Between the sixth and seventh trumpets there is a pause, like the pause between the sixth and seventh seals. A mighty angel comes down from the sky, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow on his head, a face like the sun, and feet like pillars of fire. He holds a little open book. Standing on both sea and land shows that his message is for the whole world.

When he shouts, seven thunders sound. John starts to write, but a voice from heaven tells him to seal up what they said. Not everything is revealed to us. Then the angel raises his hand and swears by the one who created heaven, earth, and sea. There will be no more delay. When the seventh angel sounds, the mystery of God will be finished.

John is told to take the little book and eat it. It tastes sweet as honey, but makes his stomach bitter. God’s word is sweet because it is from God and full of hope. It can be bitter because it includes hard news and calls for courage to share. Then John is told, You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.

As with the seals, there is an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets. John sees a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud, with a rainbow on his head, his face like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. He holds a little open book. He sets his right foot on the sea and his left on the land, as if claiming all of creation for God’s message.

The angel cries out like a roaring lion, and seven thunders speak. When John is about to write, a voice from heaven says, Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them. This reminds readers that Revelation does not answer every question. Then the angel lifts his right hand to the sky and swears by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven, earth, and sea, that there will be no more delay. In the days of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God will be finished, as he declared to his servants the prophets.

The voice tells John to take the little book from the angel. The angel says, Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey. This echoes the prophet Ezekiel, who also ate a scroll that tasted like honey. Receiving God’s word is a joy, but carrying a message of judgment and hope to a resistant world is costly. John is then told, You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings. His work is not finished; the rest of the book is that prophecy.