1 I saw another mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
another strong angel – some have suggested the phrase “another strong angel” shows this Angel cannot be the Spirit of Christ, as the Angel of God. But we know that the Spirit of Christ can be manifest in any form, any appearance. John only records what he sees (Rev 1:11), and he does not interpret. The ensuing details show that this Angel is the strongest Angel, the Angel of Yihvah.
clothed with a cloud – Exod 13:21; and Exod 14:19, the cloud by which the Angel of Yihvah was covered and guided the Israelites
face like the sun – Rev 1:16; this is the most obvious indication that this Angel is the Angel of Yihvah we met in Chapter 1
“the rainbow” was over his head – in Greek, this is not “a rainbow” but “the rainbow,” the rainbow that appears over the head of Almighty God, in Ezek 1:28, and Rev 4:3. Here the message is that the Spirit of Christ is ALWAYS “the image of the invisible God,” “no one has seen God at any time” (John 1:18). The Spirit of Christ appeared as both the Ancient of Days and the Son of Man in Chapter One, and now we see that the Spirit of Christ, who can be manifest in many places, was also “the image of the invisible God” and the Lamb in Rev 4 and 5.
feet like pillars of fire – Exod 13:22, the pillar of fire by which the Angel of Yihvah guided the Israelites. The Spirit of Christ, is the Angel which Rev 1:1 told us, brought us all these revelations. He spoke with John in the LORD’s Day in Chapters 1-3, and then summoned John up to heaven in Chapter 4:1. He appeared as a Lamb, in Chapter 5, to open the scroll of the seven seals of Chapters 6-9. Now He stands with a Book in His hand for John to eat.