Revelation Chapter 10:
Revelation chapters 10-14 are parenthetical in our study of the happenings of the tribulation period. In chapters 8-9, we studied about the six trumpet judgments; and while we read of the sounding of the 7th trumpet in chapter 11:15, it is not until chapters 15-16 that the seven bowls of wrath, which come forth from the sounding of the 7th trumpet, are described.
In point of time, we are right at the middle of the “week” of tribulation. Chapters 10-14 give information concerning conditions that have existed during the first half, as well as ones that will exist during the last half of this “week.” Remember, these seven years are referred to in Daniel 9:27 as the last week of his vision of 70 weeks which were decreed for the nation Israel.
After the appearance of the great Satanic army of chapter 9 which kills 1/3 of the people on the earth (leaving only 1/2 of the population that was here at the beginning of the tribulation [see chapters 6:8]), John sees a mighty angel come down from heaven, who sets His right foot on the sea and His left foot on the earth. The word “mighty” means “strong and powerful.” There is a difference of opinion as to just who this mighty angel is. Some see Him as a leading angel of the Lord to whom God has given this special place. However, because of the description given of this angel, and because of what we see Him involved in, I believe this is none other than Jesus, Himself.
This mighty One comes down from heaven clothed with a cloud. This is how Jesus left the earth (Acts 1:9) and how He will return for His bride (1 Thessalonians. 4:17). The Lord spoke to Moses through a cloud (Exodus 24:15-18; 34:5). He appeared to Aaron in a cloud (Leviticus 16:2). The glory of the Lord filled Solomon’s temple in a cloud (1 Kings 8:10-11), and God spoke to Peter, James and John out of a cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5). These references all speak of God’s great glory, and this glory will be apparent as Jesus is seen in Revelation 10:1.
The rainbow upon His head is a reminder of His mercy which He will manifest even in the midst of this time of judgment. The complete redemption of all the earth is dependent upon the open book of verse 2; and the judgment that must come because of Satan’s unwillingness to give up what rightly belongs to God will be worse than the world has ever experienced. Hence, the rainbow is a promise that God remembers His covenant even at this time. When Jesus took this little book out of His Father’s hand and opened it (chapter 5), it was as a little Lamb. But it is as a mighty messenger of God that we see Him formally take possession of what belongs to Him. This is shown by His setting His right foot upon the sea and His left foot on the earth. Read chapter 11:15 and Psalms 2:8.
The bright glory as of the sun is seen in His countenance and His feet are as pillars of fire. Fire both judges and purifies, and the presence of Jesus will do both. His power and majesty as a King is manifest by His crying with a loud voice as a lion roaring. This is described in Jeremiah 25:30-31. When Jesus cries with the voice of a lion, seven thunders utter their voices and John prepares to write what they have uttered. However, a voice from heaven—no doubt, God’s voice—instructs John to seal up those things and write them not.
It is interesting that God does not allow John to write what the thunders uttered. Perhaps it is because we would not be able to bear them, even as Jesus told the disciples shortly before He was crucified that He had yet many things to say to them, but they could not bear them at that time (John 16:12). Whatever the reason, John did not write what the thunders uttered, so we do not know what it was. Perhaps it is more judgments that will follow before the bowls of wrath are poured out, for the word “thunder” would seem to speak of judgments. If so, they would probably be judgments that do not deal directly with the redemption of Adam’s lost inheritance as contained in the little book. However, we will leave that with the Lord and not attempt to know what God has sealed!
We next see Jesus as He formally lays claim to what rightly belongs to Him by lifting up His hand to heaven and swearing by the eternal God Who created all things that there should be delay no longer. We read in Hebrews 6:13 that when God made a covenant with Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself. So for this same reason, Jesus, in our text, swears by Himself since He, along with His Father, is the Creator of all things. Daniel 12:7 gives a picture of this same scene, showing that it is now time for that final 3½ years of great tribulation to begin.
Verse 7 tells us that when the 7th angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God should be finished. This mystery is connected with Christ’s taking possession of the world. Note in chapter 11:15 at the sounding of the trumpet, great voices in heaven declare, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” This was spoken of by the prophets, and is now being fulfilled. I believe that this mystery includes all that is in God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and the redemption of the world. Of course, it also includes God’s allowing Satan to be god of this world for a period of time, in addition to the “mystery” of Jesus’ suffering and death before reigning as King over the earth.
Next, John is instructed to take the little book which is open and eat it up. At this point, John is representative of God’s people, Israel; and taking the book is representative of their accepting the legal proof of their inheritance. When they eat the book, they are appropriating the inheritance which Jesus purchased for them. However, even as they are told that the book would be sweet in their mouth and bitter in their belly, when Israel begins to claim what God has given them, it will at first bring great joy. But as they actually begin to appropriate their inheritance, much bitterness and suffering awaits them—3½ years of suffering is yet to follow!
However, even though John is representative of the nation Israel at this point, the spiritual truth is also true regarding John personally. Realizing the future blessings God had for him and his people brought great joy to John’s heart, and yet he went through much suffering even at the time he received this great Revelation of Jesus Christ.
This principle is also true for God’s people today. In 2 Timothy 2:6 we read, “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruit.” God’s Word is sweet to our taste, but as we begin to appropriate this Word in our lives, suffering will follow. Again we read in
2 Timothy 3: 12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart, for I am called by Thy name, 0 Lord God of hosts.” (Chapter 15:16) Yet Jeremiah was a man who suffered for the name of the Lord. So even though suffering is involved in following the Lord and appropriating His Word into our lives, the Apostle Paul said, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8: 18)
John was then told that he must prophesy again before many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings, and history tells us that John did this after being released from Patmos. As he represents Israel here, there will be believing Jews who will be witnessing for the Lord during the last 3½ years of the tribulation. God has always had a believing remnant on the earth, and there will be ones here all through the tribulation that will declare His Name to those around them. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
In point of time, we are right at the middle of the “week” of tribulation. Chapters 10-14 give information concerning conditions that have existed during the first half, as well as ones that will exist during the last half of this “week.” Remember, these seven years are referred to in Daniel 9:27 as the last week of his vision of 70 weeks which were decreed for the nation Israel.
After the appearance of the great Satanic army of chapter 9 which kills 1/3 of the people on the earth (leaving only 1/2 of the population that was here at the beginning of the tribulation [see chapters 6:8]), John sees a mighty angel come down from heaven, who sets His right foot on the sea and His left foot on the earth. The word “mighty” means “strong and powerful.” There is a difference of opinion as to just who this mighty angel is. Some see Him as a leading angel of the Lord to whom God has given this special place. However, because of the description given of this angel, and because of what we see Him involved in, I believe this is none other than Jesus, Himself.
This mighty One comes down from heaven clothed with a cloud. This is how Jesus left the earth (Acts 1:9) and how He will return for His bride (1 Thessalonians. 4:17). The Lord spoke to Moses through a cloud (Exodus 24:15-18; 34:5). He appeared to Aaron in a cloud (Leviticus 16:2). The glory of the Lord filled Solomon’s temple in a cloud (1 Kings 8:10-11), and God spoke to Peter, James and John out of a cloud on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5). These references all speak of God’s great glory, and this glory will be apparent as Jesus is seen in Revelation 10:1.
The rainbow upon His head is a reminder of His mercy which He will manifest even in the midst of this time of judgment. The complete redemption of all the earth is dependent upon the open book of verse 2; and the judgment that must come because of Satan’s unwillingness to give up what rightly belongs to God will be worse than the world has ever experienced. Hence, the rainbow is a promise that God remembers His covenant even at this time. When Jesus took this little book out of His Father’s hand and opened it (chapter 5), it was as a little Lamb. But it is as a mighty messenger of God that we see Him formally take possession of what belongs to Him. This is shown by His setting His right foot upon the sea and His left foot on the earth. Read chapter 11:15 and Psalms 2:8.
The bright glory as of the sun is seen in His countenance and His feet are as pillars of fire. Fire both judges and purifies, and the presence of Jesus will do both. His power and majesty as a King is manifest by His crying with a loud voice as a lion roaring. This is described in Jeremiah 25:30-31. When Jesus cries with the voice of a lion, seven thunders utter their voices and John prepares to write what they have uttered. However, a voice from heaven—no doubt, God’s voice—instructs John to seal up those things and write them not.
It is interesting that God does not allow John to write what the thunders uttered. Perhaps it is because we would not be able to bear them, even as Jesus told the disciples shortly before He was crucified that He had yet many things to say to them, but they could not bear them at that time (John 16:12). Whatever the reason, John did not write what the thunders uttered, so we do not know what it was. Perhaps it is more judgments that will follow before the bowls of wrath are poured out, for the word “thunder” would seem to speak of judgments. If so, they would probably be judgments that do not deal directly with the redemption of Adam’s lost inheritance as contained in the little book. However, we will leave that with the Lord and not attempt to know what God has sealed!
We next see Jesus as He formally lays claim to what rightly belongs to Him by lifting up His hand to heaven and swearing by the eternal God Who created all things that there should be delay no longer. We read in Hebrews 6:13 that when God made a covenant with Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He swore by Himself. So for this same reason, Jesus, in our text, swears by Himself since He, along with His Father, is the Creator of all things. Daniel 12:7 gives a picture of this same scene, showing that it is now time for that final 3½ years of great tribulation to begin.
Verse 7 tells us that when the 7th angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God should be finished. This mystery is connected with Christ’s taking possession of the world. Note in chapter 11:15 at the sounding of the trumpet, great voices in heaven declare, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever.” This was spoken of by the prophets, and is now being fulfilled. I believe that this mystery includes all that is in God’s plan for the salvation of mankind and the redemption of the world. Of course, it also includes God’s allowing Satan to be god of this world for a period of time, in addition to the “mystery” of Jesus’ suffering and death before reigning as King over the earth.
Next, John is instructed to take the little book which is open and eat it up. At this point, John is representative of God’s people, Israel; and taking the book is representative of their accepting the legal proof of their inheritance. When they eat the book, they are appropriating the inheritance which Jesus purchased for them. However, even as they are told that the book would be sweet in their mouth and bitter in their belly, when Israel begins to claim what God has given them, it will at first bring great joy. But as they actually begin to appropriate their inheritance, much bitterness and suffering awaits them—3½ years of suffering is yet to follow!
However, even though John is representative of the nation Israel at this point, the spiritual truth is also true regarding John personally. Realizing the future blessings God had for him and his people brought great joy to John’s heart, and yet he went through much suffering even at the time he received this great Revelation of Jesus Christ.
This principle is also true for God’s people today. In 2 Timothy 2:6 we read, “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruit.” God’s Word is sweet to our taste, but as we begin to appropriate this Word in our lives, suffering will follow. Again we read in
2 Timothy 3: 12, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart, for I am called by Thy name, 0 Lord God of hosts.” (Chapter 15:16) Yet Jeremiah was a man who suffered for the name of the Lord. So even though suffering is involved in following the Lord and appropriating His Word into our lives, the Apostle Paul said, “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8: 18)
John was then told that he must prophesy again before many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings, and history tells us that John did this after being released from Patmos. As he represents Israel here, there will be believing Jews who will be witnessing for the Lord during the last 3½ years of the tribulation. God has always had a believing remnant on the earth, and there will be ones here all through the tribulation that will declare His Name to those around them. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13)