Revelation 10 shows us a scene in which John is given a book by an angel, who tells him to eat the book, which represents some of the things that will be happening to the Roman government, and some of the things that will be happening to Christians.
I’m sure you’ve noted that Revelation is filled with angels. This one is described as a mighty angel who came down from heaven, Revelation 10:1 / Revelation 5:2. He’s clothed in a cloud, which symbolises judgment, Jeremiah 4:13 / Ezekiel 30:3 / Revelation 1:7.
He has a rainbow over his head, which is symbolic of God’s everlasting covenant, Genesis 9:12-16. Because the rainbow is over his head, this indicates that it is at the head or forefront of all messengers from the throne.
What is getting ready to come when the seventh trumpet sounds is terrible indeed, but the righteous see that God’s covenant is there in a prominent place where it can be seen by all.
His face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars, Revelation 10:1. Whoever this angel is, he certainly appears to be important and carries a lot of weight concerning authority. The mighty angel was holding a little scroll, which lay open, Revelation 10:2. This little scroll is always open, Revelation 10:8.
Note the size of this mighty angel; his right foot is planted in the sea, and his left foot is planted on the land, Revelation 10:2. This appears to be saying that he covered the whole earth.
Even his voice commands authority, it’s like the roar of a lion, Revelation 10:3. A lion symbolises great strength, boldness and bravery. Notice the number seven again. When he speaks, the seven thunders speak, Revelation 10:3.
As we have already noted, the number seven represents completeness, and the thunder speaks of judgment. John hears a voice which tells him to seal up what the seven thunders said, but don’t write it down, Revelation 10:4.
John tells us that the angel he saw standing on the sea and the land, Revelation 10:2, raised his right hand to heaven, Revelation 10:5-6. The raising of the right hand to heaven symbolises the taking of an oath, Daniel 12:7. His oath is obviously directed towards Jesus, Hebrews 7:24-25, because He’s the One who created all things, Ephesians 3:9 / Colossians 1:15-17.
It appears there will be no more delay, Revelation 10:6. In other words, time was up for the Roman Empire. This was going to happen in the days of the seventh angel, when he will sound his trumpet.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Why in his day? Because you remember, the seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls, even as the seventh seal contained the seven trumpets. With the sounding of the seventh trumpet, the whole course of judgment is covered. In the seventh trumpet are the seven bowls. From the first trumpet to the last, that is the ‘time’ covered by the seventh trumpet.’
The mystery of God will be accomplished, that is, war between the church and Rome, but despite all the suffering Christians had to go through, Rome will be defeated.
This is what God told His ‘servants’ in the beginning, Revelation 10:7 / Revelation 1:1. Remember these things ‘must soon take place’, Revelation 1:1 / Revelation 22:6. The time is near, Revelation 1:3 / Revelation 22:10.
A voice from heaven, whom John had heard earlier, tells John to take the scroll from the mighty angel he saw earlier, the huge angel who stood on the sea and the land, Revelation 10:8 / Revelation 10:2 / Revelation 10:5. When John goes to take the scroll, he is told to eat it, but he is warned that it will be sour in his stomach but sweet as honey in his mouth, Revelation 10:9.
John now goes ahead and eats the scroll, Revelation 10:10. The idea of eating the scroll means that God’s Word is now a part of him, and he now takes full responsibility for what is revealed within it, Ezekiel 2:8 / Ezekiel 3:3. It was sweet in John’s mouth but would be bitter in his stomach, Revelation 10:10.
Carpenter, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Of course, the metaphor here is based upon the fact that some foods which taste good produce sickness or pain later. The sweet taste of God’s word is a frequent Old Testament metaphor, Psalms 19:9-10 / Psalms 119:103. It should not be forgotten that ‘eating the book’ means ‘The complete mastering of the contents, digesting it.’
The sweetness represented the good news, which was that God was going to take vengeance upon Rome as ungodly people were punished. But the bitterness was that Christians would have to continue to endure and be faithful to God because there would be more persecution yet to come, Ezekiel 3:14.
The assurances of victory and reward were sweet, yet the anticipation of the sufferings and trials they would be called upon to pass through was indeed bitter, Psalm 19:10 / Psalm 119:103. John is now told that he must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings, Revelation 10:11.
Hailey’s commentary says the following.
‘The rest of the Revelation from Revelation 11 through to Revelation 20, is the message within the little book.’
In this life, we have never been promised by God that life would be full of roses without any thorns along the way. We have been promised that there will be trouble and that we will experience trials, 2 Timothy 3:12 / Acts 14:22.
In this life, as we face struggles, that is the bitterness, the hard part, but we must realise that there is sweetness, in the sense that if we endure and remain faithful to God, we can overcome, be faithful to God, and live with Jesus.
Jesus said in Revelation 2:10 that ‘if we will be faithful unto death, then God will give us a crown of life’. How we must make sure today that amid our troubles, we refuse to ‘throw in the towel.’
We mustn’t let our troubles drag us down; instead, we must realise that God is faithful and when temptation comes, He will help us through them so that we can endure such temptations in this life, 1 Corinthians 10:13.