Revelation 10:1-2; Little Book Open

Revelation 10:1-2 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: 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, 

John describes this angel as mighty because of the physical appearance of his head, face, and legs; this colossal figure stands on sea and land, and with his reverberating voice he reaches everyone in God’s creation. In addition, he possesses the enormous power needed to execute God’s purpose. [Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 308). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House]

This mighty angel comes directly from the presence of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He is clothed in a cloud to demonstrate his eminence and majesty.

“And he held a little scroll, unrolled in his hand.” John again relies on the Old Testament for his descriptive material by turning to the prophecy of Ezekiel. The prophet writes that a hand, stretched out to him, held a scroll that was unrolled in front of him (Ezek. 2:9).

Ezekiel 2:9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 

Of significance is the term unrolled, which suggests that the volume is small in size so as to give the reader full view of the written message. John, therefore, qualifies the scroll with the adjective little to convey the idea of “a small papyrus roll.” The contrast between this scrap of paper and the scroll that was sealed (Rev. 5:1) is clear.

Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 

The message of the sealed scroll revealed God’s plan for the entire world throughout cosmic time from beginning to end. But the scrap of papyrus lying open in the hand of the angel is apparently a gospel message relating the testimony of Jesus. Although the text itself is brief, the context of this chapter and the next shed light on the significance of the little scroll. That is, after John consumes the booklet, he is told to prophesy (v. 11); similarly the two witnesses prophesied until they finished their testimony (11:3, 6, 7).

Revelation 11:3 And I will give powerunto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred andthreescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 

Revelation 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. 

Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 

The angel “placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.” Here is a picture of an angel that is colossal in appearance and controls God’s creation on both sea and land. With a written message in hand, he takes possession of sea and land—the sea comes first as being the greater of the two bodies. Note the repetition of the phrase “standing on the sea and on the land” (vv. 5 and 8)…

The verse communicates the authority of this gigantic angel over both land and sea, for he comes with a message that proclaims salvation to those who obey and judgment to those who reject this message. [Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Book of Revelation (Vol. 20, p. 308-310). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House]

Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he isgood: for his mercy endureth for ever. Amen.