The Baptism To Come

Isaiah 11:16. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people who remain from Assyria, as there was for Israel on the day they went up from the land of Egypt.    

Rashi:

And there shall be a highway: in the midst of the water for the remnant of His people.

MCK NOTE:

This is the event toward which all baptism from the time of Yochanan the Immerser points.    Read more

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The Concealment and Revelation of Mashiach

See:  The Concealment and Revelation of Mashiach and The Good News

After that Yehoshua made atonement for his own people Israel who did not receive him, he was taken up into heaven and concealed there from the world.  This concealment is the aspect of grace which is created in his offering for Israel and continues on.  Read more...

The Angel of The LORD

Link to:

http://7-thunders.blogspot.ca/2014/12/new-commentary-on-revelation-chapter-ten.html?m=1

The angel of Hashem lead Israel out of Egypt at the burning centre of the cloud of glory by day and the pillar of fire by night. 

He appeared in the burning bush to Moshe clothed in the same Shekinah Fire. 

He lead Israel through the wilderness clothed in the same Shekinah Fire but without the same revelation of the word of HaShem as before the sin of the golden calf and the sin of the spies. 

He entered the land with Israel and sought to guide them in fully settling the land in fulfillment of the covenant. 

The angel of Revelation 10 is that angel. It is with that same mission that he brings the Revelation to the faithful in Mashiach Yehoshua.

See also:

The Concealment and Revelation of Mashiach

New Commentary On Revelation Chapter Ten

A Poetically Composed Commentary On Revelation Chapter Ten
by Max Carl Kirk
updated: Thursday, December 25, 2014

An Introductory Note

It will become clear that the angel seen in this vision is The Angel of Adonai, (The Angel of the LORD; Gen.16:7ff; 22:11; Ex. 3:2; Ex. 23:23 with Jdg. 2:1ff; Ps. 34:7).  This angel is not Mashiach but is the personal messenger of Mashiach who brings his revelation.  It is in the same way that Moshe spoke the word of Hashem in the first person that the The Angel of Adonai speaks the word of Hashem in the first person. Read more on   The Angel of The LORD

10:1  Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, his face was like the sun, his legs were like pillars of fire.

An Immense, Powerful and Awesome Angel

Yochanan, (John), the Recorder of The Revelation said:  Then I saw an angel, an immense, powerful and awesome angel.  He was coming down to earth from the heavens above.  He was wrapped in the garment of the Shechinah as in a cloud.  It is the symbolism of the Revelation itself that gives us to understand that the cloud Yochanan saw was the Shechinah. For the great and holy Presence of the Blessed One of Israel was made visible round about him.  This was just as in the days when the Holy One's Visible Shechinah Presence led Israel through the sea.  Then,  by visibly surrounding his angel, he led them through the wilderness.

Why Is The Angel Clothed In A Cloud?

There is an overall progressive chronological framework to the narrative of the Revelation from the opening of the seals to the final scenes of the coming of Mashiach. The vision of chapter 10 focuses in on a very narrow window of time in this progression.  In doing so, it interrupts, in a way, the flow of the progression.  In this way, the vision asks Yochanan, and us through him, to understand why the Angel of Hashem comes at this point in the Revelation clothed in a cloud of the Visible Shechinah Presence. We must consider what it means that we are seeing this at this point since it is in the very form — clothed in a cloud — in which the same angel was used of G-d to lead Israel through the wilderness.  

This form of appearance of this angel also evokes in us the thought of the promise that we now know so well, "Behold, he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also who pierced him."  As the angel of Adonai appears clothed in the cloud of the Divinity, so Mashiach himself will appear clothed in the cloud of the Divinity.  Therefore, at the same time, (as we will see), the appearance here of The Angel of Adonai alludes to the vision of Mashiach in Revelation chapter one.  From this we understand that the appearance of the Angel here prophetically alludes to the truth that the revelation of Yehoshua in his glory that comes only to his faithful at first shall soon come to all the planet.  It is the message of the whole of the book to tell us that the fullness of the Revelation comes in its due time. For through him, "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Hashem, like the waters cover the beds of the seas."

Temimut, Pureness, Simplicity and Wholeness of Heart

Because of these associations we are led at the very outset of this vision of the angel with the little scroll of seven thunders to think about Israel being finally led, completely, in temimut, pureness, simplicity and wholeness of heart, by Mashiach into the promised land.  Israel has not yet ever fully inherited the land, neither internally in the heart nor externally in the physical world.  We see we are in this chapter of the Revelation looking at the mystery of the final setting of Israel in the land and her complete service and witness to be given to Hashem, her G-d, the fulfillment of the covenant that the G-d who created Adam and all heaven and earth made with Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Israel was corporately baptized into Moshe in the sea, but not wholly with purity and simplicity of faith. Yehoshua the disciple of Moshe led Israel through the Jordan river to rectify her baptism to Moshe. But her rectification was incomplete. Yochanan the Immerser then came like Elisha the prophet, as a disciple of Elijah, to the Jordan river and preached to Israel the tevilah of teshuva, the baptism of repentance, in order to testify to the need for the complete rectification of Israel's baptism unto Moshe, before the coming of Mashiach. And it is to complete this testimony of immersion, of tevilah unto Moshe, that Elijah will be sent to Israel again.

Why Is The Angel Crowned With A Rainbow?

There was a brilliant, glorious rainbow shining in a circle above his head.  Its radiation of light was like the radiating promise of redemptive fire glowing with its holy mystery.  This rainbow above the angel's head was the very rainbow seen by Noah. It is worn like a crown by the angel of Hashem to signify that Yehoshua HaMashiach, the seed of Avraham, would bring blessing to all nations.  The promise of the blessing of all the families of the earth through their blessing of Avraham, the blessed of G-d, would be the fulfilment of G-d's promise of hope to all nations through Noah.

The Angel's Face Shone

As the moon reflects the light of the sun, so the sun and the stars reflect the light of the first day.  The angel’s face shone as a perfect mirror reflection of the very source of pure light.  This is the eternal light, the true light of the word of G-d that comes upon all creation, creating and sustaining all things.

The Light Is The Light Of The Commandment

That pure light is the light of G-d’s first commandment to Israel.  This is the commandment which gives Israel its faith.  This first commandment given to Israel on Mount Sinai, in which G-d commands Israel to be his own, is the very commandment which also generates the temporal light of the sun and the stars.

And This Is What Yochanan Saw

For had not G-d commanded Israel with the words: "I am Hashem your G-d, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery!" the sun and the moon and the stars could never have shinned with light in the beginning.  For it was to be able to witness that day on Mount Sinai, and also the day that would come — the day of Israel's fulfillment of that commandment through Yehoshua HaMashiach — that the sun, moon, and the stars began to shine on the fourth day of creation.  And this is what Yochanan saw, when he saw the angel's face shining like the sun.

The Legs of The Angel

And he saw that the legs of the angel were white flaming pillars, like chariots of fire, like the pillars of Mashiach’s fiery legs.  He saw his leg of victory over death and and his leg of glorious regenerative resurrection for Israel and all who are his.  It was those legs of Mashiach which came swiftly in answer to the prayer of Elijah on Mount Carmel.  In accordance with the prayer of Elijah the day of salvation and judgment was revealed.  For whenever any creator decides to save their work it is a time of judgment for that work, concerning what will be preserved and what will be discarded.  So also in saving Israel G-d, the Creator of heaven and earth defines Israel and all his work.

10:2  He had a little opened scroll in his hand.  He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.

All The World Was Conquered With A Little Scroll

This awesome angel held a little scroll open before him, and he prepared to read from it.  While he held out the little scroll, he put his right foot on the seas of the earth and his left foot on the continents of the earth, so all the world was conquered and made to be still by the power of the fiery legs of  the angel of The Revelation of Yehoshua The Mashiach.

10:3-4 and he cried out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring.  While he called out, the voices of seven thunders sounded.  And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write down what they said, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down!"

The Roar of The Angel Peals Into Seven Thunders

Then he spoke great words and his voice was like the roar of the angelic lion from before the throne of the Holy Creator.  When this awesome angel roared, there came out of his roar, and accompanying his roar, a harmony of seven peals of thunder.  With their awesome, ringing harmonic tones, these seven thunderous voices  issued seven great messages that were  heard by the one who recorded the revelation.

Yochanan Heard But Could Not Write What The Seven Thunders Said

When I heard the messages, the Recorder said, I was preparing to write down the words that I had heard the seven thunders thunder out, but then I heard a commanding voice coming out of the Throne of Heaven itself saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” We will learn that the message given by the seven thunders is the very heart and core of the Revelation.  It is this innermost core that we are told is not revealed to the world, but concealed.  It is The Book of the Revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach.  How is concealment revelation?  Indeed, Yehoshua is revealed to be the Mashiach of Israel, but it is only to the few in Israel, not the many.  It is only to the few among the nations, not the many.  For even if many among the nations come to call him Christ, according to their ideas of a Christ, it is not so many who come to know that he is the Mashiach of Israel.  For after that he made atonement for Israel he was taken up in the Shechinah cloud into heaven.  This is concealment in the heart of revelation.  And this very concealment is the aspect of his sacrifice for Israel. [And this must be discussed fully, in its own right, at a later time, G-d willing.]

10:5-7 The angel who was standing on the sea and on the land then raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and all that is in it, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it. He swore an oath that the time of the end should no longer be delayed, but that in the days when the seventh angel blows his shofar the mystery of God will be completed.  For it shall be just as God made known before hand to his servants the prophets.

The Oath Of The End

It was then, the Recorder continued, that the great and tremendous angel, who was standing on the sea and on the land, acted in a way that explained why it was not allowed that what the seven thunders said should be written down.  He raised his right hand to heaven, in order to swear an oath having all the authority of the revelation of Yehoshua the Mashiach.  I heard the angel swear by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what  is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that “The time of the end of this present world would no longer be delayed.”

Concealment Shall Be Over

The revelation of Yehoshua the Mashiach of Israel is progressively taking place in the world.  When that Revelation comes near to its goal great upheavals will occur.  This is the meaning of the record of the Revelation that is given in this chapter of the book: The meaning is revealed to us in the oath of the angel.  The oath tells us that when the time of the revelation of Yehoshua the Mashiach in the world comes to the same place where in the vision of Revelation Yochanan stood, and heard the seven thunders, but could not write down what they said, then, at that time, the concealment shall be over.  At that time, those who receive the hearing off the seven thunders shall be made the voice of the seven thunders, to reveal the judgment of salvation among all nations, according to the measure of their prayer for the peace of Jerusalem.

This is what was made known to us in that oath of the angel, which was written down for us by the Recorder: “In the days when the seventh angel is about to blow the seventh trumpet, the mystery of G-d is to be perfected in the world."  At that time the stage of Jerusalem will be completely set, the mystery of G-d will be perfectly formed in the world and will then, at that time, be revealed in all the world through the spirit of G-d’s Mashiach,  just as he has foretold through his servants the prophets of Israel.” [G-d willing, we will study, in context of the surrounding chapters of The Book of The Revelation of Yehoshua HaMashiach, in future posts, what is meant in the oath of the angel by the words, "In the days when the seventh angel is about to blow..."]

10:8 Now the voice that I heard before from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go and take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

Enter The Vision And Take The Little Scroll

And, when I had witnessed this oath, the oath of this great and awesome angel, said Yochanan the Recorder, then the commanding voice that I had heard from the Throne of Heaven said to me, “Go [enter into the vision of the revelation yourself] and take the open scroll that is in the hand of the angel who is standing over all the seas and all the lands of the earth.”

10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to hand me the little scroll.  He replied to me, "Take the scroll and eat it; it will make your stomach ache, but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.

It Will Taste Like Honey But Be Like Bitter Medicine

So I went before the great and awesome angel whose roar had echoed in the roar of the voices of the seven thunders from the little book, and I asked him to give me that little scroll.  He said to me, “Take this scroll and eat it.  It will be difficult for you to digest and will make your stomach ache bitterly, but it is medicine, and its promise, its taste and its aftertaste, will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” As the word that is revealed is Good News, so the word that is concealed is Good News.  Therefore it was sweet to the taste, but it bitter to have to conceal Good News.  Nevertheless, there is that portion at the heart of the Good News of the Revelation of Yehoshua the Anointed Ruler and Redeemer of Israel that must be concealed from the world, on account of the adversary, until the hour known by the Father when it shall be made known.

10:10-11 So I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it.  It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had finished eating it my stomach began to ache. Then I was told, "You must prophesy again regarding many peoples, nations, languages and rulers."

The Concealment At The Heart Of The Revelation

So I took the little scroll that the angel’s held out to me and ate it, said the recorder, and it did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach began to ache bitterly, just as I had been told." For this is the mystery of the concealment at the heart of the revelation of Yehoshua, who is for a time the hidden one, but who is the one anointed of G-d to be the everlasting king of Israel, the redeemer of the world.  The recorder continued, "Then the one who commanded me and the one who gave me the little scroll to eat spoke to me again." The Recorder understood that the little scroll and what the seven thunders had said was sealed within in him, to be kept in the secret of the body of Mashiach by the Holy Spirit, until the appointed hour.

The Message Concealed In The Recorder And In The Assembly

This revelation of concealment made Yochanan to understand that the seven messages of the little book would be sealed within him and within the assembly of those in his personal fellowship, who hear the spirit of this revelation, until the time of the sounding of the seventh trumpet.  For at that time all these seven hidden revelations will be made open revelations in the world, in accordance with the prophecy of Elijah's coming.  For they who gave the recorder this revelation told him, “You must prophesy again as you are doing now, to many peoples, nations, languages, and kings." For this is the meaning:  "Your prophecy is sealed up now at this point of the seven thunders.  This concealment is forming the final word of the mystery of G-d now, but so as to reveal it at the end, when that time comes."

The Testimony Of The Assembly That Is To Come

"At that time your prophecy will reveal all that these seven thunders of the holy word of G-d have said".  For this message that is concealed is the message about what will become of Jerusalem, of Israel, and of the nations in the final hour of the fully open revelation of Yehoshua the Mashiach of Israel, the hour in which the name of the Father is revealed, when all nations stand or fall with Israel in the hour of her redemption.”  For all the earth shall be filled with holy awe for the name of the Father of Yehoshua HaMashiach, the G-d of Israel.