THE SIXTH TRUMPET (Part 2) continued

Revelation Chapter 10

VERSE 2 “He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land…”

HE HAD A LITTLE BOOK OPEN IN HIS HAND:

In the angel’s hand (apparently his left hand; compare Verse 5) is an open little book. Hand represents DOINGS (With our hands we work, perform or render service). This angel is here, among other reasons, to present an open book. It is a LITTLE book because it is not the entire Bible; it is only the book of Daniel.

Daniel was told (in Dan 12:4) that his writings would be sealed (shut up) until the time of the end. As this chapter will later state clearly, IT IS NOW THE TIME OF THE END and, therefore, time for Daniel to be understood at least in part. Compare Jesus’ words in Matt 24:14, 15.

(Note that the entire Bible and its meanings are represented as BOOKS in Rev 20:12; In Chapter 5:2, the Gospel Age experiences are referred to as a sealed book.)

AND HE SET HIS RIGHT FOOT ON THE SEA AND HIS LEFT FOOT ON THE LAND:

The angel has his RIGHT foot on the sea, his LEFT foot on the land. The specifying seems important. Verse 1 had said that the angel’s face (favor /disfavor) was as the Sun — the enlightenment coming from an increased understanding of the Gospel. This light does FAVORABLE things for restless humanity (the sea class) which, at this time in history, starts to come out dramatically from the darkness of the previous centuries.

This was called THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT, and it FAVORED the masses.

The land class (the earth, the establishment) however, would find this increase of truth a problem. The very foundations of power structure were being challenged. The FEET of the angel, however, are on both — the angel (the events he was causing) would CONTROL the future experiences of both classes.

VERSE 3 “… and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices”.

AND CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, AS WHEN A LION ROARS:

The message of this angel is clearly not minor. He cries with a LOUD VOICE which is then augmented with the description “as when a lion roars.” Prov 19:12 may be a clue to this. “The King’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion.” There is no question that the Time of the End issues in trouble and a beginning of a special kind of wrath. See Daniel 7:25, 26.

WHEN HE CRIED OUT, SEVEN THUNDERS UTTERED THEIR VOICES:

Since the angel is clothed in a cloud (Verse 1; clouds represent obscurity, confusion, trouble), it is not surprising that all kinds of trouble erupt as he roars. Because truth uncovers the problems with the then-current “earth,” (establishment, the present order of things) all kinds of CONTROVERSIES occur.

The SEVEN THUNDERS (or controversies) seem to represent the complete questioning of everything by nearly everyone, which has its beginnings in the Age of Enlightenment. It is not difficult to realize the earth-shaking effects of such new and revolutionary thoughts as Evolution, Higher-Criticism, Communism, Existentialism, etc.

The seven chief controversies occupying the world at this time would seem to be 1) Political 2) Economic 3) Military 4) Scientific 5) Social 6) Moral and 7) Religious issues. The true Church is not to consider, not to become involved in these worldly issues. The “Little Book” is for the Church, the Lord would have us consider this.

VERSE 4 “Now when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”

John represents the Church. He was about to write — to record as part of his (the Church’s) experience what he heard of the thundering’s. But a voice from heaven — possibly some wise Christians? — said Seal up what the thunders have spoken and do NOT write them.

The thought seems to be that, even as the little book is now open, other things are also opening up; but these other things are NOT FOR THE CHURCH. The little book is for the Church. The Church should remain aloof, separated from the controversies, theories, and experiments of mankind now proliferating.

Continued with next post.