In Revelation 10, John is instructed to eat a small scroll, which tastes sweet but causes bitterness, symbolizing the dual nature of prophecy. A mighty messenger from God appears, holding the scroll and declaring a universal authority over land and sea, while his message highlights both mercy and impending judgment. John is commanded to prophesy about the coming events, emphasizing the fulfillment of God's plan, the completion of the mystery, and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem.

1. SECTION OUTLINE TEN (REVELATION 10)
John is given a small book/scroll and is told to eat it. He does, and as
predicted, it tastes sweet in his mouth but makes his stomach sour.
I. THE MESSAGES GIVEN BY ANOTHER MIGHTY MESSENGER OF GOD
(10:1-7)
A. The appearance of this mighty messenger (10:1)
1. He is robed in a cloud with a rainbow over his head
(10:1a).
What is the significance of these terms? Are they used
elsewhere in the OT or NT?
a. The word “mighty” here is translated “strong” in Rev
5:2 where the first strong angel/messenger appeared.
b. A cloud is referenced with the glory of the Lord in Ex
16:10 and 33:9
Num 11:25 Lord came down in a cloud
Ps 18:11 thick clouds are about Him
Mat 17:5 The Lord spoke from a bright cloud
Lk 21:27 the Lord coming in a cloud with power
Rev 1:7 He cometh with clouds
This messenger’s attire indicates his heavenly
authority
c. The rainbow is a sign indicating God’s covenant
originally in Gen 9:12-17. Promise not to flood/judge
Ezek 1:28, 2:6 a sign of assurance of God’s protection
Rev 4:3 God’s presence
So, this is a messenger of mercy with good tidings not
judgment
2. His face is as the sun and his legs as fiery pillars
(10:1b).
How about his physical appearance?
Same here. Significance and used elsewhere in OT or NT?
a. Mal 4:2 speaks of the Redeemer as sun of
righteousness
Dan 10:6 His face as the appearance of lightning
The sun provides physical light. Jesus provides light
for the soul, redemption, no more fear of death per
Heb 2:14-15.
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2. 2 Cor 4:6 Paul spoke of overcoming persec by Jesus
b. The feet of this strong messenger were as fiery
pillars
Ex 13:22 fiery pillars where God’s guidance of Israel out
of Egypt at night and His presence
Always symbolic of God’s guidance through His
messengers in:
Ex 14:19 the messenger of God went before the camp
Ex 23:20 behold I send my messenger before thee
Ex 32:34…My messenger shall go before
The feet are symbolic of the messenger in:
Rom 10:15 how beautiful are the feet of them that
preach
Ps 119:59 I turned my feet unto thy testimonies.
Eph 6:15 feet shod with the preparation of the gospel
B. The actions by this messenger (10:2-7)
1. What he holds (10:2a): He holds an open little
book/scroll in his hand.
Are we told what is in the little book/scroll?
No.
Where else is a scroll or book referred to?
Ezeki 2:9-10 a hand was sent and a roll of a book
Rev 5:1-5 in the right hand of Him on the throne a book
that was opened by Jesus
2. What he does (10:2b): He stands on the land and sea.
What significance of his feet being on the land and the
sea?
a. The land and the sea were the territories of the
persecutors. This indicating universal authority of
the message
Ezek 34:22 & 28 speaking of His flock (22) no more
prey of the heathen ..the beast of the land
Rev 13:11 beast coming up out of the earth
Rev 13:1 a beast rise up out of the sea
b. Zech 14:1-9 Similar situation relating to the Lord,
Jerusalem and the gospel
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3. 3. The messenger cries or shouts in a loud voice (10:3-7)
a. What was the result of his shout? (10:3-4)
The shout is as a lion roaring, attention getting, Lion
of the tribe of Judah
The seven thunders uttered
Thunder related to God’s voice
Ex 19:16 thunder at the giving of the law
Job 37:2 hear attentively the thunder of His voice
NKJV
Ps 18:13 the Lord thundered in the heavens
John 12:28-29 then came a voice from heaven some
said it thundered
What were the seven thunders?
The number 7 – complete
2 Sam 22:14-15 the Lord thundered from heaven he
sent out arrows and discomfited them
1 Sam 7:10 the Lord thundered
Rev 11:19 there were lightnings voices and
thunderings
What did John hear?
John heard things to write and was about to begin
Rev 1:11 he was told to write there
But here he was told to seal up what he heard and
not write it down. So, John knew what was said
2 Cor 12:2-4 heard unspeakable words
Dan 8:26 shut thou up the vision
Dan 12:4 shut up the words seal the book
Deut 29:29 secret things belong to God
b.What did the angel/messenger do next? (10:5-7)
He lifted up his hand to heaven and swared
Who was this directed to?
Jesus is described in the terms he used
Rev 4:9 created all things
Eph 3:9 “ “ “ by Jesus Christ
John 1:1-3 all things were made by Him
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4. c.What was the information given to John?
We are not told. We know he received information
because he was about to write it down. These were
secret things that only God knew. Not for public
knowledge. There is no doubt a lot that we are not
privy to. Not good to guess.
Deut 29:29 the secret things belong to God
What does it mean that “time would be no longer?”
NKJV There would be delay no longer. ASV, NASB
Rev 6:10 Prayers - How long dost thou not judge…?
Rev 8:3 Prayers of all the saints at that time
Rev 1:3 the time is at hand
Rev 22:10 the time is at hand
d.What would the voice of the seventh
angel/messenger do?
Begin to announce the mystery ended, finished,
fulfilled, accomplishment of the mystery
Finished – # 5055 Verb
End #5056 Noun
Rev 2:26 keepeth my works unto the end
Matt 24:13-14 he that endure unto the end …gospel
preached in all the world ..end come
Mk 13:7 & 13-14..end not yet…endure unto the end
Lk 21:9 & 20 end not yet ..see Jerusalem compassed
What is the “mystery of God?”
Eph 1:9-10 God’s plan made known to the apostles in
the dispensation and fullness of time John continued
to preach it per verse 11
Eph 3:3-6 made known to Paul ..Gentiles fellow heirs
This would be finished by God after the destruction
of Jerusalem. The gospel is preached worldwide,
Jerusalem is destroyed and note what Jesus says in
Matt 24:31..send His messengers and gather together
His elect, universal expansion of the kingdom after
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5. the fall of Judaism and the Jewish state. These
statements in Matt 24 and Rev 10 are therefore
parallel.
As we have discussed, the Mosaic Law ended upon
Jesus’ death on the cross. But Jews continued to
practice it to some degree until Jerusalem, the
temple and the Jewish state were destroyed in
AD70.This was all a part of the “mystery of God”,
God’s plan of things, which was finished with the
completion of these events.
Where is the seventh angel/messenger mentioned
next?
Rev 11:15 and 16:17 We will discuss those when
we get there.
II. THE MISSION GIVEN TO JOHN THE APOSTLE (10:8-10)
A. There is a voice that John hears (10:8-9A)
Where did the voice come from?
The voice came from heaven. This is the same voice John
heard in verse 4. This is also the voice referred to in 9:13
that gives directions to the angels/messengers. It comes
from the throne, directly from God.
What was John told to do with the little book/scroll?
He was told to take it from the messenger who stood
upon the sea and the earth. Remember verse 2, the
universal authority of the message.
And he was told to eat it
What was he told would happen?
It would make his belly bitter but his mouth sweet as
honey.
What happened?
John obeyed and the result John says was as he was told.
There is a similar situation found in the Old Testament.
Ezek 2:3 I send thee to the children of Israel a
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6. rebellious nation
Ezek 2:8-10 eat that I give thee…a roll of a book..open
Ezek 3:1-11 & 14 eat this roll …in my mouth as honey and
go speak unto the house of Israel…I went in bitterness
Ezekiel prophesied to Israel of the coming attack by
Babylon, the captivity and the destruction of the city and
temple
From this situation, what are we to learn that was to occur?
John has been given inspired words from the Lord
Ps 19:9-10 sweeter also than honey
Ps 119:103 How sweet are thy words
The bitterness, as it was for Ezekiel, related to the
coming destruction of the nation, city and temple. But
this time at the hands on the Roman Army.
B. What is John commanded to do? (10:11)
He was commanded to prophesy before many people,
nations, tongues and kings.
What are some of the implications to be drawn from the
work John is commanded to do?
John was not an old man.
John was to write the Revelation and it was complete
before Jerusalem was destroyed in AD70.
John was then to preach it to those specified by the Lord.
He did so after he wrote it which was before AD70 and
probably after Jerusalem was destroyed in AD70.
Revelation was complete before Peter wrote 2 Peter 1:3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
KJV
Rev 22:18-19 18 For I testify unto every man that heareth
the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall
add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues
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7. that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God
shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of
the holy city, and from the things which are written in
this book. KJV
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