Someone might speculate that the angel of verse one is Jesus, because his description is similar to what is given of Jesus Christ in chapter one. But the Scriptures plainly calls him an angel, and a voice from the Throne calls him an angel. His assignment is to declare the end of time, or that time shall delay no longer. His proclamation is made to heaven, to the earth, and to the sea and to everything in them. This is Daniel 2:21 in action, which says that God changes the times and the seasons. At this point in Revelation 10:5-6 God changes the times. His prophets from of old have been declaring that a Day is coming in which the Son of God is going to receive His Kingdom on earth. In chapter 10, that time shall have come.

Thus far, we have seen a kind of a preview of what's coming. Viz., the four horsemen of chapter six, the sealing of the 144,000 Jews, the un numbered multitude who have come out of the Tribulation the Great in chapter seven. In Chapter eight the opening of the seventh seal which then gives way to the seven trumpets. In chapter nine we are shown some of the results of the trumpets.

Here the angel certifies the Truth again, and defeats the devil's intention to establish his dominion over the earth through the beast. The beast and his system is the devil's protégé to do what he could not do through the masses of fallen humanity alone. But God reaffirms His dominion before the devil can raise up the beast. I like that!

We should know from reading the tenth chapter onward, that the angel cannot mean the cessation of all time, because the Prophecy talks about days and times AFTER chapter ten. Therefore, the idea that time for judgment will not delay any longer is probably a more valid understanding of it.

In any case, the Prophecy is arriving at the end of the waiting period. The Church has been waiting for centuries and has preached about these things, and has sought to understand them. From this tenth chapter onward, they will unveiled. Experience in those days shall teach the meaning of it all.

Lately, it seems that people have been waiting more expectantly for the appearing of the anti-christ, than they have for the appearing of Jesus Christ. There has been much preaching and speculation as to who the anti-christ is. I like to hear that Jesus Christ is coming! The anti-christ CAN'T appear until the Lord permits him to.

Verse 2: Notice that when God was ready to announce His program, He was not secretive about it, but announced it in a voice as when a lion roars. However, the utterances of the Seven Thunders were sealed until the time when these things begin to be fulfilled. In the wisdom of God, it is not fitting for us to know what they said. We may suppose that the voice as of a lions roar may represent some activity of Christ as the Lion, mentioned in chapter five.

The Seventh angel has not sounded yet in chapter ten. In verse seven John said that when the angel begins to sound, the Mystery of God should be finished. There are things, even in the Old Testament, that have not been fulfilled as yet.

For instance, Daniel was told to seal up the book of his Prophecy, till the time of the end. For many the Book of Daniel has been a mystery. Why? Because it was sealed until the time of the end. But we are getting close to the time for it's fulfillment, and the things that are written therein are going to become 'front burner.'

The angel told Daniel that at the time of the end, knowledge will be increased. We can understand that it didn't mean only Biblical knowledge, but knowledge in general. In this century, we have noted phenomenal increases in knowledge. In our lifetime, people have walked on the moon! Through satellite technology we can see things happen on the opposite side of the earth, right while they are happening.Therefore, we MUST acknowledge that what that angel told Daniel is true. At the same time, God is giving increased knowledge of His Word to the Church.

When I became born again some fifty years ago, the Church did not have knowledge like it has now. God has continued to enlighten the Church, and Jesus said: "To him that has, shall more be given," I am awestruck at what appears when the Holy Ghost unveils the Word of God. I never understood these things before, though I have preached out of the Book of the Revelation many times, over the years. I think it is because the time is getting close. I also think that God is responding to prayers for revelation and wisdom and knowledge. God wants us to know these things.

Now, I wish to make a conditional statement, referring to the Mystery of God in verse seven. There is more than one mystery in the Scripture, of course, but Paul writes in Romans 11 about the Mystery of the Elect. I am taking it that Revelation 10:7 includes the fulfillment of God's Covenant with Israel. It shall be the time for His promises to them by the prophets to happen.

Many people haven't understood the mystery of God's dealings with Israel. Even so, God doesn't want us to be 'wise in our own conceits' about it, according to Apostle Paul. He talked about the mystery, and said that even in his time, there was an Elect of Israel. We noted their numbering and sealing in Revelation chapter seven. There is an appointed time in their future for that. Surely, that sealing time is part of the Mystery that Paul wrote about.

Had the 144,000 Jews been saved at the time of Revelation 4:1, they would not be on the earth in chapter ten. Because they are the Elect, they get sealed AFTER chapter four, and during chapter seven. Note that the Elect of Israel is distinct from the Body of Christ, i.e., born again believers in Christ. In Christ, we are one, but our functions shall be different during the Millennial reign of Christ.

Though the angel has not sounded in chapter 10:7, we are told what will happen when he does. Things that have been unclear to us during the ages of human history shall be revealed. In chapter 10:8 John is bidden to take the book from the angel. Details should prevent us from supposing that the angel is Jesus Christ, simply because he has a book in his hand. This book is prophecy. It's not the same book that Jesus took from God's right hand in chapter five.

Verse 9: John said to the angel, Give me the little book. The angel told him to eat it! So he did, and when he had eaten it, it was sweet in his mouth, but it made his belly bitter. In verse 11 the angel told John that he must prophesy AGAIN before peoples, nations and kings. The book that John ate is prophecy!

For a Scriptural example, read Ezekiel 2:8-9. Ezekiel is not the only one that ate t he Word of God; so did Jeremiah. In Revelation 10:11, the angel of the LORD bade John to eat it, and told him why he was to eat it. The similarity is striking between this event and similar events in the Old Testament.

When John received this Revelation of Jesus Christ, it was prophecy. We still read it even today as prophecy, because at least events after chapter 3:22 have not occurred. In chapter 1:3, the Scripture itself call the Book a prophecy. In chapter 10:11, John ate the book which he took from the angel, and the angel told him that he must prophesy again.

In a sense , John, through the printed page, has been prophesying for centuries, before nations, peoples, and tongues, and kings. But I'm sure that that's not the end of his prophesying. I have heard that it was said, "How is there going to be such a revival as Revelation suggests, if the Church is off the earth during the Tribulation? If chapter 7:9-11 IS after the Rapture, they said, then HOW do so many get saved? We are about to find out!