Revelation 10 - A Study Guide by Mark A. Copeland

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                        "THE BOOK OF REVELATION"

                               Chapter Ten

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. Eze
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 regarding the judgment of Israel, John would
be shown more things to proclaim regarding the judgment of Rome 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 the revelation of God's judgment against pagan Rome 
and ultimately the world.

POINTS TO PONDER

*  The first vision of the interlude between the sounding of the sixth
   and seven trumpets

*  The significance of the little book given to John to eat

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

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 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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