All these vision were mediated by angels from heaven. They are not the product of a human mind, but direct revelation from God. This angle had a dramatic appearance. Planting one foot on the sea and one on the land indicated power over both domains. Then he shouted in an unnaturally loud voice.
Why all this? It is emphasising that this angel's message applied to the whole earth. John is told not to write down what he hears at this time, but to seal it up. Why is he told to do this?
The angel then declares by the name of the Lord that "there will be no more delay". This marks a dramatic change in events. And finally we get mention of the seventh trumpet. There is something special about the seventh trumpet. God's mystery will be accomplished. The prophets is probably referring to Old Testament prophets, who had looked forward to a time of God's plans being fulfilled.
The word, or the scroll, was lying on the hand of the angel and John is instructed to take it.
John is to consume the word. It would turn his stomach sour, but would taste sweet in his mouth. At first it tasted sweet, as it enters the mouth first, but then turned sour in his stomach. The prophecy would not make comfortable reading. John is then told to prophesy again about many peoples, kings, languages and nations. The prophesy and vision we have here is not just for the church, not just for the church of the time, but has global significance.
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