Revelation 10 begins with John seeing a mighty angel descending from heaven, holding a little book in his hand. The angel had one foot on the sea and the other on the land, symbolizing his authority over the entire earth. The angel cried out with a loud voice, and seven thunders uttered their voices. John was about to write down what the thunders said but was commanded not to reveal their message.
Then the angel raised his hand towards heaven and swore an oath that there would be no more delay in the fulfillment of God's plan. He declared that when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God would be finished, as He had declared to His servants, the prophets.
The angel then instructed John to take the little book from his hand and eat it. John obeyed and found it to be sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. This symbolized that the message of God's judgment, contained in the book, would bring both joy and sorrow.
After this, John was told that he must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
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