1And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven , arrayed with a cloud ; and the rainbow was upon his head , and his face was as the sun , and his feet as pillars of fire ; 2and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea , and his left upon the earth ; 3and he cried with a great voice , as a lion roareth : and when he cried , the seven thunders uttered their voices . 4And when the seven thunders uttered their voices , I was about to write : and I heard a voice from heaven saying , Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered , and write them not .
The Seven Thunders and the Sealed Message
5And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven , 6and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever , who created the heaven and the things that are therein , and the earth and the things that are therein , and the sea and the things that are therein , that there shall be delay no longer : 7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound , then is finished the mystery of God , according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets .
The Prophetic Commission
8And the voice which I heard from heaven , I heard it again speaking with me , and saying , Go , take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth . 9And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book . And he saith unto me , Take it , and eat it up ; and it shall make thy belly bitter , but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey . 10And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand , and ate it up ; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey : and when I had eaten it , my belly was made bitter . 11And they say unto me , Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.