Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 10:3

"and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices." — Revelation 10:3 (ASV)

And cried with a loud voice . . .—Better, and he cried with a loud voice, even as a lion roars. This is another sign of the presence of Christ with the Church. The voice is the voice of 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 thunders,” but “the seven thunders”) spoke their own voices. The thunders are called the seven thunders to bring them before us as another order of sevens, and into harmony with the seven seals, the seven trumpets, and the seven vials.

Thus we have four sets of sevens. It was not a sevenfold peal of thunder, but seven thunders, which distinctly spoke their own voices. This marked language brings the seven thunders, though their utterances are never revealed, into prominence as a portion of the Apocalyptic system.

But what were these thunders? Were they more terrible judgments still? And did the sealing of them signify the shortening of the days of judgment, as Christ had said (Matthew 24:22)? It may be so.

One thing seems certain—the guesses which have been ventured (such as that they are identical with the trumpets, or that they are the seven crusades) can hardly be admitted. Whatever they were, they were perfectly intelligible to the Evangelist. He was on the point of writing down their utterances. Will this fact help us to understand the general object of their introduction here?