Reading Revelation Chapter 10


1 I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven.

He was clothed in cloud and there was a rainbow about his head.
His face was bright like the sun and his feet were like pillars of fire.

2 In his hand he held a small open book.

He set his right foot down upon the oceans and his left foot upon the lands.

3 Then he cried with a great roar, like the roaring of a lion,

and when he roared seven thunders broke forth in voices.

4 I was about to write down what I heard the seven thunders say

when I heard a voice coming out of heaven saying,

Do not write down what you heard. Seal up what you heard.

5 Then the angel standing upon the oceans and the lands

raised his hand toward heaven

6 and swore by the One who lives in eternity,

who created the heavens and earth and all that is in them that time was now to come to an end.

7 For in the days when the angel who blows the seventh trumpet begins to blow

the mystery of God will be completely brought forth in the world,
even the mystery of the knowledge of God
which he has entrusted to his servants the prophets.

8 Then the voice which I heard coming out of heaven spoke to me again and said,

Go take the little book which you see open in the hand of the angel who is standing upon the oceans and the lands.

9 I went unto the angel and said,

Give me the little book. He replied, Take and eat it entirely. It will make your stomach sick but in your mouth it will taste like honey.

10 Then I took the little book from the angel's hand and ate it entirely.

It was like honey in my mouth but made my stomach sour.

11 He then said to me,

You must prophesy again to races and nations and in different languages, and to all the world rulers.


A COMMENT ON REVELATION 10:5-7
5 And the angel which I saw stand on the sea and on the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6 And swore by him who lives forever and ever... that there should be time no longer: 7 ... the mystery of God will be finished, as he has declared to his servants the prophets. AKJV

6 ... there would be no more delay. ESV


Time is revealed and defined
in relation to the mystery of God in the world.

The mystery of God, as revealed to his prophets,finally being completely brought forth and unfolded in history means
"the end of time",
or the end of delay in the revelation or manifestation of God.

Yet the translation that is often given, "there shall be no more delay",
can give the wrong idea.

In the unfolding of a mystery it is not that there is unwanted delay
but that there is necessary and purposeful suspense involved
in order for hearers of a story to become prepared
to understand the conclusion and whole purpose of the story.

Likewise here, God created the world with a mystery and a suspense.

That mystery and that suspense take time, delay...
It is thus that time as we know it is created.

Why was Creation not made eternal at once in the beginning?
So that the world could come to know God as God desired to be known.
So that the world could come to rest with God,
in a true and pure knowledge of God on an Eternal Sabbath Day.

According to The Book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
the beginning of the end of the story, wich is the end of the
suspense, the end of the mystery, the end of time,
will happen when the Angel of the 7th Trumpet
begins to blow.

At that time all the servants of God,
of all the tribes of Israel,
and all who are grafted into those tribes,

who are sealed with the knowledge of the name of God
in their foreheads,
shall prepare the world for the final days of the mystery'

and for the end to the mystery.

How shall they do this?
They will declare the good news that Jesus did not condemn
but forgave his nation Israel.

Therefore, when the good news of this consolation is received,

he shall return to Jerusalem
and Jerusalem will receive him, saying,
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

(Habakkuk 2:14)