Revelation 10:4
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What's striking here is that John hears and is about to write the utterances of the seven thunders, implying they were intelligible words, not just noise. The command to "seal them up" and "not write them" therefore isn't about suppressing noise, but about deliberately withholding specific, perhaps terrifying or confusing, divine pronouncements from the public record for reasons unknown to us.
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.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
John is in the midst of receiving a vision of a mighty angel. After witnessing the angel's powerful declaration, John hears seven thunders speak and prepares to record their message, but a heavenly voice intervenes, commanding him to seal what the thunders said and not write it down. This means that some divine messages, while heard, are not meant for public record or immediate understanding, hinting at a deeper mystery or a future revelation.
Imagine hearing something so profound, so powerful, that you instinctively reach for your pen. What if you were then told, 'Don't write that down'?
In Revelation 10:4, John hears the 'voices' of seven thunders, which were clearly intelligible and impactful, prompting him to write them down. However, a divine voice from heaven intervenes, commanding him to 'Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.'
Why the Secrecy?
This isn't about God hiding information out of caprice. The commentators suggest a few possibilities:
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Why would God speak, only to forbid the recording of His words? This verse challenges our assumption that every divine utterance must be documented.
The command to 'seal up' and 'not write' is a powerful act of divine control. It highlights that not all spiritual insights or revelations are meant for public dissemination or historical record.
The Nature of Divine Communication
Understand the original words
sphragizō · Greek Verb
To protect or keep hidden a divine message, implying that the full revelation of certain matters remains reserved solely within the counsel of God until a future time.
This passage also speaks of sealing up words and sealing a book, instructing Daniel not to reveal certain prophecies until the time of the end, paralleling John's command to not write down the thunders' message.
John 12:28-29During Jesus' earthly ministry, a voice from heaven declared His glory, and the crowd mistook it for thunder, showing how divine messages can be perceived differently by those with open ears versus those who only hear noise.
Revelation 22:10In contrast to Revelation 10:4, John is explicitly told *not* to seal the sayings of the prophecy of Revelation, highlighting that while some divine messages are intentionally hidden, others are meant for all to read.
1 Corinthians 2:10This verse explains that God reveals His hidden things through His Spirit, suggesting that the thunders contained deep spiritual truths that, while not written down for everyone, could be understood by those with spiritual discernment.
ellicottRevelation 10:4: "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."
(4) And when the seven . . .—Translate, And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write: and I heard a voice out of the heaven , saying, Seal up the things which the. seven thunders spoke, and write them not. He could have written down their utterances. It was no mere thun…
barnesRevelation 10:4: "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."
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices - After he had listened to those thunders; or when they had passed by. I was about to write - That is, he was about to record what was uttered, supposing that that was the design for which he hart been made to hear them. From th…
What's striking here is that John hears and is about to write the utterances of the seven thunders, implying they were intelligible words, not just noise. The command to "seal them up" and "not write them" therefore isn't about suppressing noise, but about deliberately withholding specific, perhaps terrifying or confusing, divine pronouncements from the public record for reasons unknown to us.
John is in the midst of receiving a vision of a mighty angel. After witnessing the angel's powerful declaration, John hears seven thunders speak and prepares to record their message, but a heavenly voice intervenes, commanding him to seal what the thunders said and not write it down. This means that some divine messages, while heard, are not meant for public record or immediate understanding, hinting at a deeper mystery or a future revelation.
John is in the midst of receiving a vision of a mighty angel. After witnessing the angel's powerful declaration, John hears seven thunders speak and prepares to record their message, but a heavenly voice intervenes, commanding him to seal what the thunders said and not write it down. This means that some divine messages, while heard, are not meant for public record or immediate understanding, hinting at a deeper mystery or a future revelation.
"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.”" — What's striking here is that John hears and is about to write the utterances of the seven thunders, implying they were intelligible words, not just noise. The command to "seal them up" and "not w…
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Last reviewed October 2026
