Morning Bible Study: Revelation 10:1-7

The Angel and the Little Book
10 1  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire.

2  And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 

3  And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered. 

4  When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down." 

5  Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. 

6  He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, "There will be no more delay. 

7  When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God's mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets."  NLT

Commentary

(the following commentary is from www.easyenglish.bible)

"Verse 1 John saw a great angel come down from heaven. It seemed that a cloud covered him like a coat. There was a rainbow above his head. But his face shone with a bright light like the sun. The impression of his legs was like fire.

Verse 2 There was a little book in the left hand of the angel. This book was open so that people could read it.

The angel came down to earth. He was a very large angel. He put one foot on the land and the other foot on the sea. By this, he showed that he had great authority.

Verse 3 When the angel spoke, his voice was like the loud roar of a lion. At his call, the 7 thunders answered. The 7 thunders seemed to speak words. John heard the thunders. And he understood what they said.

Verse 4 John kept a record of all that he saw. He wrote what he heard. He listened to the thunders. Then he started to write down their words. But a voice from heaven stopped him. What the thunders said must remain a secret. The message that they gave was for John alone.

Verses 5-6 The angel raised his right hand to heaven. By this, he shows that his promise is sure. God in heaven is witness to it. The angel makes the promise in front of God.

He describes God. God is the God who always exists. He will always be alive. God alone has life and he alone can give life. He made the heavens, the earth and the sea. God is greater than all and he is the ruler of all. He has the power to do all that he has said. The future will be as God has said. The prophecies that are in this book will happen.

Here is the angel’s promise. There will be no further delay. The final phase of history has come.

Verse 7 The seventh (7th) trumpet will sound. In those days, God will finish his hidden plan. This will be the last struggle of evil things against goodness. It will be the last efforts of Satan to defeat the purposes of God. But Satan will not succeed. And this time will also be the last chance for people to turn from their sins.

God has shown some of his plan to the prophets. His plan for the end times is in the scroll (Revelation 1:19 and chapter 5). This book of the Revelation tells what is in that scroll. Some of it remains secret, for example what the thunders said. And we do not yet understand many things that God has said."