Chapter 10
THE RAINBOW ANGEL
“And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” (Gen.9: 14-16)
“In the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” (Hab.3: 2)
“And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth.” (Rev.10:1,2)
The status and importance of this angelic messenger is clearly being emphasised, for only one like the son of man in 1: 13-16 is described with more striking imagery.1 Chapter 10 and chapter 11 (up to verse 14) are a kind of interlude between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets, suggesting that the events run parallel with the trumpet judgments. The last trump is of course the introduction to the kingdom age.
We are dealing here with a moment of crisis, John is expecting the return of his Lord at this juncture – instead it is communicated to him that other important events must occur before the Lord returns. First there must be another period of witnessing to the nation of Israel.
Just as the sealed scroll of chapter 5 could not be opened until the work of the faithful witness (Jesus Christ 1:5) had been completed, so the seven thunders are sealed until the two witnesses complete their commission.
This chapter contains three main themes which we will examine in depth.
(1) The seven thunders
(2) The implicit question: How long?
(3) The mystery of God
Of all the angels that inhabit the pages of Revelation only three are called mighty. The first mighty angel was the herald who proclaimed the challenge to all comers to try their strength at opening the scroll with seven seals, and who thus prepared the way for the advent of the Lamb.
Now, in what can only be a deliberate cross- reference, John speaks of another mighty angel, and we are encouraged to look for a new disclosure comparable in importance to the earlier one. He is wrapped in the cloud of the divine presence, and over his head is the rainbow of the divine mercy. He bears the delegated attributes of deity, but he is also the angel of Jesus Christ, whose face John has seen shining like the sun. The legs like pillars of fire are reminiscent of Israel’s journey in the wilderness. This is the angel who is to guide the new Israel through the darkness of it’s Exodus pilgrimage from Egypt to the promised land.
The great scroll contained the purposes of God in so far as they were to be achieved by the Lamb. The little scroll contains a new version of those purposes in so far as they are to be achieved through the agency of the two witnesses.
The angel that John saw is the same angel that appeared to Daniel and concerns the same prophetic time period - 3½ years.
Other expositors, including H.A.W. have already shown the comparisons between Revelation and Daniel.
(Revelation. A Biblical Approach. Pg. 140)
Revelation
Daniel
10: 1. A mighty angel.
10: 5 and 12: 7. A man clothed in linen.
10: 2. Right foot on the sea, left foot on the land.
12: 7. Standing on the waters of the river.
10: 1. Face like the sun.
10: 6. Face like lightning.
10: 1. Feet as pillars of fire.
10: 6. Feet like polished brass.
10: 2. Open book in his hand.
10: 21. “I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth (the heavenly prototype).”
10: 3. Voice as a lion.
10: 6. Voice like a multitude.
10: 5. Lifts right hand to heaven. (the left hand holds the book)
12: 7. Lifts both hands to heaven.
10 : 6. Swears by him that liveth for ever.
12: 7. Swears by him that liveth for ever.
10: 7. Mystery of God to be finished as declared to the prophet.
12: 7. “All these things shall be finished.”
11: 2. Temple court “cast out”, given to Gentiles.
12: 11. Daily sacrifice taken away, abomination set up.
11: 2. Holy city trodden under foot.
12: 7. Power of the holy people scattered.
11: 2. 42 months.
12: 7. Time, times and a half.
11: 18. The time of the dead that they should be judged.
12: 2. Many that sleep awake, to everlasting life or to contempt.
“The angel has set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth” (v.2)
Throughout scripture the right is generally associated with blessing and the left with curse. (Gen.48: 14; Mtt.25: 31). The left foot on the earth represents the down treading of Israel for, “the court that is without the temple is given unto the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread underfoot forty and two months.” (11: 2) At this juncture God has allowed the Gentiles to gain the advantage1, but now amidst the turmoil unleashed against the nation, God remembers his covenant of mercy (the rainbow) with, “every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.” [ Israel ] (Gen.9: 16)
God will send his witnesses (prophets) to the nation, this indicates that although Israel experiences a time of trouble, Jerusalem will only be trodden down of the Gentiles, “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Lk.21: 24)
THE SEVEN THUNDERS
“and he cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 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.” (Rev.10: 3,4)
It is significant that the “seven thunders” are heard by the apostle John, who together with his brother James was, “surnamed Boanerges which is, the sons of thunder”
(Mk.3: 17). The two apostles form types of the two witnesses, for it is John himself that receives the commission to witness at the end of chapter 10. This is obviously not literal, for John was already an old man, and James had died some time back, before this latest commission was given. Never the less, although not present in body, the sons of thunder are present in spirit when the two future witnesses speak.
Why were the two brothers surnamed Boanerges? Several suggestions have been made, amongst them, the suggestion that the name belonged to the two Sanhedrin assistants, who counted the votes for “Yea” or “Nay”, and who were seated at the right and left of the High priest. With this may be compared the request by James to sit on the Lord’s right and left hand in his kingdom. (Mk. 10: 36)
This is an attractive suggestion, for in essence this is what the two witnesses are instructed to do, “to measure the temple” (count the votes for and against), furthermore the Lord asked, whether they could, “drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?” (Mk.10:38-39) They answered in the affirmative, and Jesus said they would experience the same baptism as himself – that is, suffering and martyrdom due to their witnessing.2 The two witnesses of chapter 11 also share in the suffering of their Lord.
When he spoke of his own suffering he was answered by an angel – a voice from heaven saying, “I have glorified it (my name) and will glorify it again. The opinion of the bystanders who heard the voice was divided, some said that it thundered, others that an angel spoke to him. (John12: 28,29) In the verses previous to this (v.25,26)
Jesus had exhorted his disciples that, “He that loveth his life shall loose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”
The suffering and vindication of the Lord is therefore associated with the suffering and vindication of his witnesses, which are also justified by the voice of thunder, for, “whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified them he also glorified.” (Rom.8:30)
The suffering of Christ and his witnesses glorify the name of God, who in turn will glorify them. It was the two “sons of thunder” who wished to, “call fire down from heaven, and consume them (the unbelievers) even as Elias did.” (Lk.9: 54) Jesus rebuked them with the words, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” They belonged to the spirit of salvation, the acceptable year of the Lord, not the year of vengeance. (Lk.4 18-20) However, metaphorically, the future witnesses do have the power of Elijah (see chpt.11 pg.11) but this time fire comes out of their mouths (11:5) for no one can stand against their words.
“I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” (Jer 5: 14)
Thunder is associated in scripture with the voice of God. The rabbinical term is the bat qol (literally, ‘daughter of a voice’) tradition has it that the voice of God on Sinai was heard as seven thunders. The voice of God is often compared with the sound of thunder (2 Sam.22:14; Job 37:2-5; Ps.18:13; Isa.29: 6; 30: 30-31; Jer.25:30; Amos 1: 2) though only in Psalm 29: 3-9 with seven thunders.
(1) The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thundereth. (v.3)
(2) The voice of the Lord is powerful. (v.4)
(3) The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. (v.4)
(4) The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars. (v.5)
(5) The voice of the Lord divides the flames of fire. (v.7)
(6) The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness (v.8)
(7) The voice of the Lord makes the hinds calve. (v.9)
This thunder accompanies rainfall for,
“The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth king forever.” (v.10)
The motif of the seven thunders is a flood of destruction that is sealed up until after the witnessing. We have then a clear association with the flood.
GENESIS REVELATION: FUTURE LUKE:TYPICAL A.D. 70
6:5,6. “And when God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented God that he had made man upon the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.”
6:2. The sons of God marry the daughters of men.
6:13. The earth filled with violence
9:20,21 “.…they repented not of the work of their hands, that they should worship devils, and idols of gold and silver…..
….nor of their fornication…
….nor of their murders…(of the witnesses )
17: 26. “And as it was in the days of Noah even so shall it be in the days of the son of man.”
17: 27. “They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
Murder the Just and Holy one.
(Acts 6: 52)
7:24. The flood on the earth five months.
9: 10. Power to hurt men five months
The last five months of the siege of Jerusalem.(see dig.11.1pg.18 note 19.)
9:14. THE RAINBOW COVENANT
10:1. THE RAINBOW COVENANT
THE SIGN OF THE SON OF MAN IN HEAVEN (Mtt.24: 30) in the first century this was a comet according to Josephus – an omen of destruction in the ancient world, not of mercy.
PSALM 29
29: 3,4,5,7,8 and 9;
The seven voices (thunders).
10:4. Seven thunders – to be found in Rev. chpt. 14 as the seven voices, the last being 16:1 – the introduction to the vials.
29:10. The voice of the Lord is upon the flood. The glory of God thundereth.
16: 1. And I heard a great voice (thunder) out of the temple saying ….
17: 30. Even so shall it be in the day when the son of man is revealed.
The flood of destruction that came in A.D. 70 was typical of the future:
“For this they (those who scoff at the Lords return) willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (2 Pet.3: 5,7)
Not just the nation of Israel, but also the ecclesias had become corrupt. “It has happened to them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet.2: 22) A wholesale haemorrhaging back to Judaism and hedonism. The sons of God marrying the daughters of men, both literally and spiritually, as is apparent from the epistle of Jude. There was only one remedy possible – removal of Judaism (the Temple) and removal of spirit gifts from the corrupted ecclesias. The Lord came in judgment, and it is as a consequence of that disobedience, that we have a 2,000 year breach of promise.
H.A.W.’s exposition of Revelation proposes that the seven thunders were written down (pg.144). In his exegesis the seven thunders are found in the judgments pronounced against Babylon in a loud voice by the angels of Revelation chapter 14.(see pg.177) The present author agrees with this analysis. Some commentators assert that there is little point in asking what their content might have been, for we are obviously not intended to know.
An enigma within a mystery. This is untrue, for both the enigma (seven thunders) and the mystery of God can be found in the pages of scripture.
“The thunder of his power who can understand?” (Job 26: 14)
Rabbinic tradition comments as follows:
When thunder goes forth in his full force, no creature can understand it. It is not written none understands, but who can understand? The intelligent ones they know his hints and thoughts.
(Gen. Rab. 12:1 – trans., Epstein, Babylonian Talmud)
Here thunder is regarded as a divine means of communication, that only the wise will understand. This is the point that H.A.W. emphasises, “write them not” must read as “write not their meanings” (pg.145) otherwise it seems totally inappropriate to instruct John to, “seal them up.”
HOW LONG?
“And the angel which I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted his right (R.V.) hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev.10: 5-7)
The mighty angel of Revelation 10 is reminiscent of the angel of 2 Sam 24: 17 (and 1 Cron.21: 16), this is the angel seen by king David standing between heaven and earth at the incident of the numbering of Israel. This is essentially what both Satan and the witnesses do – some numbered (measured) for destruction (666), others sealed for eternal redemption. The plague is stopped at the threshing floor (temple), similarly, it is the temple that the witnesses measure.(Rev11:1) – and the threshing floor that is purchased by David (Christ) for the erection of the temple. The pestilence was sent to Israel even to the time appointed, and 70,000 died.1
In this passage God is the witness not the subject of the oath. Dan.12: 7 is clearly the source of the gesture, even though in that passage the angel lifts both hands. In LXX Deut.32: 40 and Rev.10: 5 alone, however, is the right hand raised as a gesture accompanying an oath. In the important passage in Deut.32: 40, the first line of verse 40 can be constructed as the second part of v.39, i.e., “and no one can deliver from my hand, for I lift up my hand to heaven. I swear: as I live forever..”
This passage is so important that it behoves us to quote it fully and examine it properly:
“See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.”
Deuteronomy 32:39-43
The context of the passage is the death and resurrection of the nation: “I kill, and I make alive” (contrast the death and resurrection of the witnesses) When she is resurrected this causes, “the rejoicing of the nations with his people.”(v.43) This is not a general reference to the gentile nations themselves, but to people from gentile nations rejoicing with his people:
“I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.” (Deut.32: 21)
The word foolish is sometimes used in a derogatory sense (Ps.74: 18) but on this occasion the “foolish nation” is the nation referred to by the apostle Paul, who quotes this very passage:
“For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.(Joel 2:32) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Isa.52: 7) But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?(Isa.53: 1) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.(Ps.19: 4) But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.(Deut. 32: 21) But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.(Isa.65: 1) But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” (Isa.65: 2)
Romans 10:12-21
The context of this passage is of Israel being provoked to jealousy by the preaching (witnessing) of the gospel by Paul to the Gentiles. However, it is quite plausible that this passage also has a latter day reference – it may well be the case that the “two witnesses” who are sent to the nation of Israel are Gentiles. (Paul quotes Ps.19:4 compare the line with measuring in Rev.11:1,2 and the word line in Isa.28: 10-13 in the context of preaching, for, “with stammering lips and with another tongue will he speak to this people”)
Apart from the reference to, “lifting the hand to heaven and swearing”, which is a direct reference to the angel of Rev.10: 5, the prophecy of Moses in Deuteronomy 32 has a definite latter day flavour;
- “they moved him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations they provoked him to anger.” (v.16)1 : image of the beast (Rev.13: 14)
- “they sacrificed unto devils not to God.” (v.17) : Worship devils (Rev.9 :20)
- “bitter destruction.” (v.24) : wormwood (Rev.8:11) the destroyer (Rev.9:11)
- “I will send the teeth of beasts upon them.” (v.24) : beast of the sea (Rev.13: 1)
- “with the poison of crawling things of the dust.” (v.24) :scorpion, serpents (Rev.9: 3,5,19)
- “the vine of Sodom” (v.32) : Jerusalem called Sodom (Rev.11: 8)
And yet, despite all this, there is always a way back to our God.
“And will be merciful (= rainbow covenant) unto this land, and to his people.” (v.43)
Normally heaven and earth are called upon as witnesses to an oath, not because they serve as guardians or protectors of the covenant but because they are stable and permanent aspects of reality. That is not done here because the heaven, the earth, and the sea will all pass away. (Rev.21: 1) The only true stable reality is God himself.
Both Daniel and Deuteronomy form the source for the lifting of the hand(s) to heaven, and Daniel, like John, is also instructed to, “shut up the words, and seal the book, until the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan.12: 4)
Running to and fro is not a reference to air travel, and the increase of knowledge is not a reference to computers. Running to and fro, is Bible idiom for prophesying for knowledge of the word shall be increased. (This clearly means that Revelation was not meant to be understood until the very last. i.e., by the generation that will be alive when the Lord returns)
“And the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision , and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak (and it hasteth toward the end. R.V.) and not lie: though it tarry wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Hab.2: 2-3)
“None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” (Dan.12: 10)
I have already indicated in the sub heading; “ how long?”, that this question is implicit in this section of the text. This was the question on the lips of the prophet Daniel; “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” (Dan 12: 6) however, the question was not asked by Daniel, but, “one said to the man clothed in linen.” This question was asked on behalf of the saints of all ages (Rev.6: 10) and although the question was probably asked by another angel, the possibility must be considered that Daniel actually saw John ask Gabriel the question. The answer given, was that, “there should be time no longer” (Rev.10: 6) literally there will be no more interval of time. (breach?) “delay” is an inappropriate translation of CrovnoV (Chronos) in v.6, for it assumes that eschatological events have been postponed. In Rev.6: 11 the phrase, eti CrovvnoV mikrovn (eti chronos mikron) means “for a little while longer”, similarly in Rev.20:3 it means, “a little while” or “a short time.” The time period in Dan.12: 7 is for a, “time, times and a half (3½ years) ; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished.” The word finished is a direct cross reference to Rev.10: 7, “the mystery of God should be finished.” Revelation also speaks of 3½ years (11: 3) [not 1260 years – by any stretch of the imagination it is impossible to regard that as a short time or interval]
The question “how long?” was also on the lips of our first century brethren. (6: 9) The symmetry between first century and last day events has already been demonstrated. (see chapter 8& 9 pg.20 ), Peter Watkins has also recognised that this question is implicit in the text. (see chpt. 11 pg.30 of this book), moreover the quote that we have already considered from Hab.2: 2-3, “it will surely come it will not tarry” carries the same overtones.
The book of Habbakuk contains many allusions to Revelation, furthermore it poses the question, “how long?” twice (1: 2;2: 6) corresponding with the two times the question is posed in Revelation.
“In the midst of the years, in the midst of the years [half way the seven – Dan.9:27] make it known; In wrath remember mercy. [= rainbow covenant]” (Hab.3: 2)
“Before his face shall go a report.” [ = the witnesses?] (Hab.3: 5)
“Thy bow [rainbow?] was made quite bare surely thou didst bend thy bow at seven thunders.” 1 (Hab.3: 9)
Habbakuk resides in the southern kingdom of Judah, and unlike the other prophets who preceded him, Habbakuk addresses his words not to his compatriots but to God. His principle question is: when will God fulfil his purpose and bring his reign of justice, righteousness, and peace on earth? When is the kingdom of God going to come?
THE MYSTERY OF GOD
“then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets.” (10: 7b)
H.A.W. proposes that the mystery of God is the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles, this is only partially correct. The mystery of God is the kingdom. This great mystery has various components.
(1) Marriage - this is a great mystery (for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother. i.e., marriage of the Lamb. Eph.5: 31-33)
(2) Christ – the mystery of godliness (1 Tim.3: 16; Col.2: 2,3)
(3) The casting away of Israel. (Rom.11: 25)
(4) The inclusion of the Gentiles. (Eph.3:3; Rom.11:25)
(5) Eternal life. (1 Cor.15: 51; Col.1:5,27; Col.2: 2,3 compare 3: 3)
All these mysteries will only achieve their completion in the kingdom age. The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are described in the parable of the sower.
Matthew 13, Luke 8 Revelation
Seed fallen by the wayside:
1. Eaten by birds. (Mtt.)
2. Trodden down.(Lk.)
1. Saying to all the birds gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. (19: 17,18)
2. Shall they tread underfoot. (11: 3)
On rocky ground:
Scorched by the sun.
And power was given unto the sun to scorch men with fire. (16: 8,9)
Amongst thorns:
Choked with riches and pleasure
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (Sardis – 3: 17)
Good ground:
fruitbearing
Firstfruits unto God. (14:4)
The mystery of God encompasses many things but essentially it is the eschaton. In Revelation the “good tidings” or “eternal gospel” that is declared is the hour of judgment or the Fall of Babylon. This is indeed “good tidings” to the believers and it is no coincidence that we find this theme replicated in chapter 14, for as we have already indicated chapter 14 contains the seven thunders.
REVELATION 10 REVELATION 14
v.7. “according to the good tidings (gospel) which he declared to his servants the prophets.”
v.6. “another angel having an eternal gospel to preach (proclaim R.V.) unto them that dwell on the earth.”
v.4. “when the seven thunders uttered their voices.”
v.7. “saying with a loud voice: Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come.”
v.6. who created heaven…and earth…and sea.
v.7 “worship him that made heaven, and earth and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”
v.7. “then is finished the MYSTERY OF GOD.”
v.8. “And there followed another angel saying, Fallen, Fallen is Babylon the Great. (MYSTERY BABYLON)”
v.4. “those things which the seven thunders uttered write them not.”
v.13. “Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.”
The mystery of God is then the final fall of Babylon and the consummation of the kingdom. It is finished does not mean that the kingdom is over, but that it has come to fruition, it is fulfilled.
“Shall the (R.V.) trumpet (last trump- 11: 15) be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? (11: 13) shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it? (judgment of Babylon -14: 7) Surely the Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret (seven thunders- 10: 4) unto his servants the prophets. (which he declared unto his servants the prophets – 10: 7)
The lion (of Judah – 5: 5) hath roared (a loud voice- 16: 1) who will not fear? The Lord hath spoken, who can but prophesy?”(the witnesses- 11:2) [Amos 3: 6-8]
The last trump sees the introduction of the kingdom and the judgment of the world:
“And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and shouldest destroy them that destroy the earth. (Israel)” (11:18)
The mystery of God finds it’s counterpart in scriptures:
§ Mystery of godliness – mystery of iniquity (2 Thess.2: 7 = man of sin)
§ Mystery of God – mystery Babylon (17:5)
§ Mystery of marriage (the bride of the Lamb) – mystery of the woman (17:7)
It is finished is a formula that occurs at crucial (critical) moments in God’s purpose.
“Thus the heaven and earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day.” (Gen.2: 1,2)
This was God’s first great creative act.
“Jesus cried with a loud voice, “it is finished” (John19: 30; Mtt.27: 50; Lk.23: 46; Mk.15: 37)
This was God’s second great creative act.
“The mystery of God should be finished” (10:7) …. “Great voice…it is done.” (16:17) [previous verse = Armageddon] “ ….and he said unto me it is done…the tabernacle of God is with men.” (21: 6) “new heaven and earth: for the first heaven and earth were passed away.” (21: 1)
(God has finished creating the ‘host of heaven’ and rests on the seventh day)
This is God’s last great creative act.
THE LITTLE SCROLL
“And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.”
(Rev.10: 8-11)
In this section we note how John is told twice to take the roll. It is not handed to him; even when he asks the angel to give it to him, the answer is that he must take it. This was also the experience of Ezekiel who was told to eat the roll and to fill his belly with it (Ezek.3: 1,3). In both pictures the idea is the same. The messenger of God has to take God’s message into his very life and being.
The sweetness of the roll is a recurring theme, the judgments of God are sweeter than honey and the honey comb (Ps.19:10) “How sweet are thy words to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth.” (Ps.119: 103). Apparently, when a Jewish boy was learning the alphabet it was written on a slate in a mixture of flour and honey, which he was allowed to lick off if he remembered the pronunciation.
But for John the roll was both sweet and bitter at the same time. It is a sweet thing to be chosen as God’s witness, but the message he proclaimed was bitter. The sons of thunder have the privilege to be admitted to the secrets of heaven (seven thunders) but at the same time it was bitter to have to predict a time of terror, even if triumph lay at it’s end.
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NOTES
1 The mighty angel is not Christ. Scripture could not speak of Christ as ‘merely’ another angel. The angel is without question Gabriel, who appeared to Daniel. The angel has the attributes of Christ because of the importance of the forth coming revelations. The following comparison is culled from H.A.W.’s Revelation. Pg. 140. See also digression 11.1 page 13 and also note 18 of this book.
The Angel of Revelation 10
Christ
(a) Clothed wit a cloud.
(a) “ A cloud received him out of their sight…shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1: 10, 11). “Behold he cometh with clouds.” (Rev.1:7 and 14: 14)
(b) His face as the sun.
(b) “His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” (1: 16)
(c) His feet as pillars of fire.
(c) “His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace.” (1: 15)
(d) “Cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth.”
(d) “The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed to open the seals.” (5: 5)
(e) “A rainbow was upon his head.”
(e) “There was a rainbow round about the throne (4: 3)…a Lamb in the midst of the throne.” (5: 6)
NOTES
1In his Revelation, ‘A Biblical Appoach’ (pg.142,143) H.A.W. argues that the left foot indicates the casting away of Israel and the right foot the blessing of the Gentiles. The Gentiles were blessed when Israel was cast off, through the preaching of the gospel: “according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets.” (10:7) H.A.W. poses the following question; How could judgment on Israel be characterised as “good tidings” if it were not that their casting away meant the receiving of the Gentiles? According to this view the “mystery of God” is the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles. The present author believes that the, “mystery of God” is the kingdom. The preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles is only part of that mystery. This theme will be fully explored later in this chapter.
2 James was killed by the sword (Acts 12:1) not by stoning. This indicates that the accusation against him was not religious. He was probably beheaded like John the Baptist. John the Baptist is the only one we can say with any certainty was beheaded. (see Rev.20:4 does this answer the question posed in Mk.10: 36?)
NOTES
1 David did not sin in numbering the people, the people neglected to pay the ‘atonement money’, which was commanded in the law of Moses, whenever there was a census. The Lord’s anger was, “Kindled against Israel (2 Sam.24: 1) David only sinned in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. (1 Kings 15: 5) The census numbers in the two accounts are different, which suggest inflation.(a common occurrence) If 70,000 died, might the census have been 700,000 ? ( for Israel only – ten tribes ?) In that case God was taking his tithe. (Compare Rev.11:13 : 7,000 killed out of a total of 70,000) See also; Samuel, Saul and David by H.A.W. pgs.220-226.
NOTES
1 Therefore he moves them to jealousy with a “foolish nation.”
NOTES
1 This is a reconstruction of the LXX text by J.Ziegler, where the M.T. has probably been corrupted. The LXX has seven sceptres i.e., seven thunders. (Day, Vetus Testamentum 29 [1977] 146-7)
