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 the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.

2
And he had in his hand a little scroll opened. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth,

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

4
And when the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken, and write them not.”

5
And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven,

6
and swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, saying, “There shall be delay no longer!

7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall sound, then the mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

8
And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, saying, “Go, take the little scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.”

9
And I went unto the angel, and said unto him that he should give me the little scroll. And he said unto me, “Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey.”

10
And I took the little scroll 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 – The Mighty Angel and the Little Scroll

🔔 Quick Summary

This chapter serves as a spiritual interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. In the midst of fearful judgments, God gives a mysterious vision that reveals not all things will be told, and that the Word of God must be received and spoken with faithfulness.

✨ Details of the Chapter

1. 👼 The Mighty Angel from Heaven (vv. 1–4)

“I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, a rainbow upon his head, his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.”

• This angel shows heavenly authority and glory.
• One foot on the sea and one on the land: a sign of global authority.
• He carries a little scroll that is open, unlike the sealed scroll in Revelation 5.

🔊 The Seven Thunders Speak, Yet Are Sealed (vv. 3–4)

“When the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but a voice from heaven said, ‘Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken…’”

• This is the only time in Revelation that the Lord commands something not to be written.
• It shows that not every secret of God must be, or will be, revealed.

2. ✋ The Angel’s Oath: There Will Be No More Delay (vv. 5–7)

“There shall be delay no longer… in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the mystery of God shall be finished…”

• The angel swears by the ever-living One that the end of God’s plan is near.
• When the seventh trumpet sounds (in Revelation 11), the kingdom of God will be fulfilled.

3. 📜 John Is Told to Eat the Little Scroll (vv. 8–11)

“Take it, and eat it up; in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey, but in thy belly bitter.”

• As with the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 3), John must receive and proclaim the Word of the Lord.
• The Word is sweet (because of truth and hope), yet also bitter (because of judgment and rejection).

“Thou must prophesy again… concerning many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”

• A renewed call to serve as a prophet, bringing God’s message to the world.

💡 Meaning and Reflection

1. Not all of God’s secrets are revealed now. There are things known only to Him—we are called to trust, not always to know.
2. The Word of God is sweet and bitter. Sweet because it brings hope, bitter because it confronts sin and suffering.
3. The great angel and his oath declare that the Lord holds the history of the world in His hand—the fulfillment of His plan will surely come.
4. The task of speaking truth is a serious calling. Like John, we too are called to faithfully deliver the word, even when it is heavy.