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The Angel, the Little Scroll and the Seven Thunders

Revelation 10:1-3 – “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven.  He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like fiery pillars.  He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand.  He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.  When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.”

Planting His feet is claiming dominion over all the earth.

This angel is the Lord Christ Jesus:

• The ‘cloud’ reference: – Exodus 13:21 – “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light.”  The Lord was ‘in a pillar of cloud’, as in Revelation 10:1 – He’s ‘robed in a cloud’.  Also, ‘a pillar of fire’ and in Revelation 10:1 – ‘fiery pillars’.
• The rainbow – symbolizes God exercising mercy in a time of great judgment.  Also, in Revelation 4:3 it is written – “He who was sitting … there was a rainbow around the throne”.
• ‘His face was like the sun’ – Matthew 17:2 – “He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun.”  Revelation 1:16 – “His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
• ‘He gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion’ – The Lord Jesus is often referred to as ‘The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.’
• And who else but the Lord Himself would claim dominion over all the sea and the land.  Remember what the angel said to John in Revelation 22:9 – “I am a fellow-servant with you.”

Right before this ‘great angel’ appeared, the kings and armies had gathered together at Megiddo, to wait for Armageddon.  The following was written around 830 BC by the prophet Joel:

“Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!  For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.  The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine.  The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble.  But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.” – Joel 3:14-16

Revelation 10:4 – “And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.’ “

What the seven thunders said will be ultra important – and it’s still to be revealed.  This is written in the last book of the Bible – The Book of Revelation – and what the seven thunders said is still sealed.  Thunder is a metaphor for the voice of God.  What the seven thunders spoke are grave judgments indeed.

Revelation 10:8-11 – “Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: ‘Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.’  So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll.  He said to me, ‘Take it and eat it.  It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’  I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it.  It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.  Then I was told, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.’ “

In Revelation 5 the Lord Jesus had been handed a scroll with seven seals to open.  Here John is given another little, scroll, that lies open, and told to eat it.  Then he’s commanded to go prophesy again – prophesy about what’s to happen at the very end – on the Day of the Lord.

See the separate article: ‘The Little Scroll’ under the ‘Other’ category for more details discussing what was written on this little scroll.

A previous time, in the Old Testament, when a prophet had been commanded to eat a scroll: “But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you.  Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.  Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me.  In it was a scroll, which he unrolled before me.  On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.  And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.’  So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.  Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’  So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.  He then said to me, ‘Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.” – Ezekiel 2:8-3:4.  Ezekiel was a prophet, living in Babylon, during the Babylonian captivity.

After both Ezekiel and John eat their respective scrolls, they are both commanded to go prophesy again to the people – speaking the Words of God contained within their perspective scrolls.

– “Then the Lord stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth … ‘ ” – Jeremiah 1:9

– “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.” – Jeremiah 15:16

– “I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.” – Job 23:12

– “He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.” – Deuteronomy 8:3

– “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” – Matthew 4:4 (Jesus quoting the above Deuteronomy 8:3 when He was being tempted by the devil in the wilderness.)

– “He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse.” – Numbers 5:24 – the test for an unfaithful married woman – she drinks God’s judgment

– “I killed you with the words of my mouth.” – Hosea 7:5 – the Lord speaking to unrepentant Israel before their Assyrian exile

– “The Word (Christ Jesus) is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so that you may obey it.” – Deuteronomy 30:14

‘The Word’ is sweet to the palate, but sometimes bitter to the stomach – that’s the same with what’s about to happen.  Another way of looking at it is the good news/bad news scenario. The good news – God’s judgment is coming; the bad news – God’s judgment is coming.

Scrolls mentioned elsewhere in the Bible:

• Revelation 5:2 – “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.” … Revelation 5:5 – ” ‘The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed.  He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.’ ”

• – Revelation 5:9 – “They sang a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.  You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.’ “

• – Zechariah 5:2 – The Flying Scroll – ” ‘This is the curse that is going out over the whole land; for according to what it says on one side, every thief will be banished, and according to what it says on the other, everyone who swears falsely will be banished.’ “ Its meaning: God’s judgment.
  
  After John eats the scroll which the angel handed him, the angel declares:
  

Revelation 10:5-7 – “Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven.  And he swore by Him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, ‘There will be no more delay!  But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.’ “

scripture only: Revelation 10

previous article: Revelation 16 – 6th Bowl of God’s Wrath

next article: Sixth and Seventh Seals

click for article: Speculations on the Seven Thunders – Part One