Revelation 10:1

Another mighty angel - Either Christ or his representative; clothed with a cloud; a symbol of the Divine majesty.

A rainbow was upon his head - The token of God's merciful covenant with mankind.

His face was as it were the sun - So intensely glorious that it could not be looked on.

His feet as pillars of fire - To denote the rapidity and energy of his motions, and the stability of his counsels.

And I saw - I had a vision of. The meaning is, that he saw this subsequently to the vision in the previous chapter. The attention is now arrested by a new vision - as if some new dispensation or economy was about to occur in the world.

Another mighty angel - He had before seen the seven angels who were to blow the seven trumpets Revelation 8:2, he had seen six of them successively blow the trumpet, he now sees another angel, different from them, and apparently having no connection with them, coming from heaven to accomplish some important purpose before the seventh angel should give the final blast. The angel is here characterized as a "mighty" angel - ἰσχυρὸν ischuron - one of strength and power; implying that the work to be accomplished by his mission demanded the interposition of one of the higher orders of the heavenly inhabitants. The coming of an angel at all was indicative of some divine interposition in human affairs; the fact that he was one of exalted rank, or endowed with vast power, indicated the nature of the work to be done - that it was a work to the execution of which great obstacles existed, and where great power would be needed.

Clothed with a cloud - Encompassed with a cloud, or enveloped in a cloud. This was a symbol of majesty and glory, and is often represented as accompanying the divine presence, Exodus 16:9-10; Exodus 24:16; Exodus 34:5; Numbers 11:25; 1 Kings 8:10; Psalm 97:2. The Saviour also ascended in a cloud, Acts 1:9; and he will again descend in clouds to judge the world, Matthew 24:30; Matthew 26:64; Mark 13:26; Revelation 1:7. Nothing can be argued here as to the purpose for which the angel appeared, from his being encompassed with a cloud; nor can anything be argued from it in respect to the question who this angel was. The fair interpretation is, that this was one of the angels now represented as sent forth on an errand of mercy to man, and coming with appropriate majesty as the messenger of God.

And a rainbow was upon his head - In Revelation 4:3 the throne in heaven is represented as encircled by a rainbow. See the notes on that verse. The rainbow is properly an emblem of peace. Here the symbol would mean that the angel came not for wrath, but for purposes of peace; that he looked with a benign aspect upon people, and that the effect of his coming would be like that of sunshine after a storm.

And his face was as it were the sun - Bright like the sun (See the notes at Revelation 1:16); that is, he looked upon people with:

(a) an intelligent aspect - as the sun is the source of light; and,

(b) with benignity - not covered with clouds, or darkened by wrath. The brightness is probably the main idea, but the appearance of the angel would, as here represented, naturally suggest the ideas just referred to. As an emblem or symbol we should regard his appearing as what was to be followed by knowledge and by prosperity.

And his feet as pillars of fire - See the notes on Revelation 1:15. In this symbol, then, we have the following things:

(a) An angel - as the messenger of God, indicating that some new communication was to be brought to mankind, or that there would be some interposition in human affairs which might be well represented by the coming of an angel;

(b) the fact that he was "mighty" - indicating that the work to be done required power beyond human strength;

(c) the fact that he came in a cloud - on an embassage so grand and magnificent as to make this symbol of majesty proper;

(d) the fact that he was encircled by a rainbow - that the visitation was to be one of peace to mankind; and,

(e) the fact that his coming was like the sun - or would diffuse light and peace.

Now, in regard to the application of this, without adverting to any other theory, no one can fail to see that, on the supposition that it was designed to refer to the Reformation, this would be the most striking and appropriate symbol that could have been chosen. For:

continued...

10:1 And I saw another mighty angel - Another from that "mighty angel," mentioned, Revelation 5:2; yet he was a createdangel; for he did not swear by himself, verse 6. Rev 5:6 Clothed with a cloud - In token of his high dignity. And arainbow upon his head - A lovely token of the divine favour. And yet it is not too glorious for a creature: the woman, Revelation 12:1, is described more glorious still. And his face as the sun - Nor is this too much for a creature: for all the righteous "shall shine forth as the sun," 13:43.And his feet as pillars of fire - Bright as flame.