Revelation 10:2: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

After John described Christ's glory from head to foot in Revelation 10:1,¹ he said that Christ had a little book in his hand.² The little size of the book indicates that it contains one small part of the much larger book with seven seals from Revelation 5:1.³ The seven seals cover all 7,000 years of the earth's temporal history from the fall of Adam to the end of the earth.⁴ The contents of the little book, however, relate directly to the gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman. This is why the mighty angel in Revelation 10:1 has the little book open in his hand when he appears to the gathered saints in Revelation 10:2. The little book was open in the hand of Christ to indicate that God was about to reveal the contents to John.⁵ Some scholars believe the little book represents the Bible as a moving cause for the Reformation.⁶ However, Christ reveals the true meaning of the little book in Revelation 10:8-11,⁷ after John first completes his description of Adam-ondi-Ahman in Revelation 10:1-7.⁸

In Revelation 10:2, the strong angel (Christ) places both feet upon the earth. Feet are a symbol of ownership or dominion over the things beneath them.⁹ Therefore, when Christ sets his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, he symbolically takes possession¹⁰ and dominion¹¹ of the entire earth away from Satan.¹² Christ will take this dominion when he sets his feet as pillars of fire on the whole earth¹³ during the future gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman.¹⁴ Isaiah poetically described Christ taking dominion on the mountains of Adam-ondi-Ahman¹⁵ when he said in Isaiah 52:7: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"¹⁶

Revelation 10:3: And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

At Adam-ondi-Ahman, the Savior will symbolically cry with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth.¹⁷ This roar by the proverbial king of the beasts represents Christ's coronation.¹⁸ His roar comes as King of kings and Lord of lords.¹⁹ His roar may also be a pronouncement of judgments to be poured out at the Second Coming after Christ's coronation at Adam-ondi-Ahman.²⁰

During the gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman, priesthood leaders with keys²¹ from all seven dispensations of time²² will surrender their priesthood keys to Adam,²³ and then to Jesus Christ.²⁴ The seven thunders in Revelation 10:3 symbolize these priesthood holders who stand at the head of the seven major gospel dispensations.²⁵ The seven thunders are the antitype for the seven high priests who were present with Adam and received keys from him during the ancient gathering of Adam's righteous posterity at Adam-ondi-Ahman.²⁶ John's vision identifies the seven thunders with the definite article²⁷ because the seven thunders would be familiar to John's audience as the seven heads of the seven gospel dispensations.²⁸

The number seven has sacred significance in many settings.²⁹ In the context of Adam-ondi-Ahman (both past and future),³⁰ however, the number is specifically related to oath and covenant making.³¹ During the future gathering, the seven thunders will utter their voices as a covenant to sustain³² Jesus Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah³³ and King of kings³⁴ over all earthly governments.³⁵ The voices of the seven thunders will herald Christ's enthronement at Adam-ondi-Ahman,³⁶ just as trumpets of old both announced and celebrated³⁷ the coronation of ancient kings in Israel.³⁸

Revelation 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.

After the seven thunders utter their voices in Revelation 10:3, another voice from heaven told John to Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.³⁹ The voice came from God the Father⁴⁰ because John distinctly saw Christ on earth at Adam-ondi-Ahman at the same time the other voice speaks from heaven.⁴¹ Furthermore, only the Father stands above Christ in the heavenly hierarchy to utter such a command.⁴² Therefore, God the Father commanded John to seal up the words of the seven thunders, which also confirms that the seven thunders are angelic persons that literally speak.⁴³ John describes them symbolically as thunders because he saw them standing in the presence of Christ and they were endowed with his power.⁴⁴

Some scholars suggest that the seven thunders uttered words of impending judgment.⁴⁵ This has some appeal because there will be 3½ years of judgments upon the wicked during the Great Tribulation that follows the gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman.⁴⁶ Additionally, thunder is a symbol for God's wrath and vengeance.⁴⁷ However, these are insufficient reasons to assume that the seven thunders uttered unspeakable words of judgment. John spared no details in his many and vivid descriptions of God's judgments on the wicked that will precede the Second Coming,⁴⁸ so there is no reason to seal such utterances. Instead, the utterances of the seven thunders are sealed because Adam-ondi-Ahman is a secret or private gathering of saints⁴⁹ where sacred covenants will be made and sacred ordinances performed.⁵⁰ The unwritten words remain sealed because the gathering at Adam-ondi-Ahman will be sacred, just as temple ordinances are not openly discussed because of their sacred character.⁵¹

Christ will be present at the future gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman.⁵² Therefore, it stands to reason that the seven thunders will speak the grand key-words of the priesthood⁵³ that bring people into the presence of the Lord⁵⁴ and make their exaltation possible.⁵⁵ At Adam-ondi-Ahman, exaltation-worthy people will have their calling and election made sure. The sealed and unwritten words of the seven thunders remain a mystery to the world,⁵⁶ but they should not be a mystery to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who make sacred covenants as they receive and repeat the grand key-words of the priesthood in the temple and then enter the presence of the Lord as they do so.⁵⁷