Revelation 10 4

Revelation 10:4 kjv

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

Revelation 10:4 nkjv

Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."

Revelation 10:4 niv

And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."

Revelation 10:4 esv

And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."

Revelation 10:4 nlt

When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down."

Revelation 10 verses

Revelation 10 4 Meaning

Revelation 10:4 presents a profound instance of divine revelation being withheld. After hearing the pronouncements of "seven thunders," the Apostle John is prepared to record them, a natural response for a prophet receiving divine messages. However, a heavenly voice explicitly commands him to "seal up" what the thunders uttered and to "not write it down." This signifies that not all divine truths are intended for immediate human comprehension or public dissemination. It underscores God's sovereignty over what is revealed and when, preserving a dimension of divine mystery within His overarching plan for history and the consummation of His kingdom. The unrecorded words represent a deliberate divine silence, a specific boundary to revelation, implying that some events or judgments are not yet to be understood or shared by humanity.

Revelation 10 4 Context

Revelation chapter 10 marks a significant interlude between the blowing of the sixth and seventh trumpets (Revelation 9:13-21 and 11:15-19). This pause, following severe judgments and humanity's failure to repent, introduces a powerful angel (often interpreted as Christ or a mighty angel embodying God's authority) with an open scroll, signifying an unfolding revelation or decree. John is told to eat this scroll, symbolizing the prophet's internalization and participation in the divine message (Rev 10:8-10). Verse 4 specifically interrupts this process, highlighting that even within this phase of greater revelation, there are still aspects of God's plan that remain unwritten and thus, for the moment, unknowable to humanity. It sets a boundary on John's prophetic duty and on what is permitted to be revealed about God's future actions, emphasizing that not everything from the divine council is for human ears. Historically, the audience would have been facing intense Roman persecution, seeking hope and understanding amidst their suffering. This verse's withholding of information might have been both a source of mystery and an affirmation of God's comprehensive, yet hidden, wisdom.

Revelation 10 4 Word analysis

• When (ὅτε - hote): A temporal conjunction, indicating a specific point in time or occurrence. It grounds the event in a chronological sequence of revelation.
• the seven (αἱ ἑπτὰ - hai hepta): "Seven" is a number of completeness and perfection in biblical numerology. Here, it indicates the full or definitive revelation from the "thunders," not just a few scattered events, but a comprehensive pronouncement.
• thunders (βρονταὶ - brontai): Literally, "thunder-peals." In biblical contexts, particularly in Exodus and Psalms, thunder is frequently associated with the voice of God, His divine power, majesty, and often, impending judgment or theophany (God's manifestation). It signifies overwhelming, authoritative communication.
• spoke (ἐλάλησαν - elalēsan): Aorist indicative of laleō, "to speak, utter, proclaim." It emphasizes that the thunders delivered an actual, audible, coherent message, not just noise.
• I (ἐγὼ - egō): John, the recipient of the Revelation. The "I" personalizes the account, bringing the reader into his immediate experience.
• was about (ἔμελλον - emellon): Imperfect indicative of mellō, "to be about to do, to intend to." It indicates John's immediate readiness and intent to write, highlighting his natural prophetic instinct.
• to write (γράφειν - graphein): Infinitive of graphō, "to write, record." Prophets are called to write down God's words (Hab 2:2; Jer 30:2), making John's initial impulse to do so consistent with prophetic tradition.
• but (καὶ - kai): A strong connective, here used adversatively, meaning "but" or "however," introducing a sudden change of direction or a counter-command.
• I heard (ἤκουσα - ēkousa): Aorist indicative of akouō, "to hear." Emphasizes John's direct perception of the heavenly instruction.
• a voice (φωνὴν - phōnēn): Accusative of phōnē, "a sound, voice, utterance." Its singular nature, coupled with "from heaven," indicates it is a singular, authoritative, divine utterance.
• from heaven (ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - ek tou ouranou): Source of the voice. "Heaven" consistently refers to the divine realm, the abode of God. This indicates that the command originates directly from God's authority or His immediate agent.
• say (λέγουσαν - legousan): Participle of legō, "to say, speak." Indicates the content of the heavenly voice.
• Seal up (Σφράγισον - Sphragison): Aorist imperative of sphragizō, "to seal, mark with a seal." To seal something meant to protect its contents from unauthorized access, to signify its authenticity, or, crucially here, to hide or reserve it for a later, undisclosed time (cf. Daniel's sealed visions).
• what (ἃ - ha): Neuter plural relative pronoun, referring to the specific content spoken by the thunders.
• the seven thunders (αἱ ἑπτὰ βρονταὶ - hai hepta brontai): Repeats the original subject, emphasizing the specific source of the secret information.
• have said (ἐλάλησαν - elalēsan): Aorist indicative of laleō, reinforcing that a specific message was delivered.
• and do not (καὶ μὴ - kai mē): A strong negative imperative, making the prohibition absolute.
• write it down (γράψῃς αὐτὰ - grapsēs auta): Aorist subjunctive of graphō with mē, forming the prohibition "do not write." "Auta" (them) refers directly back to "what the seven thunders have said." The instruction is definitive: the specific content must not be recorded.

Revelation 10 4 Bonus section

The sealing of the thunders' message has been a source of much speculation. It acts as a deliberate "information gap" within the Apocalypse, serving theological and literary purposes. Theologically, it reminds readers that God remains transcendent and His plans are not fully contained within human understanding, even within detailed prophecies. Literarily, it heightens the sense of divine mystery and emphasizes that Revelation, despite its name, also contains elements of what is hidden (apocalyptic literature often combines revelation with a sense of hidden, esoteric knowledge). This divine directive to withhold information contrasts sharply with much of modern communication where the drive is to reveal all, immediately. It emphasizes that divine wisdom is not constrained by human curiosity or demand. It ensures that certain events unfold not through human foresight based on pre-revealed details, but solely by God's timing and decree.

Revelation 10 4 Commentary

Revelation 10:4 stands as a profound moment of divine withholding amidst a book dedicated to revelation. The thunders, often associated with God's voice and His power, utter a message that is both authoritative and comprehensible to John. His immediate impulse to write it down aligns with his prophetic calling to document all that he sees and hears from God. However, the abrupt interjection of a heavenly voice commanding silence on this specific matter is highly significant.

This command to "seal up" and "do not write" signals that some aspects of God's future plans, even critical judgments, remain within the realm of His exclusive knowledge. It introduces the concept of partial revelation, affirming divine sovereignty and the mystery of God's counsel. It might imply that the information revealed by the thunders was either too terrible for humanity to bear before its appointed time, too easily misunderstood without the full context only God possesses, or simply not pertinent to the current stage of the prophetic narrative meant for public understanding. The silence underscores God's wisdom in knowing what humanity can or should know at any given moment, and what serves His overarching redemptive purposes. It stands in contrast to Revelation 22:10, where John is later told not to seal the book, signifying the nearing completion and accessibility of its prophecies. This earlier instance demonstrates God's controlled release of information throughout the eschatological timeline.