1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.
Chapter 10 brings us another angel, but this one is a little different. He is described as a mighty angel. This angel has a greater authority and his appearance is more extreme than the ones before it. He is robed in a cloud, has a rainbow above his head (signalling the mercy of God), face like the sun (righteousness), and fiery legs (judgment).
2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
In his hand he holds a little scroll. Is this the same scroll as in Revelation 5:1? There is not a definitive answer yet, but this angel holds authority over both he land and the sea. His voice is like 7 thunders. 7 refers to completion or perfection. Thunders refers to divine punishment.
4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
God doesn’t reveal all to John; there is something in what the angel says that is not to be revealed. This is important, because God doesn’t always reveal all His plans to us. We see this happen also to Daniel, in the midst of his great vision about the future (Daniel 12:8-9).
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
God’s plan is set: the angel proclaims that the end is etched in stone and there is no turning back.
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies 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 asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
John could only proclaim the word of God if he took it in. This could refer to the bittersweet nature of judgment combined with mercy. Whatever the content, it is tied to John’s command to prophesy to all men.