The “mighty angel” here is Christ. Being clothed with a cloud puts this beyond question; the cloud is always connected with the divine presence. Coming down from heaven a rainbow is upon His head. The rainbow means mercy and here one recalls the Lord’s own words, “except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). His “face as it were the sun” identifies Him with the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 1:16, whose “countenance was as the sun shineth in its strength.” “His feet as pillars of fire,” too, reminds us of the vision John had of “One like unto the Son of Man,” whose feet were “like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” In His right hand a little book open! What He had come down from heaven to accomplish was no secret to the heavenly saints. Abraham “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11:10). To the Jews also Jesus said “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day—and He saw it and was glad” (John 8:56). While the church was on earth it was particularly enlightened as to God’s purpose concerning Christ, as we read “having made known unto us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself—that in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him” (Eph. 1:9-10).
When in lowly grace among men, “come to save that which was lost” they said “this is the heir, Come, let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance” (Matt. 21:38). But although they killed the Lord Jesus, God raised Him from the dead and in our chapter we see Him come to claim His inheritance. He plants His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot upon the earth. Is it not indeed His? “The sea is His, and He made it” (Psa. 95:5). Also “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psa. 24:1).
“He cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth.” The lion is declared “strongest among beasts” (Prov. 30:30). In the animal kingdom there is nothing more majestic than a lion, and his roar inspires terror in his domain. The symbol given here is easily understood, and most appropriate. As we have already seen, Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and in Psalm 21:5 we learn that God has laid “honor and majesty” upon Him. In answer to His cry seven thunders utter their voices. Their utterances were to be sealed up; they were a divine secret between the Father and the Son. Our thoughts go back to the seven sayings of Jesus when on the cross of shame and weakness: now we are in the presence of His mighty power. In our chapter Christ is about to take possession of the earth, and soon “every eye shall see Him.” “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:36). Also consider the first chapter of Acts, when Jesus had risen from the dead but had not yet left the world to go to the Father. His disciples asked Him if he would at that time restore again the kingdom to Israel, to which He made answer: “it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power” (Acts 1:7).
In verse 5 we now see Christ standing on the earth which He has claimed, lifting up His hand to heaven, and swearing by the Creator of all things (He could swear by no greater) that “there should be no longer delay.” When the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished. This mystery had already been revealed to God’s servants the prophets, and is unfolded when “the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ” (Rev. 11:15). That the saints “will dwell with God’s beloved through God’s eternal day” is a joyful prospect for us. That the ungodly sinner, having refused to obey the gospel will be “punished with everlasting destruction” (2 Thess. 1:9) is a continual source of sorrow to us. So too it was with John. In his mouth the little book was sweet as honey—in his belly bitter. This experience was needful for John who was thereafter called to further service. There is a lesson here for us who would serve the Lord in this our day.