In the second verse of the tenth chapter, John says: “He had in his hand a little scroll which had been opened, ” — biblaridion aneogmenon. This was not like the scroll John speaks of in ch.
The feet of the angel as pillars of fire. The import of this has been expounded in the first volume in treating of the feet of the symbolic Son of Man, which John says, were “like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” The feet are symbols of progress, of advance into the arena of conflict; and when in intense ignition, of terrible destruction in their career.
The face of the angel is identical with the countenance of the symbolic Son of Man in ch. 1:16 — “his face as it were the Sun;” or, “his countenance as the sun shineth in his strength.” In the vision which Daniel saw of the same, “his face was as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire” (ch. 10:6).
Now, over or upon the head of this angel, John saw “the rainbow.” Before iris, all the recent editors of the text insert he, “the” which is no doubt correct, as having special reference to the rainbow in ch. 4:3. This is the symbol of the covenant, and inseparably connected with the throne.
The angelic symbol is peribeblemenon nephelen, one who hath been clothed with a cloud. Hence, there was a time when this clothing had not been developed.
The political death of the eastern Roman empire, and the transfer of its capital to the Ottoman Dynasty, interrupts the continuity of apocalyptic prophecy, as it did that of history.
Apoc. 10