Chapter 10 is parenthetical between 6th and 7th trumpets
10:1 The angel is not Jesus. Reasons:
May be the same angel as in 5:2
The use of the word another denotes that this angel is a separate angel than was mentioned before
The angel set his feet on the earth (not time for Jesus= coming to put His feet on the earth) 10:2
Verse 6 seems to be talking about Jesus (description). How could the angel talk to Himself!
If this angel were Christ, John probably would have fallen down and worshiped him, as he did before.
Acloud@/ usually indicate divine direction: cf. Ps. 97:2; Matt. 17:5; Acts 1:9; Luke 21:27; Rev. 1:7
Ex. 13:21 Pillar of fire
Ex. 16:10 glory in the thick cloud
Ex. 19:9,16 Sinai a thick cloud
Ex. 34:4-5 tables of stone given
Ex. 40:34 cloud over the mercy seat
ARainbow@/ This is the cap for his uniform and is a reminder of Gods' covenant with man. This rainbow indicates that God will not send a flood to destroy man again.
AFace as it were the sun@/ It does not follow that this one must therefore be the Son of God. Moses' face shone after he had been in the presence of God (see Exod. 34:29). This angel's face is shining because he has come out from the presence of Christ. You will recall that the raiment of the angels at the resurrection of Christ also shone (see Luke 24:4).
"And his feet as pillars of fire." This is still part of his uniform. He has come to make a special and solemn announcement of coming judgment. All of these features of identification are his credentials and connect him to the person of Christ as His special envoy. The Lord Jesus is running everything at this particular point. He is the Judge of all the earth.
10:2 Alittle book@/ contents unknown, but seems to indicate the written authority to fulfill His mission. John eats the book (verse 10). The title deed of the earth!
10:3 Aseven thunders@/ God=s voice in judgment
10:4 The seven thunders were intelligible. John was a scribe, and he was taking down the visions as they were given to him (see Rev. 1:11). He was about to write what the seven thunders had spoken ‑‑ he heard it, and they were audible words ‑‑ but he was forbidden to do so. Since this is a book of revelation, why is there something concealed? This is the only place in the Book of Revelation where anything is sealed. God makes it very clear at the end of the book that He has told everything. He is not holding back anything from man today. Yet this particular message of the seven thunders John is not permitted to write down. This is quite interesting.
It is a mere assumption to presume to know what the thunders spoke. Vitringa interpreted the seven thunders as the seven Crusades, Danbuz made them the seven nations which received the Reformation, Elliott believed them to be the pope's bull against Luther and several of the cults have presumed to reveal the things which were uttered. The Lord Jesus Christ said to John, "Seal them up. Don't write this down." They remain to this day a secret which you don't know, I don't know, and no man knows.
10:8 Ezek. 2:9-3:4; Jer. 15:16-18
10:10 He eats the little book at the instructions of the angel, and the results are bittersweet. Eating the little book means to receive the Word of God with faith. This is the teaching of the Word of God, for in
Jeremiah 15:16 "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, O LORD God of hosts."
"Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness" (Ezek. 3:1‑3).
Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."
Psalm 119:103 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Ps. 119:103).
John eagerly received the Word of God, but when he saw that more judgment was to follow, it brought travail of soul and sorrow of heart. It was sweet in his mouth and bitter in his system. If you and I can take delight in reading this section of the Word of God and the judgments that are to fall upon the earth, then we need to do a great deal of praying to get the mind of God. It is sweet to know the Book of Revelation and what God intends to do, but when we find out that judgment is coming to the Christ‑rejecting world around us, we cannot rejoice in that. The prophecy becomes bitter.
There is another very real application of this. Many folk begin the study of Scripture with enthusiasm, but when they find that it is applicable to their life and that it makes demands on them personally, they lose interest, and it becomes a bitter thing.
Some may say, "I don't want to hear about the Book of Revelation. I don't like prophecy. It frightens me!" May I say to you that it is supposed to do that, but it should be in your mouth sweet as honey.
10:11 This is the reason this little book became bitter to John: he must prophesy against many before Christ comes to His Kingdom. Much prophecy is to follow. We are not quite halfway through the Book of Revelation. Prophecy about the nations and peoples is necessarily against them; it is of judgment to come. This new series of prophecies will begin in chapter 12, and it will reveal the fact that there was a great deal more to say.