Revelation

Chapter 10

11 verses — switch translations with the toolbar below.

Scripture

KJV

1And 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:

2And 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,

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

4And 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.

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

6And 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:

7But 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.

8And 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.

9And 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.

10And 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.

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

Key VerseRevelation 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:

Overview

A mighty angel descends from heaven wrapped in a cloud with a rainbow on his head, holding a little open book. He plants one foot on the sea and one on the land, and cries out with a loud voice like a lion. Seven thunders speak, but John is told to seal up their message. The angel declares that in the days of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God will be finished. John is commanded to eat the little book, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach.

Key Themes

1

The Mighty Angel's Authority

The angel straddling sea and land with a rainbow crown demonstrates God's authority over all creation and signals that His purposes encompass the entire earth.

2

Sealed Mysteries

The command to seal up what the seven thunders spoke reminds us that God reveals what we need and conceals what we do not, and that some mysteries remain in His keeping.

3

The Bittersweet Word

The little book that is sweet to taste but bitter to digest represents the dual nature of God's word — sweet in its promises but bitter in its pronouncements of judgment.

Study Questions

1.

Why would God reveal the words of the seven thunders to John but then command him not to write them down?

2.

What does the angel standing on both sea and land communicate about the scope of God's sovereignty?

3.

How does the experience of the word being sweet in the mouth but bitter in the stomach reflect the experience of studying prophecy?

4.

What is 'the mystery of God' that will be finished when the seventh trumpet sounds, and how does this connect to the gospel?

5.

How does this interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets serve the overall structure and message of Revelation?

Connection to Christ

The mighty angel's declaration that 'there should be time no longer' points to the consummation of God's plan in Christ. The mystery of God that will be finished is the full revelation of His redemptive purpose through Jesus. The bittersweet book reflects the gospel itself — sweet news of salvation for those who believe, but bitter judgment for those who reject Christ.

Personal Reflection

Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Revelation 10. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?

Revelation

10 of 22