Revelation 10:1-11

In Revelation chapter 10 John continues with details of the effects or events that will follow the sixth angel blowing his trumpet, which is during the second of three woes referred to in Revelation 8:13. The second woe spans from Revelation 9:13 to 11:13.

This is part of what will occur after the opening of the seventh (7) seal of the book in heaven by the little-lamb which is representing the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 8:1). The seventh seal includes the implementation of judgments under seven trumpets (Revelation 8:7 - 14:20) including seven bowls as part of the seventh trumpet blowing (Revelation 15:1 - 18:24). These occur during the time of the great pressure of the completing together of the age - and will be followed by the Lord Jesus Christ's return on earth as recorded in Revelation chapter 19.

Revelation 10:1-3:

^10:1And I saw another strong angel descending out-from heaven, having been clothed² (with) a cloud, and the circle-of-light on his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire, ^.2and having in his hand a little-book having been opened², and he put his foot, the right (foot) on the sea but the left (foot) on the earth, ^.3and he shouted with a great sound wholly-as a lion bellowing; and when he shouted the seven thunders uttered-forth the sounds of themselves.

And I (John) perceived (knew with my mind) another angel who was inherently strong (he was not one of the 7 angels with trumpets but he had strength) descending out-from heaven (moving downwards, coming down from the sky above)...

• having been clothed and continuing clothed with a cloud (a particular and distinct cloud had already been thrown or cast around the strong angel as a vesture, wrap, covering),
• and the circle of light (a complete circle of colored light, as the iris of an eye or the halo around the sun) is on his head,
• and his face (visage, countenance, presence) is shining as the sun,
• and his feet are as pillars (columns, firm-supports) consisting of fire,
• and having in his hand a little-book (this Greek word biblaridion translated "little-book" emphasizes its size as being very small but with specific content as recorded in Revelation 11:1-13 - a little book, scroll, paper, papyrus) which has already been opened and is continuing open,
• and he placed (set) his foot,
  • emphatically and specifically the right foot on the sea (indicating that the purpose is to demonstrate his strong authority over the sea)
  • but the left foot on the earth (upon the land, ground; the Greek word translated "left" is euwnumos which literally means good/well-named - this word was used euphemistically to avoid using the usual Greek word meaning “left” aristeros, which was considered to be of ill omen and so was not used by people regarding certain circumstances and situations - therefore the fact that it was his left foot on the earth does not attach any ill-effects to it - the purpose is to demonstrate his strong authority over the earth/land also),

...and this angel shouted with a great sound (a large voice or uttered-tone, he cried out loudly) entirely as a lion bellowing; and when he shouted...

• the seven thunders (7 rolling, rumbling sounds [some Greek texts omit the number "seven" when referring to the thunders in this chapter] - figuratively referring to God's presence and expression of command, judgment, and righteousness/justice in action)
  • uttered-forth the sounds of themselves (they spoke their own voices or uttered-tones).

[Reference: I Samuel 2:10; II Samuel 22:14; Job 40:9; Psalm 18:13, 29:3, 77:18, 104:7; Isaiah 29:6; John 12:27-31; Revelation 4:3 and 5, 5:2, 6:1, 8:5.]

Verse 4:

^.4And when the seven thunders uttered-forth I used-to be about to write, and I heard a sound out-from heaven saying, "You must seal which-things the seven thunders utter-forth and you must not write them."

When the seven thunders spoke I was on the point of writing those things (John understood what they said [some Greek texts read "as many things as" instead of "when" including other variations])...

...and I heard a sound (voice, uttered-tone) coming from heaven saying...

• "You must seal (securely fasten, put on the mark of authentication and approval, ratification, make fast, as sealing a letter so it is not opened and read by anyone except by the one to whom the letter is addressed - in this case John is instructed to seal in his mind)
  • the things which the seven thunders utter-forth
• and you must not write them."

John did not write the contents of what the 7 thunders spoke - he wrote only the fact that he heard them and what he was instructed to write regarding what they spoke.

Verses 5-7:

^.5And the angel whom I saw having stood² on the sea and on the earth lifted his hand, the right (hand) into the heaven, ^.6and he swore in the (One) living into the ages of the ages Who created the heaven and the-things in it and the earth and the-things in it and the sea and the-things in it - that there will no-longer be time ^.7but in the days of the sound of the seventh angel whenever he may be about to trumpet and the mystery of God made-complete as He good-messaged (to) the slaves of Himself, the prophets.

And the angel whom I perceived (knew with my mind), who was standing and continues to stand on the sea and on the earth (as verse 2 above)...

• lifted (took up) his hand,
  • emphatically and specifically the right hand
    • into the heaven,

...and he swore (to ‘swear’ means: to affirm or deny using an oath making the outcome of what you say dependent upon the sworn oath; an oath was used to prove something as being undeniable, like a fence that fences-in what is spoken, a confinement, restraint or enclosure of a promise or declaration regarding what you will do or what is true, etc - the angel swore)...

• in the One living (the word “in” as part of this phrase does not refer to being in a particular location but it refers to the name, power, authority, sphere of action, strength, etc, in-which or by-which or with-which the speaker binds, limits, obligates himself to cause what he states in the oath to come to pass - in God Who is presently and actively alive, Who continues living)
  • into the ages of the ages (for the durations of lifetimes throughout the durations of lifetimes – not only one age or a group of ages, but emphatically for all the durations of life, the entirety, for eternity, forever)
• Who created (God brought into being, established)
  • the heaven and the things in it
  • and the earth (land, ground) and the things in it
  • and the sea and the things in it -

...that there will not any longer be chronological time (no more length of time lasting for a particular duration, no quantity of time to pass in waiting for the implementation of judgments - no more delay)...

...but contrary to the continuation of chronological time - it will be during the days (while the duration of the effects or events) pertaining to the sound of the seventh angel (the last angel of the 7 angels blowing their trumpets; refer to Revelation 8:2 and 6, 11:15)...

• which will be at whatever time that
  • the seventh angel would be on the point of blowing his trumpet
  • and the mystery (secret) of God (a "mystery" contains the details that are known and can be understood by those involved in it and by those to whom it has been revealed - it is not inexplicable to those involved in it; in the context of this verse the mystery of God refers to the details of what occurs during the blowing of the seventh trumpet which includes the seven bowls pouring out the final stages of the implementation of God's judgments/wrath spanning Revelation 11:15 to 18:24 followed by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth)
    • made-complete (God's mystery brought to its ending issue, caused to be accomplished, in the state of completeness, its completion; refer to Revelation 15:1)
  • as God good-messaged (evangelized, preached the gospel regarding the completion)
    • to His own slaves (His bond-servants, those bound to serve Him, slaves in the working or service category towards/for God),
    • emphatically and specifically those from among God's slaves who are prophets (the people who speak-forth God's words being revealed to them concerning the past, present and/or future to, before, in front of a person or people; this word places emphasis on speaking to others).

[Reference: Genesis 1:1 - 2:3, 14:22; Exodus 20:11, 31:17; Deuteronomy 29:29, 32:40; Psalm 33:6; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 25:4; Daniel chapters 7-12, 12:4; Amos 3:7; Matthew 13:11, chapters 24 and 25; I Corinthians 4:1, 14:2, 15:23-28; Revelation 4:9-11, 6:11, 7:3, 11:3, 15:1.]

Verses 8-11:

^.8And the sound which I heard out-from heaven (is) again uttering-forth with me and saying, "You must go, you must take the book, the (book) having been opened² in the hand of the angel, the (angel) having stood² on the sea and on the earth." ^.9And I went-away towards the angel saying to him to give to me the little-book. And he says to me, "You must take and you must devour it, and it will make your belly bitter but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." ^.10And I took the little-book out-from the hand of the angel and I devoured it, and it used-to-be in my mouth as sweet honey, and when I ate it my belly was made-bitter. ^.11And they say to me, "It is necessary (for) you again to prophesy on peoples and nations and tongues and many kings."

And the sound (voice, uttered-tone) which I (John) heard coming from heaven again (a second, another, further time, once again; as verse 4 above) is speaking in company and association with me and saying...

• "You (singular, individual) must go (it is imperative that you  actively lead yourself under, in the sense of going without any argument, under cover, as animals go because they are under a yoke without going from side to side or intentionally stopping to do something else - go),
• you must take the book (receive the book so as to use it; this Greek word biblion translated "book" emphasizes its content - a small book, roll, scroll, paper, papyrus [some Greek texts vary on the words written in verses 8-10 to refer to this book by using either biblion or biblaridion as verse 2 above]),
  • emphatically and specifically the book that has already been opened and is continuing open in the hand of the angel,
    • emphatically and specifically the angel who was standing and continues to stand on the sea and on the earth."

And I went away (from where I was) towards the angel (for the purpose of being beside him) saying to him to give to me the little-book (as verse 2 above).

And the angel says to me...

• "You must take (as verse 8 above)
• and you must devour it (bring it down to yourself and eat it as a lion eats his prey - in the figurative sense of earnestly receiving the full contents of information within the book digesting it into your mind),
  • and it will make your belly bitter (it will cause your hollow inner-parts to be pointed, sharp, keen in the sense of being piercing and pungent, acrid inside of you - figuratively indicating the resulting effects of the prophecy written in the book coming to pass - to/for those who reject what God says)
  • but contrary to that - in your mouth it will be sweet as honey (figuratively indicating that hearing the prophecy will have the quality of sweetness, glucose, in comparison to honey - to/for those who believe and do what God says)."

And I took the little-book (as verse 2 above) out from the hand of the angel and I devoured it, and...

• it used-to-be in my mouth (it was continuing to exist during a past time, historically - while it was in my mouth) as sweet honey,
• and when I ate it my belly was made-bitter (as verse 8 above).

And they say (referring to the words communicated by the little-book) to me...

• "It is necessary (it is binding, must, ought to happen)
• for you again to prophesy (to speak forth God's words being revealed to you concerning the past, present and/or future - thereby once again giving the opportunity to repent for those who have continued to reject what God says up to this time; refer to Revelation 9:20 and 21)
  • on (based upon, with regard to, the motivating purpose or object for this prophecy being)
    • peoples (plural - masses or groups of people; this word usually refers to the descendants of Israel/Jacob)
    • and nations (plural - groups of people without reference to their background; this word usually refers to people of the Gentile background, ethnic groups other-than Israel/Judah)
    • and tongues (plural - languages)
    • and many kings (a lot of people who are sovereigns, monarchs, who have royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power over other people, who reign as kings ruling certain portions of the earth/land)."

[Reference: Psalm 19:9 and 10, 119:103; Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 3:1-3; Matthew 24:14; Revelation 1:19, 11:3. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Revelation Chapter 11