Vs. 3-4. These verses tell us that the bearer of this open book cried with a loud voice and seven thunders uttered their voices. The seven thunders uttered something in words, for John was about to write it, but a voice from heaven told him to seal them up and not write these things which the seven thunders said. No doubt they were too terrible to write. Their ears and hearts are to be spared the description. And we will find in the next chapter that when the end of this scene comes we are spared the description of the carnage and massacre and madness of that last scene. We are told in brief words what fate was to befall the altar and temple and city of Jerusalem. And we are told the purpose and the spiritual results; but all the sickening details are omitted. These very soon became a matter of history, and John did not need to write them in detail.