and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Revelation 10:3
What does Revelation 10:3 mean?
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Revelation 10:3
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The verse highlights the deliberate sealing of the seven thunders' message, not merely that they spoke, but that their specific, potent words were withheld from John – and thus from us – suggesting a divine mystery or a future revelation. This isn't just about loud noises; it's about intentionally unrevealed divine pronouncements that John himself was about to record, adding a layer of suspense and divine sovereignty to the unfolding vision.
and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.
English Standard Version (ESV)
An immense angel descends with divine authority, holding a scroll and making a powerful declaration. This angel's mighty roar, echoing the strength of a lion, is immediately followed by the distinct voices of seven thunders, whose message is sealed and not revealed to John. The scene sets the stage for significant pronouncements and judgments yet to unfold in God's plan.
Imagine hearing a sound so powerful it makes the earth shake. This angel's cry is like that, but what does it signify?
The angel in Revelation 10 cries out with a "loud voice, like a lion roaring." This imagery isn't just about volume; it's loaded with meaning.
Symbol of Power and Authority
The lion is often called the "king of the beasts." Its roar signifies immense power, authority, and sometimes, righteous judgment. In this context, the angel's voice as a lion's roar suggests he is speaking with divine authority, perhaps announcing a crucial message or a coming judgment.
Connection to Christ
This imagery also connects to Jesus Himself, who is called the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" (Revelation 5:5). The angel's voice echoes Christ's own power and might, indicating that this message, though delivered by an angel, carries the weight of heaven itself.
Seven thunders sound out, but their message is sealed. What does it mean for divine communication to be both revealed and hidden?
Following the angel's roar, "the seven thunders uttered their voices." This is a fascinating element of the vision.
A Distinct Divine Communication
These aren't just random rumbles of thunder. The text specifies "the seven thunders," implying they are a distinct, ordered, and perhaps well-known set of divine pronouncements, akin to the other 'sevens' in Revelation (seals, trumpets, vials).
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Unrevealed but Significant
Crucially, John is told to "seal up what the seven thunders have said" (Revelation 10:4). While their voices are heard, their specific content remains hidden from us in this vision. This highlights that God's communication is not always fully disclosed to us. Some messages are for a specific time or a specific audience, and we are called to trust God's timing and wisdom even when understanding is withheld.
Echoes of God's Voice
Historically, thunder was often seen by the Israelites as the very voice of God (as in Psalm 29). So, these seven thunders represent a powerful, direct, and divine communication, even if its specifics are kept secret.
Understand the original words
leōn · Greek Noun
A biblical figure often representing strength, sovereignty, and the authority of the 'Lion of the Tribe of Judah,' signifying power and impending judgment.
brontē · Greek Noun
In apocalyptic literature, thunder frequently represents the voice of God, signaling majesty, divine authority, and the announcement of imminent judicial action.
The imagery of a lion's roar and seven thunders in Revelation 10 draws on ancient Jewish and classical understandings of powerful divine pronouncements, making it a potent symbol for the seismic religious and political shifts during the Reformation, marked by bold proclamations and counter-pronouncements.
c. 4th Century BC - 1st Century AD
Jewish Understanding of Divine Voice
During this period, Jewish tradition commonly referred to thunder as 'the seven voices' or the voice of the Lord, drawing parallels to the 'sevenfold voice of the Lord' found in Psalms 29.
c. 4th Century BC
Classical Use of 'Thunder Roar'
Ancient Greek writers like Aristophanes used the verb for 'roaring' (mykomai) to describe the sound of a lion, and also applied it to thunder, showing a connection between loud, powerful sounds.
c. AD 30-60
Early Christian Interpretations
Early Christian interpreters, like those commenting on Revelation, noted the symbolic use of the lion's roar for power and the concept of seven thunders as divine pronouncements, though specific meanings varied.
c. AD 1520-1550— this verse
The Reformation Begins
The Protestant Reformation dramatically challenged the established religious and political order, marked by powerful proclamations of doctrine and significant pronouncements from both reformers and the established Church.
c. AD 1520
Luther's Theses Spread
Martin Luther's Ninety-five Theses, challenging papal authority, spread rapidly across Europe within weeks, likened by some to a powerful, attention-grabbing proclamation, much like an angelic cry.
c. AD 1520 onwards
Papal Condemnations Issued
Rome responded to the Reformation with pronouncements and excommunications, sometimes referred to metaphorically as 'thunders' from the 'seven-hilled city,' aimed at suppressing the new movement.
This passage describes God Himself going forth like a mighty warrior, roaring like a lion, which directly parallels the imagery of the angel's powerful, lion-like cry in Revelation.
Psalm 29:3-4This Psalm speaks of the 'voice of the Lord' sounding with power over the waters, and His voice being full of majesty and breaking the cedars, echoing the immense power and divine origin of the 'seven thunders'.
Jeremiah 25:30Here, God roars from His holy habitation against His enemies, comparing His pronouncements to a lion's roar, reinforcing the divine authority and terror associated with such a sound.
Joel 3:16This verse directly states that 'the Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem,' connecting the lion's roar with a divine proclamation that carries immense weight and authority.
ellicottRevelation 10:3: "And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices."
(3) And cried with a loud voice . . . —Better, and he cried with a loud voice, even as a lion roareth. Another token of the presence of Christ with the Church. The voice is the voice of a courage and strength derived from Him who is the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.” And when he had cried . . .—Translate, and when he cried, the seven thunders (notice, not seven thun…
pulpitRevelation 10:3: "And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices."
Verse 3 - And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth; and be cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth (Revised Version). What the angel cried we are apparently not told. Probably the whole incident is intended merely to set forth the powerful and terrible nature of the messenger who is to deliver God's message. The figure is a very common one with the p…
The verse highlights the deliberate sealing of the seven thunders' message, not merely that they spoke, but that their specific, potent words were withheld from John – and thus from us – suggesting a divine mystery or a future revelation. This isn't just about loud noises; it's about intentionally unrevealed divine pronouncements that John himself was about to record, adding a layer of suspense and divine sovereignty to the unfolding vision.
An immense angel descends with divine authority, holding a scroll and making a powerful declaration. This angel's mighty roar, echoing the strength of a lion, is immediately followed by the distinct voices of seven thunders, whose message is sealed and not revealed to John. The scene sets the stage for significant pronouncements and judgments yet to unfold in God's plan.
An immense angel descends with divine authority, holding a scroll and making a powerful declaration. This angel's mighty roar, echoing the strength of a lion, is immediately followed by the distinct voices of seven thunders, whose message is sealed and not revealed to John. The scene sets the stage for significant pronouncements and judgments yet to unfold in God's plan.
"and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded." — The verse highlights the deliberate sealing of the seven thunders' message, not merely that they spoke, but that their specific, potent words were withheld from John – and thus from us – suggesting a…
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Last reviewed October 2026