Let us now consider the details of 10:1-11. In this portion of the Word we have a clear vision of Christ coming to take possession of the earth. In this chapter Christ is “another strong Angel,” like the One in 7:2; 8:3; and 18:1.
Verse 1 says that John saw another Angel “coming down out of heaven.” Christ is now coming down out of heaven. This vision is a hint that, before the seventh trumpet, Christ is still on His way to earth.
Verse 1 also says that Christ is “clothed with a cloud.” He is not yet “on the cloud,” as in 14:14 and in Matthew 24:30; 26:64 (Gk.). To be “on the cloud” is to come openly, whereas to be “clothed with a cloud” is to come secretly. This indicates that even after the sixth trumpet, which will be in the midst of the great tribulation, Christ will still be coming secretly, not openly, until He will be seen by all the tribes of the earth, as mentioned in 1:7 and in Matthew 24:30. By the time of chapter ten, Christ’s coming is still secret. Even at the time of the sixth bowl, during the gathering at Armageddon, Christ will give the warning that He is coming as a thief (16:15). He will be wrapped in the cloud until chapter fourteen, when He will sit on the cloud and His coming will become public. By this we see that the general teaching that Christ will come before the great tribulation is inaccurate.
In this vision Christ has a “rainbow” upon “His head.” Here the rainbow indicates that Christ in His judgment upon the earth and in His coming to take possession of it will keep the covenant God made with Noah concerning the earth (Gen. 9:8-17). It also indicates that He is the One who will execute judgment according to the One sitting on the throne with the rainbow round about it.
Verse 1 also says that “His face was as the sun.” Surely here, close to His coming to the earth openly, He will not be like the morning star which appears before the darkest time prior to dawn.
When Christ comes to take possession of the earth, His feet will be “as pillars of fire.” Here, pillars indicate steadfastness (Jer. 1:18; Gal. 2:9). Fire indicates the holiness of God (Exo. 19:18; Heb. 12:29), according to which Christ will execute His judgment upon the earth.
In this chapter Christ has “in His hand a little opened scroll” (vv. 2, 8). This “little opened scroll” is the scroll in 5:1, which only Christ is worthy to open and which He took out of the hand of God (5:5, 7). Now it is in His hand. In 5:1 it was sealed; in 10:2 and 8 it is opened. The scroll has been opened because all the seals have been loosed. Here, being only a part of the scroll, it is called a little scroll. Because the main part of the scroll has been revealed, the last part is considered a little scroll.