The strong *angel and the little book - Revelation 10:1-11

v1 And I saw another strong *angel come down from heaven. His clothes were like a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun. And his legs were like columns of fire. v2 He held in his hand a little book that was open. He put his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. v3 Then he shouted with a loud voice. His voice was like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, 7 *thunders sounded. The sound was like voices that spoke. v4 When the 7 *thunders spoke, I started to write. But I heard a voice speak from heaven. Keep secret what the 7 *thunders have said. Do not write it. v5 The *angel that stood on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. v6 He made a promise in front of God who lives now and always. God created the heavens and all that is in them. He created the earth and the sea and all that is in them. The *angel said, There will be no more delay. v7 When the seventh (7th) *angel sounds his *trumpet, God will act. He will complete his secret plan. He has announced this plan to his servants the *prophets. v8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again. The voice said, Go and take the open book from the hand of the *angel. He is standing on the sea and on the land. v9 So, I went to the *angel. I asked him to give me the little book. He said to me, Take it. Eat it and it will be bitter in your stomach. But in your mouth, it will taste as sweet as honey. v10 I took the little book from the hand of the *angel and I ate it. It did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, it was bitter to my stomach. v11 The voice said to me, You must *prophesy again. This will be about the people from many nations and langua ges, and about many kings. Verse 1 John saw a great *angel come down from heaven. It seemed that a cloud covered him like a coat. There was a rainbow above his head. But his face shone with a bright light like the sun. The impression of his legs was like fire. Verse 2 There was a little book in the left hand of the *angel. This book was open so that people could read it. The *angel came down to earth. He was a very large *angel. He put one foot on the land and the other foot on the sea. By this, he showed that he had great authority. Verse 3 When the *angel spoke, his voice was like the loud roar of a lion. At his call, the 7 *thunders answered. The 7 *thunders seemed to speak words. John heard the *thunders. And he understood what they said. Verse 4 John kept a record of all that he saw. He wrote what he heard. He listened to the *thunders. Then he started to write down their words. But a voice from heaven stopped him. What the *thunders said must remain a secret. The message that they gave was for John alone. Verses 5-6 The *angel raised his right hand to heaven. By this, he shows that his promise is sure. God in heaven is witness to it. The *angel makes the promise in front of God. He describes God. God is the God who always exists. He will always be alive. God alone has life and he alone can give life. He made the heavens, the earth and the sea. God is greater than all and he is the ruler of all. He has the power to do all that he has said. The future will be as God has said. The *prophecies that are in this book will happen. 1

Here is the *angels promise. There will be no further delay. The final phase of history has come. Verse 7 The seventh (7th) *trumpet will sound. In those days, God will finish his hidden plan. This will be the last struggle of evil things against goodness. It will be the last efforts of *Satan to defeat the purposes of God. But *Satan will not succeed. And this time will also be the last chance for people to turn from their *sins. God has shown some of his plan to the *prophets. His plan for the end times is in the *scroll (Revelation 1:19 and chapter 5). This book of the Revelation tells what is in that *scroll. Some of it remains secret, for example what the *thunders said. And we do not yet understand many things that God has said. Verse 8 The voice that John heard in verse 4 spoke to him again. He told John to go to the *angel and to take the little book from him. The *angel was still standing with one foot on the sea and the other one on the land. Verses 9-10 John went to the *angel and asked for the book. The *angel told him to take it and to eat it. John took the little book and ate it. As the *angel had said, the book tasted as sweet as honey. But in his stomach, it tasted bitter. It was as if John was feeling the effect of the word of God. Afterwards, he would be able to *prophesy. So, he ate the little book. The book contained the message that John had to tell. We do not know what was in the little book. It was most likely a message to Gods people on the earth. It was like something sweet because the words came from God. But it was like something bitter because it told about troubles to come. Gods people would overcome in the end. But before that, people would suffer and there would be much pain. The message that there would be no more delay was a pleasant (or sweet) message. The end for Gods people will be pleasant. But the time before that end would be unpleasant (bitter) for Gods people. Verse 11 Once more, John must *prophesy. He must show what is yet to happen. The end was not yet but it would come soon. The days of the seventh (7th) *trumpet were ready to begin. This was a message to all the people in the world.