Revelation 10

The 10^th chapter is an event between the 6^th and 7^th Trumpet Judgments, just as chapter 7 was an event between the 6^th and 7^th seal.  Chapter 10 takes place just prior to the “Midpoint” of the tribulation period.

            Following the 6^th Trumpet Judgment, a “Mighty angel” descends from Heaven to claim possession of Earth. This angelic scene, takes place in the spiritual realm. In the physical realm, those who know Jesus Christ, suffer death, persecution and are in hiding.  The scene on earth seems bleak for all humanity. 

At this point in chapter 10, the earth is in a perilous state.  War alone has killed nearly half the earth population (Rev. 6:8, 9:15), a quarter in the first Four Seals, and a third in the 6^th Trumpet Judgments.  Earth, physically has also suffered tremendous judgments, with two asteroids crashing into the Oceans, killing a third of sea life, and making one third of fresh waters poisonous.  Earthquakes and volcanic activity also cause havoc on a spiritually hardened earth.                                                                                                      During this same period, “Two Witnesses” have been the verbal mouthpiece of judgment, causing it not to rain on the earth.  As they speak, the outrage on the earth begins to mount against them, as technologies such as television, satellite and the internet carry their pronouncements instantaneously.  These two individuals, in Jerusalem, seem in the world’s eyes to be the cause of the earth’s problems.                      The 6^th trumpet corresponds ( Rev. 9;15), with Daniel 11:44-45 indicating a battle near the close of the first half of the tribulation period resulting in the death of 1/3 of humanity.  In this end time’s battle, involving nations in the east and the north, against the Antichrist, the Antichrist will annihilate many, 1/3 of humanity dies. Following this, the events in chapter 10 occur.                                                 Following chapter 10,  The Antichrist will then conquer Jerusalem, kill these two men, and desecrate the Temple, proclaiming himself god (II Thes. 2:4). This coming conquest of Jerusalem, by the armies of the Antichrist at the middle of the tribulation, noted in several places in scripture (Zechariah 12:1-3, 14:1-3, Daniel 12:1-2, Matthew 24:15-20) is the start of the middle point of Daniel’s 70^th Week. 

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The Mighty Angel and the Seven thunders

 

Revelation 10

1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

2 He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,

3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.

4 Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."

Revelation 10:1-4

 

The mighty angel

I saw…  John is reporting what he sees with his eyes.  John sees the physical and spiritual world without distinction, to him the events taking place in angelic realm are as clear as events taking place in the physical.

Another mighty angel…  The identification of this angel has been argued by many commentators.  Some argue this angel is Jesus Christ in angelic form.  Others argue this angel is just “another” mighty created angel serving the creator. 

Those who argue this is Jesus in angelic form make following points, comparing the description of this mighty angel to that of Christ in Revelation.

Mighty Angel in Revelation 10	Description of Christ
Rainbow on his head	Throne of God has a rainbow around it Ezek 1:28, Rev 4:3
Face like the sun	Jesus’ glorified face was like the Sun…Matt 17:2, Rev 1:16
Feet like pillars of fire	Glory of Lord from the waist down….Ezek 1:28
Loud voice like a lion’s roar	Jesus is called Lion of Judah….Rev 5:5

 

·   A similar description of an angelic being is given in the 10^th chapter of Daniel many feel this is also Christ before the incarnation.

·   Jesus appeared as the “Angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament Genesis 16:7, 22:11, Numbers 22:22

 

Those who argue this is just “Another mighty angel” point make the following points.

·   “Another” means this angel is not unique… (a[llo Allos )…See Rev 5:2, 7:2, 8:3 in fact the word (ijscurov Ischuros meaning strong ) is used to picture the angel in Rev 5:2. The angel in Rev. 5:2 is not Jesus.

·   Believers also, will shine like the “Sun” in the kingdom of their Father... Matthew 13:43.  Revelation 18:1 has a strong angel with “Great power….glory” and is clearly not Jesus.

·   This angel swears by “Him’ who created the “Heavens and all that is”…. Jesus Christ is the one who created the “Heavens and all that is”… (John 1:3, Heb 1:10, Col 1:15-17)

He had a little book (biblarivdion Bibliaridion ) unlike the scroll in Rev. 5:2 which is called (Gr. Biblion...scroll) this book is a smaller form of the same word.  This is not the same scroll that the lamb opened from the throne but a small scroll.

He set his foot…The size of this angelic being must be immense. We see all 3 aspect of the Earth being claimed by this angel, clothed with the clouds, one foot in the sea, and the other on the Earth. The angel is claiming possession for his King.  A similar picture is in II Kings 18:19, where Rabshakeh, the Chief of Staff for the King of Assyria announces Jerusalem’s conquest for the King of Assyria, Sennacherib.

Cried with a loud voice… What the angel cried is not known.  Only what happened after he cried.  The Lion cries in nature to assert authority over his territory and in the same way the Angel is telling all creation the time is near.

Seven Thunders

Seven thunders uttered…In response to the “Mighty” angel’s cry, the “Seven thunders” uttered their voices. Who are the seven thunders? And what did they say? The number seven demonstrates completeness such as 7 seals, 7 spirits, and 7 trumpets. Thunder has been used to describe the voice of God throughout the scriptures in connection with Judgment. (Job 37:2, 40:9, Psalm 77:18,104:7).    James and John were called “Sons of thunder” in rebuke because they wanted to the Lord to judge the Samaritans with fire (Luke 9:24) after they refused to allow Him to enter their city. The voices of the “Seven thunders” could be the voice of God or the Seven angels who were about to pour out the bowl judgments after the Seventh trumpet is sounded.

What they said has also cause speculation by many.  Whatever they said probably was relative to what was going to follow in the judgments in the 2^nd half of the 7 year tribulation period.

I was about to write…  John is functioning as reporter.  He is writing down what he sees and hears.

I heard a voice…  John is specifically told to not write what he heard down.  The reason why John was not allowed to reveal the message is pure speculation; four possible reasons could be;

1. The utterances were too specific.

2. They would be misunderstood

3. The time was not right

4. What they said was only for John to hear

Seal up the things….Daniel, 600 years earlier, was in a similar situation in the prophecy revealed in Daniel 10 through 12 chapters. Daniel did not understand what he was writing about, so he asked the angel, what all this means? He was told,

⁹“Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

Dan 12; 9

Scripture teaches that some events are sealed until the time they are ready to be revealed, if God chooses to reveal them.

²⁹“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

Deut 29:29

 

End of the Age

 

5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven

6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer,

7 but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

Revelation 10:5-7

 

Raised up his hand to heaven… Daniel 600 years earlier witnessed an event similar to John’s, Daniel in chapters 10-12 (Dan 10-12) was told of events involving “His people”, the Jewish people, in the last days.  In Daniel’s scene an angel whose description is similar to that of the “Mighty angel” reveals to Daniel specific end time events regarding the Jewish Temple and the number of days of its desecration.  In Daniel the angel above the river swears about the certainty of time involved,

⁷Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished. Daniel 12:7

The angel in Daniel 10-12 was swearing that after 3.5 year period, “Time, times and half a time” when the power of the Jewish people has been completely shattered all things will be finished. In other words there will be no more delay.  This is exactly what the “Mighty angel” here is also referring to at the “Midpoint” of the tribulation period.

      There should be delay no longer (crovno Chronos …delay) “No more time”, The time will be finished.  This reflects the message in Daniel 12:7, “All things shall be finished”, also the 70^th week of Daniel would be complete….The 7^th trumpet in Revelation 11:15 starts the 2^nd half of the tribulation the last 3.5 years.

In the days of the seventh angel... The seventh angel is the angel who holds the 7^th trumpet. The 7^th trumpet’s sounding takes place in Rev 11:15 following the resurrection of the two witnesses killed and laying dead in the streets of Jerusalem. “In the days of” is the sounding of the final trumpet, the last 3.5 years, the final woe.  The sounding of this trumpet will bring a conclusion of God’s plan of redemption revealed in the scriptures.

The Mystery of God

Mystery of God would be finished… (musthvrion Musterion) The Greek word is derived from the verb muo; to shut the mouth. Daniel’s words were sealed until the time was ready.  One day the meaning of all prophecy will be revealed.  There will not be a mystery of God’s plans any more in the time …. “In the days of the sounding of the seventh angel”


He declared to His servants the prophets…   God has already revealed parts of his plan in the scriptures through his prophets.  We are told in Daniel 12:10, those who are wise will understand God’s plan, but none of the wicked will understand.  Understanding God’s end-time plan is a blessing and a sign of wisdom according to the scriptures. Rev 1:3. Understanding the Messiah was to suffer and die for men’s sins before ruling and reigning on Earth was part of God’s plan (Mystery) revealed through the prophets, but hidden from understanding till the time was right.  (Matt 16:21, Mark 8:31, Luke 24:45-48)

John eats the little book

 

8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."

9 So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."

10 Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.

11 And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."

Revelation 10:8-11

 

Voice which I heard… The same voice which commanded John to not write down the utterances of the seven thunders is the voice could be from God or one of the living creatures standing before the throne commanding John what to do with the book.

 

What is the little scroll?

 

Go, take the little book… The “Mighty angel” holds in his hand the “Bibliaridion”, a little scroll, referred to earlier in the chapter. John must be back on earth witnessing the events about to take place at the Midpoint of the tribulation regarding the two witnesses and the Beast and False Prophet.

What is the little book? The “Little book” is probably the message John needs to deliver in the, 2^nd half of the tribulation of the 7 year tribulation.  Ezekiel consumed the scroll containing the message he was to deliver to Israel.

So I Went to the angel…John approached the “Mighty angel” in the spiritual realm, “Being in the Sprit” John commanded the “Mighty angel” to give him the little book as he was instructed. 

He said…. John is commanded to eat the book much in the same way Ezekiel was commanded to eat the scroll or book almost 700 years earlier.  The message was one of judgment on the children of Israel (Ezk 2; 3, 10).  Israel, and Jerusalem was about to be destroyed by the Babylonian armies.  Ezekiel, beholding the “Glory of the Lord” was told to proclaim the Lord’s message to a disobedient people.  When Ezekiel ate the scroll it was sweet in his mouth.

Like Ezekiel, John is told to consume the little book which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach.

Sweet as honey…God’s word is sweet to those who consume and understand the message and meaning.  Psalm 119:103 describes God’s word as sweeter then honey.

Stomach became bitter... As the word of God is sweet to those who taste it, proclaiming the message can be a bitter task.  Knowledge of the God’s wrath and judgment is not sweet but bitter, it is gloom on the world. 

 

18            Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD!

For what good is the day of the LORD to you?

It will be darkness, and not light.

19            It will be as though a man fled from a lion,

And a bear met him!

Or as though he went into the house,

Leaned his hand on the wall,

And a serpent bit him!

20            Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light?

Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?

Amos 5:18-20

You must prophesy… (profhteuvw Propheteuo) 
John for the preceding 10 chapters has been prophesying about future events from the “Church age” to the first half of the tribulation. John is about to prophesy about the Midpoint to the end 2^nd half of Daniel’s 70^th week through 1000 year Millennium to the New Jerusalem. 

The scroll was the food John needed for strength to accomplish the task assigned to him. Elijah after the slaughter of the prophets of Baal at Mt. Carmel Elijah escapes from Jezebel into the wilderness of Beersheba.  Elijah exhausted by his escape wants to die. The “Angel of the Lord” provides him with food that will lasted forty days and forty nights enough for the journey ahead.