The Meaning of Revelation 10:5 Explained

Revelation 10:5

KJV: And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

YLT: And the messenger whom I saw standing upon the sea, and upon the land, did lift up his hand to the heaven,

Darby: And the angel whom I saw stand on the sea and on the earth lifted up his right hand to the heaven,

ASV: And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the angel  which  I saw  stand  upon  the sea  and  upon  the earth  lifted up  his  hand  to  heaven, 

What does Revelation 10:5 Mean?

Study Notes

angel
.
angels
Angel, Summary: Angel, "messenger," is used of God, of men, and of an order of created spiritual beings whose chief attributes are strength and wisdom. 2 Samuel 14:20 ; Psalms 103:20 ; Psalms 104:4 . In the O.T. the expression "the angel of the Lord" (sometimes "of God") usually implies the presence of Deity in angelic form.; Genesis 16:1-13 ; Genesis 21:17-19 ; Genesis 22:11-16 ; Genesis 31:11-13 ; Exodus 3:2-4 ; Judges 2:1 ; Judges 6:12-16 ; Judges 13:3-22 (See Scofield " Malachi 3:1 ") . The word "angel" is used of men in; Luke 7:24 ; James 2:25 ; Revelation 1:20 ; Revelation 2:1 ; Revelation 2:8 ; Revelation 2:12 ; Revelation 2:18 ; Revelation 3:1 ; Revelation 3:7 ; Revelation 3:14 In Revelation 8:3-5 . Christ is evidently meant. Sometimes angel is used of the spirit of man.; Matthew 18:10 ; Acts 12:15 . Though angels are spirits; Psalms 104:4 ; Hebrews 1:14 power is given them to become visible in the semblance of human form. Genesis 19:1 cf; Genesis 19:5 ; Exodus 3:2 ; Numbers 22:22-31 ; Judges 2:1 ; Judges 6:11 ; Judges 6:22 ; Judges 13:3 ; Judges 13:6 ; 1 Chronicles 21:16 ; 1 Chronicles 21:20 ; Matthew 1:20 ; Luke 1:26 ; John 20:12 ; Acts 7:30 ; Acts 12:7 ; Acts 12:8 etc.). The word is always used in the masculine gender, though sex, in the human sense, is never ascribed to angels.; Matthew 22:30 ; Mark 12:25 . They are exceedingly numerous.; Matthew 26:53 ; Hebrews 12:22 ; Revelation 5:11 ; Psalms 68:17 . The power is inconceivable. 2 Kings 19:35 . Their place is about the throne of God.; Revelation 5:11 ; Revelation 7:11 . Their relation to the believer is that of "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation," and this ministry has reference largely to the physical safety and well-being of believers.; 1 Kings 19:5 ; Psalms 34:7 ; Psalms 91:11 ; Daniel 6:22 ; Matthew 2:13 ; Matthew 2:19 ; Matthew 4:11 ; Luke 22:43 ; Acts 5:19 ; Acts 12:7-10 . From; Hebrews 1:14 ; Matthew 18:10 ; Psalms 91:11 it would seem that this care for the heirs of salvation begins in infancy and continues through life. The angels observe us; 1 Corinthians 4:9 ; Ephesians 3:10 ; Ecclesiastes 5:6 a fact which should influence conduct. They receive departing saints. Luke 16:22 . Man is made "a little lower than the angels," and in incarnation Christ took "for a little "time" this lower place.; Psalms 8:4 ; Psalms 8:5 ; Hebrews 2:6 ; Hebrews 2:9 that He might lift the believer into His own sphere above angels. Hebrews 2:9 ; Hebrews 2:10 . The angels are to accompany Christ in His second advent. Matthew 25:31 . To them will be committed the preparation of the judgment of the nations. Matthew 13:30 ; Matthew 13:39 ; Matthew 13:41 ; Matthew 13:42 . See Scofield " Matthew 25:32 ". The kingdom-age is not to be subject to angels, but to Christ and those for whom He was made a little lower than the angels. Hebrews 2:5 An archangel, Michael, is mentioned as having a particular relation to Israel and to the resurrections.; Daniel 10:13 ; Daniel 10:21 ; Daniel 12:1 ; Daniel 12:2 ; Judges 1:9 ; 1 Thessalonians 4:16 . The only other angel whose name is revealed Gabriel, was employed in the most distinguished services.; Daniel 8:16 ; Daniel 9:21 ; Luke 1:19 ; Luke 1:26 .
Fallen angels. Two classes of these are mentioned:
(1) "The angels which kept not their first estate place, but left their own habitation," are "chained under darkness," awaiting judgment. 2 Peter 2:4 ; Judges 1:6 ; 1 Corinthians 6:3 ; John 5:22 .
(See Scofield " Genesis 6:4 ")
(2) The angels who have Satan Genesis 3:1 as leader.
(See Scofield " Revelation 20:10 ") .
The origin of these is nowhere explicitly revealed. They may be identical with the demons.
(See Scofield " Matthew 7:22 ") . For Satan and his angels everlasting fire is prepared. Matthew 25:41 ; Revelation 20:10 .

Verse Meaning

The fact that the angel took an oath and swore by God seems to confirm that he is not God. Lifting the right hand toward God was and is a customary gesture when making a solemn oath (cf. Genesis 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7). The little book must have been in the angel"s left hand.

Context Summary

Revelation 10:1-11 - The Angel With The Little Book
If one of God's angels is so strong and glorious, what must the Lord of angels be! From the splendor of His retinue, we may estimate the wealth of the Prince. How exactly does this description of the little book suit the word of the Cross, that is, the message of the gospel! Things are spoken to the saints, which, as Paul says, no tongue can utter. They are sealed to the unbelieving but opened to the children of God. Notice that magnificent description of the ever-living God, the Creator, the Unfolder of the mystery of His dealings, Revelation 10:6-7. See also 1 Corinthians 2:12.
The gospel is full of sweetness and delight in its first conception. The sense of peace with God, the consciousness of pardoned sin and acceptance in the be-loved, are like the music of heaven or the dew of paradise. But the cross cuts deep into the self-life, as we carry the sentence of death in ourselves. We learn the necessity of being crucified with Christ, if we would enter into His resurrection joys; and so the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrates lower and lower, dividing soul and spirit, the joints and marrow. Our Lord never concealed this from those who sought to be enrolled as His followers; but there is blessedness in the bitterness, as springs of fresh water arising amid the brine of the sea. [source]

Chapter Summary: Revelation 10

1  A mighty strong angel appears with a book open in his hand
6  He swears by him who lives forever, that there shall be no more time
9  John is commanded to take and eat the book

Greek Commentary for Revelation 10:5

Standing [εστωτα]
Second perfect active participle of ιστημι — histēmi (intransitive). John resumes the picture in Revelation 10:2. [source]
Lifted up [ηρεν]
First aorist active indicative of αιρω — airō to lift up.To heaven (εις τον ουρανον — eis ton ouranon). Toward heaven, the customary gesture in taking a solemn oath (Genesis 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7). [source]
To heaven [εις τον ουρανον]
Toward heaven, the customary gesture in taking a solemn oath (Genesis 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:40; Daniel 12:7). [source]
His hand []
Add τὴν δεξιὰν theright, and see on Revelation 10:2. On lifting the hand in swearing, see Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8(margin); Deuteronomy 32:40. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 10:5

Revelation 10:2 In his hand [ἐν]
The roll of Revelation 5:1-14was on the hand ( ἐπί , see Revelation 5:1), being too large to be grasped within it. The roll was on the right hand; the little book is in the left. See on Revelation 10:5. [source]

What do the individual words in Revelation 10:5 mean?

And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea land lifted up the hand of him right to - heaven
Καὶ ἄγγελος ὃν εἶδον ἑστῶτα ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης γῆς ἦρεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ δεξιὰν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν

ἄγγελος  angel 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄγγελος  
Sense: a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God.
ὃν  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
εἶδον  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: εἶδον 
Sense: to see with the eyes.
ἑστῶτα  standing 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἵστημι  
Sense: to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set.
θαλάσσης  sea 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.
γῆς  land 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
ἦρεν  lifted  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: αἴρω  
Sense: to raise up, elevate, lift up.
χεῖρα  hand 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: χείρ  
Sense: by the help or agency of any one, by means of any one.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
δεξιὰν  right 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: δεξιός  
Sense: the right, the right hand.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
οὐρανόν  heaven 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: οὐρανός  
Sense: the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it.