a study by Rev. Paul A. Bartz

All commentators are agreed that this chapter deals with the church. They are also in agreement that these events recorded here can be placed after 1000 A.D. But as to the specifics, there is much disagreement. This seems to be one of the most difficult chapters in Revelation. Some feel that this presents the Reformation (the largest minority) while others believe that it is a heavenly interlude or that it focuses on the Antichrist. We shall present the best of these views where there is some question.

That said, it is clear that 10:1-11:14 is an interlude between woes, or that these verses describe other events happening concurrently with, but not necessarily related directly to the woes, although later these events may interact with the woes. History is never a tidy series of unrelated events.

10:1 -- Another strong angel -- On the basis of 5:2 and 18:1 it seems that this angel is one of the higher-ranking angels directly responsible for implementing God's will on earth. Remember this is the spiritual reality behind the earthly events we see. All things are ordained by God. Some commentators take this angel to be Christ, or Martin Luther.

Others, such as Luther, take this angel to a powerful false leader in the church such as the papacy. These commentators understand the roaring (v. 3) to be the threats and intimidation used by such false leadership to get compliant people to follow their wishes.

Rainbow upon His head -- In Scripture, as in life, the rainbow represents beauty. And it is also the sign of God's covenant with Noah (see Genesis. 9:9-17). Many believe that here too it represents covenant -- The New Covenant.

Luther and others take the rainbow here, also, as a sign of beauty --but of worldly beauty. In other words, this angel or messenger appears to be religious and attractive to the worldly-minded.

"He was robed in a cloud . . . face was like the sun, . . . and his legs were like fiery pillars" -- expresses by sight the great power and authority of this awesome-appearing angel.

10:2 -- " a little scroll" -- This is clearly a different book from the one in 5:1 which was sealed with the seven seals. Some believe the book contains Revelation, Chapter 11, or 11-22. Others, who believe that this represents the Reformation, believe that this little book is the Gospel of salvation.

Luther and others understand the scroll to be human regulations by which this false authority in the church governs. Hence, they are sweet to the taste (pleasing to the flesh), yet when applied to life bring bitterness (10:9-10).

" right foot on the sea and left on the land" -- This is one of the clearest images in the chapter, so there is a lot of agreement. This represents the Gospel going out from Euro-Asian continent across the sea to peoples who had not yet heard it. This is one of the strongest reasons for identifying this with the time of the Reformation. Luther was 10 years old when Columbus returned with shocking news of his discovery, which within a few years, was proven to be a whole new continent. This continent was to become a haven for Reformation Christianity.

Other commentators. not wishing to be so specific, simply note that whatever is described by this language is clearly of global proportions.

10:3-4 -- "he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion . . . seven thunders spoke, I was about to write . . . Do not write it down." -- This is all tied together. The angel speaks and then God ratifies what he has said. Seven peals of thunder is clearly an image of God speaking -- the thunder being associated with God and seven being the number of perfection. (For reference see 4:5, John 12:27-29, and II Samuel 22:14.)

It would be a great help to know what was said, and John was going to write it down but a voice from heaven said "do not write them." One commentator has come up with a list of 9 things which could have been said. But what God seals up, man can only get into trouble by trying to open.

Others, like Luther, contend that the seven thunders is God, shutting the mouth of the false religion leader represented by the "mighty angel."

10:5-6 -- "And he swore by Him . . . who created heaven . . . and earth" -- The Genesis creation account is here again confirmed. That God is absolutely above and controller of the creation ("Who lives forever and ever") is the position of Genesis and the whole Bible. Anything less, even: "God created by means of evolution," makes God merely a carpenter and not absolute, and is less than the angel expresses here.

"That there shall be time no longer" (literal translation) -- The translation: "Delay no longer," which is used by the NASB, the RSV, the NKJV, the NIV and some others is an interpretation and not a translation. All of the universe exists in time. The angel does not announce the end of time as beginning here, but prophesies that time shall soon (according to God's reckoning) end (v. 7: "the mystery of God will be accomplished"). Why does the angel announce this at this point? The context is presenting God's covenant of Grace, and the next verse talks about preaching this grace. The clear message to the believer is:

1. "I must hurry to get the Word out to more before it's too late to help my Lord in this work of bringing His Word of grace to family, friends, and all other people."

2. "The time will come soon enough when I shall be able to rest from the opposition the world brings against those who are bold enough to invite others to Christ." (See II Peter 3:3-15.) The actual end will not come until the Seventh (the last) Trumpet (I Corinthians 15:52 -- see the actual meaning of "last trumpet" here); this is also the meaning of verse 7.

10:7 -- " . . . the mystery of God will be accomplished." -- While the term "mystery" appears in Scripture in the normal, everyday sense of the word -- something not fully understood -- "the mystery of God" appears to be a very special term. That same special usage appears to apply to this verse. Colossians 2:2-3 offers us a clear definition of what is meant by the "mystery of God." Understanding the definition laid out in Colossians allows us then to better understand our Lord's more cryptic reference in Mark 4:11. Romans 16:25-27 gives us added information about why the Gospel of salvation is called a mystery. Paul also discusses the mystery at length in Ephesians 3:1-13 and Ephesians 1:7-10 1 Peter 1:12 tells us that even the angels long to know the mystery of the Gospel.

Of special note here in 10:7 is the word "announced" (also NASB) or "declared" (KJV). The Greek word here is literally "good news" or Gospel. From this we see that we may use the word Gospel in the broad sense to refer to all of God's revelation to man, and its working out in the lives of men through history. But when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet the Gospel will be finished calling men to repentance and faith. When that trumpet sounds, the time of grace is over, for the end of human history in this creation is at an end. This has all been announced through God's Word, as the verse indicates.

10:8-9 "Go, take the scroll . . ." -- Remember, it was open so that the contents are not hidden, and John is to take it form the angel who stands on land and sea -- representing the expansion of the Gospel across the sea. An open Bible is the universal symbol of the Reformation.

"Take it and eat it" -- Is this figurative? Does this text suggest this is a vision where the principle of reality can be suspended to allow literal acts which could not literally happen under normal circumstances? John's vision is not just one in which he is an observer, he is part of the action, so this is more than just a vision. It would seem both by its size (little) and its effect (sweet and bitter) that this book is more than the Gospel. For John already knew the sweetness (forgiveness and peace with God) produced by the Gospel as well as the bitterness (war with one's own sinful flesh and rejection by the world). It would seem that those who are more specific in understanding the little book as that part of Revelation remaining (chapters 11-22) are closer to the truth, for here there is both sweetness in the contemplation of the realization of Christ's return (in the mouth which anticipates for the stomach) and bitterness in the living out of what must yet come, (the stomach itself). This message of events also seems to be meant for God's faithful in Christ left on the earth, to provide them with strength and guidance in the purifying (for true believers) and judgments (for the hypocrites of the church) to follow. Compare this same image in Ezekiel 2:8-3:7.

10:10-11 -- Eating it, the Apostle learned that what he had been told about the scroll was true. Eating it is representative of more than reading, for when a messenger or preacher of God must deliver what God says, he is not like one who brings his load and sets it before the people, but the message must first become part of his very being.

"You must Prophesy again . . . " -- The purpose for which John ate the book was to make the message to follow in verse 11 a part of himself to bring to the faithful of the world: "many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings." Compare 5:9: "every tribe, tongue, people and nation." Just as Ezekiel had to eat the scroll that contained the message he was to bring to the Jews, so John was to eat this scroll to bring its message to all people. The word "again" in this command is probably a reference to the fact that in his old age, John was probably living in semi-retirement. God here calls him out of semi-retirement to write the book of Revelation.

Conclusion: What it appears that we have here is indication that so far we have covered up to the Reformation. From this period, the Reformation forward, there is drastic change in world events, a new assault on the faithful, and less quiet times to live in, all with the purpose of providing the closing finale to world history. History bears out these events as we shall see beginning with Chapter 11.

1. The book of Revelation contains powerful images of the overwhelming presence of God. Yet much of our world denies the truth, stressed again in 9:6, that God, Who lives forever, is the Creator of all. What are some of the results of the denial of this truth that we see in the world today?

2. Why is the image of an awesome, all-powerful God, upon whose direct presence we dare not even look, not inconsistent with the teaching that he is gracious?

3. The Greek word (euangelion) we referred to in verse 7 is the word from which we get our word "Gospel" and "evangelize." Can you think of any other words which come from this word?

   What does each mean?

4. Based on Colossians 1:24-27, do the saints know the mystery of God (9:7)?

   If so, What is the mystery of God and what are we to do with our knowledge of that mystery?

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