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在这里，我们看见一个踏海踏地、像巨人那样的天使，他带来一个信息：“不再有时日了！”有一“小书卷”在他“手中展开。”这些景象究竟有什么意思呢？

一些深入考察的学者们能帮助我们明白这里的疑问。第一，我们需要知道希腊文中“天使”（angelos）这个字，在原文中也有“使者”的意思。神大能的天使能够履行很多任务，然而他们其中一项主要的工作就是作神的使者向我们传递消息。他们来要传达重要的谕旨，这些谕旨通常都是关于神拯救我们的“好消息”（euangelion）；我们也称这个好消息为“福音”（出自一个古老的希腊字，意思是“好消息”）。

以上的资料帮助我们明白那在天使手中展开的“小书卷”究竟是什么。它正是福音，是任何人都可以看得到、听得到和赖以生活的好消息。讲述者约翰奉差遣，向万邦传讲这个信息，万万不可延迟。这个信息似乎很简短，然而，像大能的天使一样，它也是带着神的能力传出去的，它能够到达任何远方，穿过大陆和海洋，直到地极。

天使又吩咐约翰：“你拿着吃尽了。”为什么呢？神的好消息是我们心灵的食粮，它的味道甜如蜜；但悲哀的是，它也能带来苦味。这个信息是又苦又甜的，因为它被传出去时，有些人会拒绝听，拒绝信。（参结 3:1-15）

Here we see a gigantic angel who can straddle both the land and sea. He comes with a message: "No more delay!" And he has "a little scroll" that is "open in his hand." What do these pictures mean?

Some thoughtful scholars of the Bible can help us here. First, it’s important to know that the Greek word for "angel" (angelos) in the original text also means "messenger." God’s mighty angels can do many things, but one of their main jobs is to be God’s messengers to us. They come with important announcements, and these are often about the "good news" (euangelion) of God’s salvation for us. This good news is also called the "gospel" (from an old English word meaning "good news").

This helps us understand what "the little scroll" is that lies open in the angel’s hand. It is the gospel, the good-news message that is open for all to see and hear and live by. John, the narrator, is invited to take this message and preach it to the nations, without delay. It may seem like a small message. But like the mighty angel, it is sent with the power of God, so it can go anywhere, crossing the land and sea to the ends of the earth.

John is also told to "take it and eat it." Why? God’s good news is food for the soul, and it tastes sweet. Sadly, though, it can also bring a feeling of bitterness. The message is bittersweet because when it is shared, some people refuse to listen and believe (see Ezekiel 3:1-15).