Revelation 10. Thus far in Revelation 8-9 we have encountered the first six of the Seven Trumpets in the cycle. In the cycle of Seven Seals there was a pause before the seventh seal (chapter 7), and now we come to a second pause before the seventh trumpet. The cycles are similar as John intentionally uses a literary structure to reveal the heavenly viewpoint of what is happening on earth.

Revelation 10-11 are this pause. The trumpets have revealed the horrors of God’s judgment on evil in the world, and the pause shifts the whole narrative to the church during that same time (it’s not chronological). The final trumpet does not sound until Revelation 11:15, and this pause will highlight the task of the church through the ages (especially chapter 11).

A few thoughts on chapter 10:

John has a vision, one of many, but suddenly he was about to write but he is told, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” (10:4) I am sure everyone would like to know what was said! Yet not everything that was made known to John was for all the world to know. (In the military we call this a “need to know basis” and apparently the rest of the world did not need to know what John heard.) God has kept some things from us, and that is ok. As we read Revelation, we would do well to remember that we do not have all the information. We tread carefully.

There is also this mighty angel in chapter 10 – he is clearly important but not identified. He is enormous, powerful, and has one foot set on the sea and one on the land. He prevails as easily on water as on land, meaning that he has mastery over both and his message is universal. He raises his right hand and swears an oath that there will be no more delay… when the seventh trumpet sounds the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He announced… (10:5-7) From his vantage point, the angel swears to John that God’s promise will be fulfilled – the end will come.

This would have been encouraging – even fantastic news – for the suffering churches who received this letter. They were experiencing tribulation, the world around them was in upheaval. Though there was chaos and death in the Seven Trumpets, the sovereignty of God was evident and so was His plan to bring forth all He had promised. It might feel like things were out of control, but John’s visions assured them that God was still on His throne. God is the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it (10:6).

From the very beginning God has planned to bring His people to salvation (a return to Eden and dwelling in the presence of God), and everything is coming into fulfillment. It involves the judgment of evil, but also the deliverance and vindication of His people.