R
E V E L A T I O N
CHAP. X.
This
chapter is an introduction to the latter part of the prophecies of this book.
Whether what is contained between this and the sounding of the seventh trumpet
(ch. xi. 15) be a distinct prophecy from the other, or only a more general
account of some of the principal things included in the other, is disputed by
our curious enquirers into these abstruse writings. However, here we have, I.
A remarkable description of a very glorious angel with an open book in his
hand, ver. 1-3. II. An account of seven thunders which the apostle heard, as
echoing to the voice of this angel, and communicating some discoveries, which
the apostle was not yet allowed to write, ver. 4. III. The solemn oath taken
by him who had the book in his hand, ver. 5-7. IV. The charge given to the
apostle, and observed by him, ver. 8-11.
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The
Seven Thunders.
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A. D. 95.
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1 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:
2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon
the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3 And cried
with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven
thunders uttered their voices. 4 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. 5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and
upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6 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: 7
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.
Here we have an account of another vision the apostle was favoured with,
between the sounding of the sixth trumpet and that of the seventh. And we
observe,
I. The person who was principally concerned in communicating this discovery to
John--an angel from heaven, another mighty angel, who is so set forth
as would induce one to think it could be no other than our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ! 1. He was clothed with a cloud: he veils his glory, which
is too great for mortality to behold; and he throws a veil upon his
dispensations. Clouds and darkness are round about him. 2. A rainbow
was upon his head; he is always mindful of his covenant, and, when his
conduct is most mysterious, yet it is perfectly just and faithful. 3. His
face was as the sun, all bright, and full of lustre and majesty, ch.
i. 16. 4. His feet were as pillars of fire; all his ways, both of grace
and providence, are pure and steady.
II. His station and posture: He set his right foot upon the sea and his
left foot upon the earth, to show the absolute power and dominion he had
over the world. And he held in his hand a little book opened, probably
the same that was before sealed, but was now opened, and gradually fulfilled
by him.
III. His awful voice: He cried aloud, as when a lion roareth (v.
3), and his awful voice was echoed by seven thunders, seven solemn and
terrible ways of discovering the mind of God.
IV. The prohibition given to the apostle, that he should not publish, but
conceal what he had learned from the seven thunders, v. 4. The apostle
was for preserving and publishing every thing he saw and heard in these
visions, but the time had not yet come.
V. The solemn oath taken by this mighty angel. 1. The manner of his swearing: He
lifted up his hand to heaven, and swore by him that liveth for ever, by
himself, as God often has done, or by God as God, to whom he, as Lord,
Redeemer, and ruler of the world, now appeals. 2. The matter of the oath: that
there shall be time no longer; either, (1.) That there shall be now no
longer delay in fulfilling the predictions of this book than till the last
angel should sound; then every thing should be put into speedy execution: the
mystery of God shall be finished, v. 7. Or, (2.) That when this
mystery of God is finished time itself shall be no more, as being the measure
of things that are in a mutable changing state; but all things shall be at
length for ever fixed, and so time itself swallowed up in eternity.
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The
Little Book.
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A. D. 95.
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8 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.
9 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. 10 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.
11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and
nations, and tongues, and kings.
Here we have, I. A strict charge given to the apostle, which was, 1. That he
should go and take the little book out of the hands of that mighty
angel mentioned before. This charge was given, not by the angel himself who
stood upon the earth, but by the same voice from heaven that in the fourth
verse had lain an injunction upon him not to write what he had discerned by
the seven thunders. 2. To eat the book; this part of the charge was given by
the angel himself, hinting to the apostle that before he should publish what
he had discovered he must more thoroughly digest the predictions, and be in
himself suitably affected with them.
II. An account of the taste and relish which this little book would have, when
the apostle had taken it in; at first, while in his mouth, sweet. All
persons feel a pleasure in looking into future events, and in having them
foretold; and all good men love to receive a word from God, of what import
soever it be. But, when this book of prophecy was more thoroughly digested by
the apostle, the contents would be bitter; these were things so awful and
terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, and such desolation
made in the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would not be
pleasant, but painful to the mind of the apostle: thus was Ezekiel's prophecy
to him, ch. iii. 3.
III. The apostle's discharge of the duty he was called to (v. 10): He
took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up, and he found
the relish to be as was told him. 1. It becomes the servants of God to digest
in their own souls the messages they bring to others in his name, and to be
suitably affected therewith themselves. 2. It becomes them to deliver every
message with which they are charged, whether pleasing or unpleasing to men.
That which is least pleasing may be most profitable; however, God's messengers
must not keep back any part of the counsel of God.
IV. The apostle is made to know that this book of prophecy, which he had now
taken in, was not given him merely to gratify his own curiosity, or to affect
him with pleasure or pain, but to be communicated by him to the world. Here
his prophetical commission seems to be renewed, and he is ordered to prepare
for another embassy, to convey those declarations of the mind and will of God
which are of great importance to all the world, and to the highest and
greatest men in the world, and such should be read and recorded in many
languages. This indeed is the case; we have them in our language, and are all
obliged to attend to them, humbly to enquire into the meaning of them, and
firmly to believe that every thing shall have its accomplishment in the proper
time; and, when the prophecies shall be fulfilled, the sense and truth of them
will appear, and the omniscience, power, and faithfulness of the great God
will be adored.
Contents
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