We stand at the bottom of the steeple. As we move up the steeple, the smaller the base becomes. The closer we get to the tip of the steeple, the more we realize the holiness of God. We need to realize that our life is not about us. It is about God. The closer we get to the Lord, the smaller we become, and the more important God becomes. The only things that are really going to matter when we stand before God is ... are we saved, and, if we are, what did we do down here on earth for Him?
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VERSE 11: (Chapter 10)
​MORE WORK for JOHN
"And He said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."
John had just 'eaten' the little book. John may be feeling extra weak at this time. His "belly was bitter". Maybe John felt like giving up. He had already been in this rocky prison camp for almost two years now. Maybe John felt he was too old or too feeble to carry on. The Lord comforts John. The Lord lets John know that He will give him strength and bring him out of this awful prison camp. The Lord says to John: "Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings" The Lord still wanted John to be a witness for Him.
No matter how old, weak, feeble, or disabled we may be, the Lord still wants us to witness for Him. The Lord says in 2 Corinthians 12:9: "... My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness".
