Revelation 10

1. Then I saw another powerful messenger [Jesus] coming down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud and had a rainbow around His head. His face was like the sun, and His legs were like poles of fire.

This is how John saw Jesus in chapter one.

2. Jesus was holding a small scroll open in His hand. He put his right foot on the sea and His left foot on the land.

Jesus is making His claim that He now is taking back the earth.

3. He shouted loudly like the roaring of a lion. When He shouted, the voices of seven thunders spoke.

The Old Testament prophets said that this would happen. Hosea 11:11, Joel 3:16

4. The seven thunders spoke, and I started to write. But then I heard a voice from heaven. The voice said, “Do not write what the seven thunders said. Keep these things secret.”

When the Bible is quiet, we should be quiet.

5 – 6

I saw Jesus standing on the sea and on the land. He raised his right hand to heaven.

He made a promise by the power of the One who lives forever and ever. He is the One who made the skies and all that is in them. He made the earth and all that is in it, and He made the sea and all that is in it. Jesus said, “There will be no more waiting!

Some translations say that this means that the idea of time will not exist anymore. We see time in heaven and in the millennium so the best translation is, “there will be no more waiting.”

7 – 8

In the days when the seventh angel is ready to blow his trumpet, God’s secret plan will be finished. This plan is the Gospel God told to His servants, the prophets.”

Then I heard the same voice from heaven again. The voice said to me, “Go and take the open scroll that is in Jesus’ hand. This is Jesus who was standing on the sea and on the land.”

All of these things are preparing the way for Jesus to return to earth.

9. So I went to Jesus and asked Him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will be sour in your stomach. But in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”

John needs to let God’s Word speak to him first, before he shares it with anyone. Sometimes when we learn something new in the Bible, it is so interesting to us that we can forget how serious it is.

10. So I took the little scroll from Jesus’ hand and I ate it. In my mouth it tasted sweet as honey. But after I ate it, it was sour in my stomach.

The scroll tasted sweet because God’s kingdom was coming, but it also had words about the judgment to come on the earth. Ezekiel had a similar experience. Ezekiel 3:1–3

11. Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

Some Bible teachers say that the little book which John had to swallow had words for all the nations.