We ended chapter nine with the awfulness of the sixth trumpet, yet as we being chapter 10, just as he did before describing the seventh seal, John takes a brief interlude to describe a separate vision before telling us about the seventh trumpet.
1-7
He begins by describing “another” angel whom he sees coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud and with a rainbow upon his head.
John’s description of this “mighty” angel has led some commentators to believe that it is Christ.
We definitely see divine-like characteristics in this angel. The rainbow upon his head brings back images of the glimpses of God’s throne room which John gave us earlier in the book.
We also see that his face was bright as the sun. A comparison often made to God and His glory.
However, MacArthur points out that the Greek word for “another” means “one of the same kind”, i.e. another created being.
Another commentary pointed out that Jesus uses certain angels to represent Him in several of John’s visions as evidenced in Rev. 22:16.
This angel, therefore, though not divine, was certainly of the highest heavenly rank, and was allowed to represent God’s power in a way that most other angelic beings do not.
It is evident from his head, adorned with the rainbow, to his feet, which were like pillars of fire – and indicator of the firm resolve with which he will execute the Day of the Lord.
He also uses his feet to demonstrate God’s sovereignty over all creation as he sets his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
This angel holds in his hand, a “little book” which is assumed by many commentators to be the seven-sealed scroll, now opened for all to see.
The angel then cries out with a loud voice and as he does it causes the “seven thunders” to utter their voices as well.
I was curious to understand more about what or who these seven thunders were, but neither MacArhtur, nor the other commentators I normally study touched on it.
So, I googled it and found a really good description from one of the sites I frequently visit that always has very sound biblical explanations.
I will give you the link here https://www.gotquestions.org/seven-thunders.html. It is definitely worth the read.
John was about to write down the utterings of the seven thunders, but he heard a voice from heaven ordering him to seal up the things which they had uttered.
Then the angel raised his hand up to heaven and swore an oath “by Him who lives forever and ever…” that there should be no more delay in these judgments.
The trumpet of the seventh angel will soon sound and with it, the great mystery of God – the consummation of all things as God destroys sinners and establishes His righteous kingdom on earth which he foretold to his people – will be finished.
8-11
Then, the same voice which had ordered John not to write down the utterings of the seven thunders, commands him to take the “little book” which is open in the hand of the angel.
As he asks the angel for the book, the angel tells him to eat it. He says, “It will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
John eats the book, and it is just as the angel says.
This act, and its consequences, graphically illustrate any true believer’s complex response to the Word of God. The testimonies and redemption of God is sweet to we who believe, but the truth of His judgment on the unbelieving is a bitter pill for us to swallow.
John understood this complexity as he was exiled on Patmos due to speaking truth to those who refused to hear.
Yet, the angel encourages him to continue to prophesy about the coming judgment.
Final Thoughts
As I re-read this chapter several times and meditated on it, my focus was set not so much on the events that took place in it, but on the reason they may have taken place.
As I said in the beginning, this chapter is an interlude, a sort of break in the action between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets.
While the episode that is described for us is certainly amazing and interesting for us to behold, to me the main focus of it is John.
And I wonder, if this brief interlude was planned, not so much for us, although we can certainly gain much by reading it, but for John.
While John was at that present moment beholding miraculous visions and experiencing the very glory of God, up until that point he had not been experiencing his best days.
He had been exiled, as an old man, to the barren island of Patmos because of his faithful preaching of the gospel. The stubborn hearts of the people had to be discouraging.
Yet here we see God sending his representative, his mighty angel, to comfort John and encourage him.
He tells him to eat the scroll. He lets him know how its digestion will be bittersweet, and then he instructs him to continue warning people about the bitterness of judgment.
To me, it is like God is saying to him, ‘John, I know this is a hard message to give. I know when people reject my message it grieves your heart. It grieves mine too, but this judgment is coming and there will be some who listen – don’t grow weary in well doing John. Preach on!