Revelation 10 3

Revelation 10:3 kjv

And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

Revelation 10:3 nkjv

and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.

Revelation 10:3 niv

and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.

Revelation 10:3 esv

and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.

Revelation 10:3 nlt

And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.

Revelation 10 verses

Revelation 10 3 Meaning

Revelation 10:3 describes the powerful cry of a mighty angel, which sounds like the roar of a lion. Following this forceful proclamation, seven thunders respond with their own distinct voices, indicating a form of divine communication or utterance. The imagery conveys overwhelming divine authority and the introduction of a significant, yet initially hidden, new element within the unfolding prophetic narrative.

Revelation 10 3 Context

Revelation chapter 10 occurs between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and the seventh. Following the horrific judgments brought by the sixth trumpet (Revelation 9), this chapter provides a dramatic interlude. A mighty angel, distinct in appearance from the previously described trumpet angels, descends from heaven. He has a rainbow over his head, a face like the sun, feet like pillars of fire, and holds a small open scroll. This chapter introduces a pause in the sequence of explicit judgments, shifting focus to new instructions for John, emphasizing prophecy, and revealing aspects of God's ongoing plan and ultimate triumph before the final trumpet signals the completion of the mystery of God. The events of verse 3—the angel's lion-like roar and the thunders' response—are pivotal, leading directly to the mysterious command in verse 4 to seal what the thunders uttered, indicating a dimension of revelation intentionally withheld.

Revelation 10 3 Word analysis

• and cried out (καὶ ἔκραξεν - kai ekraxen):
  • κράζω (krazō): Implies a loud, intense, authoritative cry, more than a simple shout. It can denote a cry of alarm, pain, or as here, a forceful declaration of divine message or authority.
  • Significance: This is not a casual utterance but a deliberate, powerful declaration befitting a divine messenger of such stature.
• with a loud voice (φωνῇ μεγάλῃ - phōnē megalē):
  • φωνή (phōnē): Voice, sound, utterance. It denotes not merely noise but a meaningful emission of sound.
  • μεγάλη (megalē): Large, great, loud. Emphasizes the overwhelming volume and authority of the angel's voice, highlighting the significance of the message.
  • Significance: The combination of "cried out" and "loud voice" stresses the urgency and the absolute nature of the angel's communication.
• as when a lion roars (ὥσπερ λέων μυκᾶται - hōsper leōn mukatai):
  • ὥσπερ (hōsper): Just as, exactly as, serves as an intensifier of comparison.
  • λέων (leōn): Lion. A symbol of royalty, strength, power, majesty, and judgment throughout the Bible, especially in the Old Testament where God's voice is often compared to a lion's roar (e.g., Amos 3:8). Christ is also identified as the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Rev 5:5).
  • μυκᾶται (mukatai): Roars. A very specific, intimidating sound. This verb applies only to a lion's roaring, reinforcing the imagery.
  • Significance: The roar of a lion often signals impending judgment, an unchallengeable presence, or a declaration of dominion. This similitude evokes fear, awe, and emphasizes the angel's immense authority and the serious nature of the message he proclaims. It links the angel's voice directly to divine power and perhaps the ultimate authority of Christ Himself.
• and when he had cried out (ὅτε ἔκραξεν - hote ekraxen):
  • Repetition of the act of crying out.
  • Significance: Establishes a cause-and-effect relationship, indicating that the subsequent event (the thunders speaking) is a direct consequence or response to the angel's cry. This connection suggests a supernatural chain of events.
• the seven thunders (αἱ ἑπτὰ βρονταί - hai hepta brontai):
  • ἑπτὰ (hepta): Seven. Represents completeness, perfection, divine fullness, or finality in apocalyptic literature.
  • βρονταί (brontai): Thunders. Often associated with the immediate presence of God (Ex 19:16), divine power (Ps 29), judgment (Rev 8:5, 16:18), and momentous divine interventions. Thunder in the Old Testament is frequently linked with the voice of God.
  • Significance: The number seven indicates these are not random occurrences but part of a complete, divinely ordered, and profound revelation or action. Their association with God's voice makes their subsequent sealed nature particularly striking.
• uttered their voices (ἐλάλησαν φωνάς - elalēsan phōnas):
  • λαλέω (laleō): Spoke, uttered, declared. Implies not just sound, but articulated speech or message.
  • φωνάς (phōnas): Voices. Plural, suggesting distinct utterances or a chorus of voices from the thunders.
  • Significance: This phrase indicates that the thunders did not just make noise, but communicated intelligible messages, making John's subsequent command to not write them down even more impactful. It signifies a divine message delivered, but purposefully hidden from immediate understanding, hinting at God's sovereign control over what is revealed and when.

Revelation 10 3 Bonus section

The "seven thunders" incident is one of the most intriguing "unrevealed" revelations in the Bible. It serves as a reminder that God, in His sovereignty, chooses what to disclose and when. This deliberate withholding challenges human curiosity and presumption, asserting divine control over all prophetic insight. This may also serve as a polemic against ancient Gnostic or mystery cults that claimed access to secret, ultimate knowledge. Here, God explicitly chooses to keep a particular revelation sealed, demonstrating that true knowledge comes from Him on His terms. Scholars debate the precise nature of the thunders' message—whether it concerned further judgments, the specifics of God's mystery, or warnings, but ultimately, the Bible asserts that its content is not for John, or by extension, us, to know at that specific point. It adds a layer of sublime mystery to God's dealings with humanity in the End Times.

Revelation 10 3 Commentary

Revelation 10:3 marks a dramatic interlude, pivoting the narrative after the cataclysmic sixth trumpet. The mighty angel's cry, resonating with the raw power and judgment symbolized by a roaring lion, underscores the absolute authority of the divine message he bears. This "roar" can be interpreted as an echoing of the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ, signifying that the coming events are rooted in His ultimate dominion and judgmental power. The direct consequence of this roaring pronouncement is the startling utterance of "seven thunders." The number seven implies a complete and divine message, suggesting a full series of powerful, unrevealed truths or judgments. That these thunders spoke rather than simply made noise is crucial; they conveyed a specific, audible message to John. This unique divine dialogue, a revelation immediately followed by a command to seal it (as detailed in Rev 10:4), emphasizes God's sovereign control over the timing and content of revelation. It highlights that not all divine communication is for immediate human understanding, preparing the reader for profound mysteries and yet-to-be-disclosed aspects of God's plan, particularly those concerning the consummation of His "mystery" (Rev 10:7). The scene instills both awe and a sense of impending, weighty events.