1. AND I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven encompassed with a cloud and the rainbow over his head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.

2. And he had in his hand a little book open, and he set his right foot upon the sea, and the left upon the earth.

3. And he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth. And when he cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

4. And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice out of heaven, saying unto me, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

5. And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth, lifted up his hand to heaven.

6. And sware by him that liveth unto the ages of the ages, who created heaven, and the things that are therein, and the earth, and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there should be time no longer.

7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God shall be consummated, as he hath declared in good tidings to his servants the prophets.

8. And the voice which I heard out of heaven, spake unto me again, and said, Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

9. And I went unto the angel and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter.

11. And he said to me, Thou must prophesy again over peoples, and nations, and tongues, and many kings.

EXPLANATION.

Verse 1. AND I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, encompassed with a cloud and the rainbow upon his head and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. "And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven," signifies the Lord as to the Word, in this case, as to its ultimate sense, which is called the sense of the letter: "encompassed with a cloud," signifies the ultimate of the Word: "and a rainbow over his head," signifies the interior things of the Word: "and his face as the sun," signifies the Divine Love of the Lord, from which is all Divine Truth which is the Word in heaven and in the church: "and his feet as pillars of fire," signifies Divine Truth, or the Word in ultimates, sustaining interior things therein, also full of the good of love.