Revelation 10:1-4 – The Mighty Angel

Revelation 10:1-4 – Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven.  He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars.  He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand.  He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.”

Another mighty angel coming down from heaven – There are nearly two hundred references to angels throughout the Bible, but the phrase “mighty angel” appears only in the book of Revelation, here and in Rev. 5:2 and Rev. 18:21.  The phrase seems to allude to Psalm 103:20, “Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.”  Angels are mighty, and they do only His bidding – they do not accept instructions or requests from anyone else.  Revelation emphasizes the might of the angels in connection with the events of the end times; Paul uses a similar phrase, “powerful angels,” in 2 Thessalonians 1:7, “This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”

Religious artwork and films usually portray angels as thin and weak, often female, and fair skinned.  This portrayal is unbiblical.  The Word usually presents angels as physically imposing, intimidating beings – those who see them often fall face down in terror (Numbers 22:31; Judges 13:2; 1 Chronicles 21:16-30; Luke 1:13; Luke 2:9-10; Revelation 22:8).

The Bible never describes angels as female or as having wings except possibly once in Zechariah 5:9, where it is not even clear that those beings are supposed to be angels (they might be part of the “curse” that the other woman in that vision symbolizes).  The other 200 Biblical references to angels portray them as strong and masculine.  Believers need to rid their minds of the picture of angels that do not fit with the Bible; our thinking should conform instead to the truth in the Word.  Of course, we should not own or display any images of angels anyway.  The Bible says we should never make pictures, drawings, or statues of angels, because this is idolatry (Exodus 20:4).  Whenever there are idols, even though the image is just a drawing or a statue, demonic spirits receive the attention as worship for themselves (1 Corinthians 10:20).  True angels grieve when we have angelic images in our churches or homes or churches; but it pleases demonic spirits.  Sadly, movies now have blasphemous, unbiblical portrayals of angels as worldly, sinful, confused, and frustrated.

Robed in a cloud – This phrase occurs poetically in Job 38:9, referring to God creating the oceans.  In both passages, the point is the magnificent size of something that has clouds as garments.  The “cloud” also alludes to God’s presence and glory in the Old Testament (see Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 16:10; Exodus 19:9-16; Exodus 24:15-18; Exodus 33:10; Exodus 34:5; 1 Kings 8-10-12).

Rainbow above his head – In Genesis 9:13-16, God introduced the rainbow as a sign of his covenant with all humanity.  In Ezekiel 1:28, however, we learn that something resembling a rainbow surrounds God in heaven all the time.  This angel had the splendor and majesty of the Lord in eternity above his head, directing him in everything.

Face like the sun – (the same phrase is used to describe eternal glory in Matthew 17:2 and Revelation 1:16).  As mentioned above, angels in the Bible differ significantly from the misleading portrayals of them in art.  There is no recognizable face on an angel – it is brilliant light, like looking at the sun – except in cases where angels must cloak their true appearance temporarily (Hebrews 13:2).  His legs were like fiery pillars – like the manifestation of God’s guiding presence through the Wilderness in a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21-24; Numbers 14:14; Nehemiah 9:12-19).

Holding a little scroll – this refers to bringing revelation, just as the scroll in Isaiah 29:11-18 and Ezekiel 2:9-3:4.

Like the roar of a lion – Angels speak only the words of God, and sometimes their voice sounds like the voice of the Lord speaking himself, as he speaks through them.  The Bibles uses the roar of the lion sometimes to describe the wicked (Psalm 22:13; Proverbs 28:15; Isaiah 5:29; Jeremiah 51:38), but it also can refer to the Lord’s voice, as in Hosea 11:10 – “They will follow the Lord; he will roar like a lion.  When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.”  See also   Amos 3:8, “The lion has roared— who will not fear?  The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?” Of course, the Lord Jesus is the true Lion of Judah (Genesis 49:9; Revelation 5:5).  The angel is speaking on behalf of the Lord.