Revelation 10:11

"They" may refer to God or Jesus Christ (Revelation 10:4; Revelation 10:8) and the strong angel (Revelation 10:9). Many interpreters, however, believe this is a third person plural of indefinite reference that expresses reverentially the divine prompting that John experienced (cf. Revelation 12:6; Revelation 13:16; Revelation 16:15). [Note: Friedrich Düsterdieck, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Revelation of John, p. 305; Alford, 4:654; Lee, 4:638; Beckwith, p. 584; Robertson, 6:374; Ford, p. 160; Thomas, Revelation 8-22, p. 74.] "They" told John that he must (Gr. dei) prophesy again, as he had been doing (cf. Jeremiah 1:10; Ezekiel 4:7). They wanted him to communicate the new revelation contained in the little scroll that he had consumed. The new prophecies concerned many different peoples, nations, language groups, and kings (cf. Revelation 5:9). The specific mention of kings reflects God’s sovereignty and anticipates the judgments in Revelation 16:14; Revelation 17:10; and Revelation 17:12.

This renewed commission stresses that what follows would be more burdensome than what John had prophesied so far.