Matthew Henry's Complete Bible Commentary

Verses 1—7

Here we have an account of another vision the apostle was favoured with, between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and that of the seventh. And we observe, MHBCC 1178.2

I. The person who was principally concerned in communicating this discovery to John—an angel from heaven, another mighty angel, who is so set forth as would induce one to think it could be no other than our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 1. He was clothed with a cloud: he veils his glory, which is too great for mortality to behold; and he throws a veil upon his dispensations. Clouds and darkness are round about him. 2. A rainbow was upon his head; he is always mindful of his covenant, and, when his conduct is most mysterious, yet it is perfectly just and faithful. 3. His face was as the sun, all bright, and full of lustre and majesty, Revelation 1:16. 4. His feet were as pillars of fire; all his ways, both of grace and providence, are pure and steady. MHBCC 1178.3

II. His station and posture: He set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot upon the earth, to show the absolute power and dominion he had over the world. And he held in his hand a little book opened, probably the same that was before sealed, but was now opened, and gradually fulfilled by him. MHBCC 1178.4

III. His awful voice: He cried aloud, as when a lion roareth (Revelation 10:3), and his awful voice was echoed by seven thunders, seven solemn and terrible ways of discovering the mind of God. MHBCC 1178.5

IV. The prohibition given to the apostle, that he should not publish, but conceal what he had learned from the seven thunders, Revelation 10:4. The apostle was for preserving and publishing every thing he saw and heard in these visions, but the time had not yet come. MHBCC 1178.6

V. The solemn oath taken by this mighty angel. 1. The manner of his swearing: He lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever, by himself, as God often has done, or by God as God, to whom he, as Lord, Redeemer, and ruler of the world, now appeals. 2. The matter of the oath: that there shall be time no longer; either, (1.) That there shall be now no longer delay in fulfilling the predictions of this book than till the last angel should sound; then every thing should be put into speedy execution: the mystery of God shall be finished, Revelation 10:7. Or, (2.) That when this mystery of God is finished time itself shall be no more, as being the measure of things that are in a mutable changing state; but all things shall be at length for ever fixed, and so time itself swallowed up in eternity. MHBCC 1178.7