seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 10:1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”
This is the commentary from Amazing Discoveries.
As the vision of the 144,000 and the great multitude in chapter 7 was an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals, so Revelation 10:1-11:14 constitutes a pause between the sixth and seventh trumpets. The timing of this interlude is the 1840s. During the early 1800s the power of the Ottoman Empire was waning, a spiritual revival known as The Great Awakening took place and Atheism was becoming much more widespread. The stage was now set for the final judgment of the seventh trumpet.
The description of this mighty angel is different and more glorious than the other angel messengers in Revelation. He is “clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:” The similarity to the description of Christ in Revelation 1:13-16 leads many to believe that this angel must be Christ. The same rainbow we see around the throne in Revelation 4:3 glows about His head, a token of His covenant of love. The “cloud” is also a token of Deity. Clouds and glory covered Him as Sinai (Exodus 40:34-38); they are “his chariot.” Psalm 104:3.
10:2-4 This mighty angel is standing on both the “sea” and the “earth,” signifying that the message he brings is of worldwide significance. This message is contained in “a little book open.” The face that this little book is “opened” shows that it was once closed. The book of Daniel was by divine direction closed up and sealed till the time of the end, when the wise were to understand. Daniel 12:4-10. Here this book is open, showing that the book of Daniel has been unsealed, bringing us to the experience of 1844. See notes on Daniel 8:14; 9:25 for the meaning of the 2,300 years and 1844; cf. Ezekiel 2:9-3:3.
The description of this mighty angel is different and more glorious than the other angel messengers in Revelation. He is “clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:” The similarity to the description of Christ in Revelation 1:13-16 leads many to believe that this angel must be Christ. The same rainbow we see around the throne in Revelation 4:3 glows about His head, a token of His covenant of love. The “cloud” is also a token of Deity. Clouds and glory covered Him as Sinai (Exodus 40:34-38); they are “his chariot.” Psalm 104:3.
10:2-4 This mighty angel is standing on both the “sea” and the “earth,” signifying that the message he brings is of worldwide significance. This message is contained in “a little book open.” The face that this little book is “opened” shows that it was once closed. The book of Daniel was by divine direction closed up and sealed till the time of the end, when the wise were to understand. Daniel 12:4-10. Here this book is open, showing that the book of Daniel has been unsealed, bringing us to the experience of 1844. See notes on Daniel 8:14; 9:25 for the meaning of the 2,300 years and 1844; cf. Ezekiel 2:9-3:3.
Some things were shown to John that the rest of us aren't told. We don't have the "need to know". Remember, Jesus had a close relationship with John. They were friends. John was definitely a significant part of the inner circle.
Another commentary I found puts this last verse into perspective.
It also seems that these things were spoken for John’s benefit, but not for ours. This is similar to 2 Corinthians 12:4 where Paul shared that he “was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak” (see also 2 Thess 2:5). We must remember that prophecy is only partial (cf. 1 Cor 13:9), and God has only revealed what we need to know, not what we would like to know. Therefore, there is no value in trying to conjecture as to what God has said we should not know. While we may know the broad outlines of things to come, there are still some things that are not revealed. Thus, we cannot accurately predict the future and should not attempt.
I went back into Revelation because ISIS is on the move. Since Islam goes back to the book of Genesis, I am certain it ties to Revelation. I don't know why I didn't understand the significance of Hargar and Ishmael until now. This is not my first time reading Revelation. The first time I got all tied up in the symbolism. The second time I spent the whole book trying to avoid the arguments by some of the commentaries about churches.
Maybe it's making more sense this time because I read the Book of Daniel for the second or third time. Instead of getting wrapped up in the symbolism of Daniel, the commentaries led me to the historical significance of Daniel's visions and dreams.
Now, as I am reading, ISIS, AKA as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has taken responsibility for downing a plane and the attacks on Paris. I am not positive all this is related, but it's definitely making me look at the Book of Revelation in a different light.