Revelation 10:1-11--The Angel and the Little Scroll

Revelation 10
English Standard Version

The Angel and the Little Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

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We see now a "mighty angel" coming down from heaven.  He is wrapped in a cloud and a rainbow is over his head, and his face is as the Sun, and his legs are like pillars of fire (except for being told this is a "mighty angel," this sounds a lot like Jesus, however, this angel is going to set his feet on land and sea, and we don't see Jesus doing that until He returns the Mount of Olives riding on a white horse to make war with His enemies).  I'll take the text at face value that this is a special angel that has been given great power and authority.  The angel descends and with a little scroll in his hand and one foot on the sea (usually representing the Gentile nations in the book of Revelation) and the other food on the land (usually representing the Holy Land of Israel in the book of Revelation), He calls out with a loud voice that John describes as like a lion's roar.  When he called out, the seven thunders (probably the voice of God) answered.

John was about to write what he heard the seven thunders say, but he was told not to write it down.  It was meant only for him to hear.  The angel that was standing on the sea and the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever (the Living God) who is the Creator of heaven and earth and sky and sea and all that is in them that there would be no more delay--the Day of the LORD has arrived.  He said that when the Seventh Trumpet sounds, the mystery of God will be revealed to just as it was announced to His servants, the Prophets.  I believe this means that everyone left will realize they have "missed the boat" and will truly understand what the Bible and the Church has been trying to tell them.  They will understand it, but will still not believe it (as we saw in the last lesson).

Then a voice from heaven instructed John to take the scroll that was in the mighty angel's right hand and to eat it.  It tasted sweet in his mouth, but was bitter in his stomach once it had time to "digest."  The salvation that God's people have been waiting for is at hand, but that same event that is salvation for the people of God means that the lost have their eternal destiny sealed and that leaves a bitter and sour feeling.  As much as we want to have His Kingdom come now, we also desire to see all men saved and be a part of that Kingdom--eventually there will be no more delay though and time will simply run out for those who have been playing games, and they are going to lose big on their gamble that somehow they are going to be able to change their mind at the absolute last second, because they don't know when that last second will come upon them.

Now John is being told that he again must prophecy about many people, and nations, and kings.  However, he's not prophesying about their salvation (which is what we were focused on in this first half, but their destruction)…we'll come back to the salvation that God is going to provide at the very end so that we are not left on a bitter/sour note.  In fact, we are left with a promise that God will graciously cause all the old things that bring us pain and grief and sorrow to pass away so that there will be no more crying and no more pain.