1
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:
2
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,
3
And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
4
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.
5
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,
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:
7
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.
8
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.
9
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.
10
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.
11
And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Revelation 10 Study & Commentary
Overview & Chapter Summary
Revelation 10 features a "mighty angel" with a little book and the declaration that "there should be time no longer." John is commanded to eat the book, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly, signifying the bittersweet nature of prophecy.
Theological Context & Insights
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATIONS
1. Internalizing the Word: Like John, we must "eat" the Word of God—internalizing it until it becomes part of us (v. 9-10). We cannot share what we have not first digested ourselves.
2. Bittersweet Truth: The Gospel is sweet because it brings salvation, but bitter because it speaks of judgment and the rejection of many. We must be faithful to declare the whole counsel of God.
3. God’s Timetable: "The mystery of God should be finished" (v. 7). We can trust that God has a definitive end-point for history; nothing is wandering aimlessly toward an unknown future.
Practical Lessons & Daily Application
FORMAL PRAYER
O God, whose Word is sweet as honey but demands our total life: grant us the courage to proclaim Thy truth in its fullness. May we internalize Thy statutes and be faithful witnesses of Thy finished mystery. Amen.
