1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land. 3He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 4When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”
5The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay, 7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants the prophets.
8The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”
9I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.
He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
10I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
John continues the report of his vision with “and I saw.” He now reports the descent of what he describes as “another strong angel.” The first “stone angel” John saw was in 5:2, asking the question. This would be a different strong angel, as his description indicates. This is a glorious angel. Till now, the rainbow in heaven has been associated with God and His throne. This angel does not come with the clouds, like Jesus will when He returns, but is clothed with a cloud. The description of his face and feet matches that of Jesus’ glory and judgment in John’s vision of Him in Chapter 1.
Next, John notes the presence of a small scroll in his hand. It is open, unlike the seven-sealed scroll that had been in God the Father’s hand. His standing partly on land and partly on sea indicates his authority over all the earth. His roaring, lion-like voice indicates his power.
The angel is responded to by “the seven thunders.” Nothing more is said to describe them. That they provided additional revelation is evident by John’s attempt to record what he heard. His instruction not to record it tells us that more will be going on during the Tribulation than what has been revealed by God.