Revelation 10

Day 146: And I saw another strong angel coming down out of Heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.

‘Another angel’ is mentioned once again, a mighty and strong angel. He appears before the seventh trumpet is blown. Before the rightful Redeemer takes possession of the earth, His rightful inheritance – which is currently still occupied by the powers of darkness – there is first an intermezzo, in which a little scroll is mentioned, and seven peals of thunder.

Day 147: He had in his hand a little book which was open. And he placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land…

To begin with the second part of this verse: where is the angel standing and what is he looking at? He stood with his right foot on the sea. Seen from Israel and seen as John sees from the island of Patmos this means that the angel stands with his right foot on the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 148: …and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.

The Angel with His face towards Jerusalem and Israel and the little scroll open in His hand is standing with “His legs like fiery pillars” (Rev. 10:1), upon the sea and upon the earth – symbol of impending judgment? – and His voice sounds like thunder.

Day 149: And when the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from Heaven saying, “Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them.”

John has heard and understood what the ‘peals of thunder’ said, but he is not to write it down! Although he was instructed to write down what he saw, but not this! He is like Daniel, to whom it is said: “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.

Day 150: 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!

The strong Angel swears, takes an oath, and swears by the Name of the Creator of Heaven and earth. Does the Son swear by the Name of the Father who created all things by the Son, or is this rather a special angel, clothed with the authority of Christ?

Day 151: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.

The other, strong angel—the Angel of the Lord, the Angel of God, the Angel of the Covenant in the Old Testament, the Word made flesh in the New Testament, the Lord Jesus Christ, risen in Glory, sitting at the right hand of God, the almighty Father, Who will come again and Whose reign will know no end…

Day 152: 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.”

In the time in which the seventh trumpet will sound – not, therefore, at the moment the seventh trumpet will sound, the proclamation of the Kingdom and its realisation take place over a short period, and include among other things the seven bowls that lead directly to the fall of Babylon.

Day 153: And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it, and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”

The angel is said to be standing on the sea and on the land no less than three times. He is standing on the whole world with his legs like pillars of fire. His message concerns the whole world, when he says: ‘No more time/no more delay!’

Day 154: And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

John does as he is told. Prophets are never ‘just’ instruments. They are no insensitive machines. No inhumane, hard as stone, robotic-like instruments. On the contrary, they are flesh and blood people, like you and me, with emotions and feelings.

Day 155: And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”

Prophets are not insensitive machines. They are people of flesh and blood, with hearts and feelings and minds. But they and their personal lives are completely taken over by the Lord.