Revelation 10

Revelation 10 … We’re grateful here for another explanatory interlude, the longest in the book of Revelation; it continues from chapters 10 through 15. Here, the sequence of end-time events doesn’t advance, but we do gain helpful perspective and understanding. “Another mighty angel” is seen and there is some message given by “the voices of seven thunders,” but we’re not going to be privy to that as John is told not to record it. Thunder is a symbol of the voice of God and of judgment; beyond that we can’t speculate. Then (10:6), confirming the Genesis account of creation events, the “mighty angel” indicates that a “seventh angel” will have a message of the “mystery of God.” There are a number of “mysteries” in Scripture, indicating things we don’t understand. But, if we look ahead a chapter to Revelation 11:15, we see the seventh angel sounding a trumpet as heavenly voices announce: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he will reign for ever and ever,” words that Handel used in his work, Messiah. That announcement will end the Great Tribulation and signal the start of the Millennium, when Christ will reign on earth for 1000 years.

Then “a voice,” which seems to be the voice of the risen and ascended Christ, tells John to “eat” the little book held by the mighty angel. Consuming the little book is symbolism for internalizing the Word of God, which is sweet beyond our understanding, yet contains the bitterness of judgment. Internalizing the Word will give spiritual understanding and the ability to accurately convey God’s Word to the world.