Revelation Chapter 10 — The Angel and the Little Scroll
A mighty angel descends from heaven with a small scroll and declares that there will be no more delay in God's plan. John is then instructed to eat the scroll, which tastes sweet but turns bitter in his stomach.
1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
2He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.
3He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
4When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”
5The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky
6and 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 will no longer be delay,
7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants the prophets.
8The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”
9I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.
10I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
11They*TR reads “He” instead of “They” told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Revelation 10:6
“and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it... that there will no longer be delay”
This verse marks a significant transition in the timeline of the book's visions, indicating that the end of the mystery of God is at hand.
Revelation 10:10
“I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.”
This symbolic action represents the prophet internalizing a message that is both a blessing to receive and a burden to deliver.
Chapter Summary
Revelation Chapter 10 describes a vision of a mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed in a cloud with a rainbow above his head. The angel stands with one foot on the sea and the other on the land, holding a small open book. When he speaks, seven thunders sound, but John is commanded by a voice from heaven to seal up what they said rather than record it. The angel then swears by the Creator that there will be no more delay and that the mystery of God will be completed when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet. Following instructions from heaven, John approaches the angel and asks for the little book. He is told to eat it, with the warning that it will be sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. After consuming the scroll, John is told he must continue to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
Frequently Asked Questions
The text describes a powerful angel clothed in a cloud with a rainbow on his head and a face like the sun. He holds a little open book and stands on both the sea and the land to demonstrate authority over the whole earth.
Although John heard the voices of the seven thunders and was prepared to record them, a voice from heaven specifically commanded him to seal up their message. This indicates that certain details of the divine plan are intentionally kept hidden.
Eating the book is a symbolic act where the prophet fully absorbs and accepts the word of God. The sweetness represents the goodness of God's word, while the bitterness represents the difficult nature of the judgments it contains.
Study Note
The imagery of an angel standing on both sea and land signifies universal jurisdiction and the comprehensive nature of the upcoming divine fulfillment.
Related Chapters
Ezekiel Chapter 3
Ezekiel also performs the symbolic act of eating a scroll that tastes like honey before delivering a message.
Revelation Chapter 1
The description of the angel's face and feet in chapter 10 closely mirrors the initial vision of Christ in chapter 1.
Revelation Chapter 11
This chapter continues the narrative after the angel instructs John to prophesy again.
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