"THE BOOK OF REVELATION"
Chapter Ten
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
1) To examine the first vision in the interlude between the sounding of
the sixth and seventh trumpets
2) To offer an explanation concerning the significance of this vision
SUMMARY
Just as there was an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals that
included two visions designed to comfort the saints, so we find an
interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets with three visions
that would have similar effect.
Chapter ten contains the first vision in this second interlude, in
which John describes a mighty angel coming down from heaven and
standing with his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. Of
particular note is a little book in the angel's hand. When the angel
cried out with lion-like voice, seven thunders uttered their voices,
but John is forbidden by a voice from heaven to write the things which
the thunders uttered. At this point the mighty angel swears by God
that there will be delay no longer, for when the seventh angel sounds
his trumpet the mystery of God will be finished, as God declared to His
servants the prophets (1-7).
Then the voice from heaven tells John to take the book from the angel.
As he does so, the angel tells him to eat the book, with a warning that
while it will be sweet as honey in his mouth, it will make his stomach
bitter. When John eats the book, he is told that he must again
prophesy about many peoples, nations, tongues and kings (8-11).
The significance of eating the little book is clear enough, for it
symbolizes John mastering the contents of the message (cf. Ezek
2:1-3:11). As to its contents, it may pertain to the prophecies of
chapters 12-22, which certainly contains prophecies of peoples,
nations, kings, etc. While the sounding of the seventh trumpet would
indicate the mystery of God was finished as declared to the Old
Testament prophets (cf. "My servants the prophets", Zech 1:6), John
would expand upon the revelation of that mystery by recording what will
be seen starting in chapter 12.
The significance of the seven thunders may forever remain an enigma.
Summers believes that John was forbidden to record their utterances
because there would be delay no longer and the time for warning was
over. Hailey suggests that it may indicate that God has many
unrevealed weapons in His arsenal of judgments to be used at His
discretion, and that man cannot know all of God's ways.
This vision appears designed to impress upon John that with the
sounding of the seventh trumpet his work will not be over. Indeed, in
chapters 12-22 we shall see a closer look at the conflict.
OUTLINE
I. THE MIGHTY ANGEL WITH THE LITTLE BOOK (1-7)
A. THE ANGEL, THE BOOK, AND THE SEVEN THUNDERS (1-4)
1. John describes another mighty angel coming down from heaven
a. Clothed with a cloud
b. A rainbow on his head
c. His face like the sun
d. His feet like pillars of fire
e. A little book in his hand
f. His right foot on the sea, his left foot on the land
g. Who cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars
2. When the angel cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices
a. John prepared to write what he heard
b. But a voice from heaven instructs him to seal up the things
uttered by the seven thunders, and not write them
B. THE ANGEL AND HIS OATH (5-7)
1. John sees the angel lift his hand to heaven
2. The angel swears by God that there will be delay no longer
a. For in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, the
mystery of God would be finished
b. As God declared to His servants the prophets
II. JOHN EATS THE LITTLE BOOK (8-11)
A. JOHN IS INSTRUCTED TO EAT THE BOOK (8-9)
1. The same voice from heaven instructs him to take the book from
the angel's hand
2. He is told to eat the book, which will be sweet as honey in
his mouth, but will make his stomach bitter
B. JOHN EATS THE BOOK (10-11)
1. Taking it from the angel's hand, he ate it
2. It was sweet as honey in his mouth, but his stomach became
bitter
3. He is told: "You must prophesy again about many peoples,
nations, tongues, and kings."
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
- The mighty angel with the little book (1-7)
- John eats the little book (8-11)
2) How does John describe the mighty angel which comes down from
heaven? (1-2)
- Clothed with a cloud
- A rainbow on his head
- His face like the sun
- His feet like pillars of fire
- A little book in his hand
- His right foot on the sea, his left foot on the land
- Who cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars
3) When the angel cried out, what happened? (3)
- Seven thunders uttered their voices
4) What did John start to do? What was he told? (4)
- To write what he heard
- To seal up and not write what the seven thunders uttered
5) What did the mighty angel swear by God? (5-7)
- That there should be delay no longer
- That in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, the mystery
of God would be finished, just as God declared to His servants the
prophets
6) What is John then told to do? (8)
- To take the book from the mighty angel
7) What is he told to do with the book? What did he do with the book?
(9-10)
- To eat the book
- He ate the book, which was sweet as honey in his mouth, but made
his stomach bitter
8) What was he then told? (11)
- He must prophecy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and
kings
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