Revelation 10

Revelation 10:1

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, 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:

Now, that in the midst of these broils and miseries which should befall the world, it might appear that God had special respect to his Church; behold, the great Angel of the Covenant, even Christ the Son of God, appeared as coming down from heaven, in a very glorious fashion; having, as it were, a bright rainbow upon his head, shining with variety of excellent colours: and his face was resplendent and beamy, like to the sun; and his feet were as pillars of fire, to shew the certain and powerful revenge that he will take of his enemies: X. 2, 3. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth; And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And he had in his hand a little book, open; whether to signify that abundance of knowledge of God’s word, which should be after the barbarisms of superstition and Turkish ignorance; or whether to signify the clearness of those few prophecies, which yet remained after these fore-mentioned events, to be fulfilled: and he put one of his feet upon the sea, and the other upon the earth; to signify that he had the power and command of both, and that the things which he was to speak concerned all, both continent and islands, and all that lived, either on sea or land: And he spake aloud, with a strong and mighty and dreadful voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had spoken that which he would say, seven thunders, as the echo of that speech of his, were heard to resound with a very fearful noise, expressing what he had delivered.

Revelation 10:4

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

And when the seven thunders had finished their sound, I was about to write that which was delivered by them; but, presently, I heard a voice from heaven, charging me to the contrary, saying, Keep unto thyself those things which the seven thunders have uttered, and do not publish them to the world. X. 5, 6. And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hands to heaven, And swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things

Revelation 10:7

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

But, that, in the days of the sound of the seventh trumpet, by which the Seventh Angel should blow forth the plague of God’s last wrath, Antichrist should be destroyed, the kingdom of Christ should be erected, and the mystery of God’s final judgment, wherein all prophecies shall end, should be accomplished and performed.

Revelation 10:8

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

Then the voice, which I heard from heaven, spake unto me again; and charged me, that I should go and receive the full and clear instructions of those mysteries, contained in that book, which was open in the hand of Christ.

Revelation 10:9

And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

And I went unto Christ the Mediator, and humbly besought him, that he would be pleased to give me the clear and perfect understanding of the mysteries therein contained; who, graciously condescending to my request, did not only give me the book, but power to comprehend it; charging me to take in and speedily to digest the contents of it; and, withal, fore-admonished me, that the matter comprised therein, howsoever it should be very sweet and pleasant to me in the knowledge thereof, yet, in regard of the trouble and opposition which will follow upon the publishing thereof and conveying of it forth to the use of others, it should be found very bitter and unpleasing. So also verse 10.

Revelation 10:11

And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

And he said unto me, As I have, under these former visions, shewed thee the state of my Church, and revealed it unto thee for the further manifestation thereof to others; so do I now again renew unto thee the representation of the same truths, under other forms of expression: thou therefore, having taken in and digested the contents of this book, must prophesy again of the same things, before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.