THE SIXTH TRUMPET (Part 2) continued

Revelation Chapter 10

VERSE 5 “The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up his hand to heaven…”

The angel now lifts his right hand to heaven. In Daniel, both hands were lifted. There may be more significance, but it does seem, at least, that one reason both hands are not here lifted is that the OTHER HAND has the little book in it. The RIGHT hand lifted would seem to say that the angel’s DOINGS (hand) are approved (RIGHT) by heaven.

VERSE 6 “… and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer…”

As he did in Daniel 12, the angel swears by God. Revelation 10 adds the description “who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it. (“And the sea and the things in it” is apparently spurious.) Perhaps the thought is that since God ordained the “heavens” and the “earth” (in their symbolic senses), it is altogether fitting and proper that He should now meddle with their affairs in order to bring the NEW heavens and earth.

This seems logical since the next statement virtually says that God had prophesied that He would, indeed, begin this intervention at a SPECIFIED TIME, and that specified time (1260 years) IS NOW EXPIRED: “Time’s up!” There shall be no more delay, no more time allocated without having the ‘Time of the End’ begin.

VERSE 7 “…but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.”

This verse begins with BUT. Just because the 1260 days are over does NOT MEAN that no more is to happen! Quite the contrary. Daniel 12 had prophesied also the 1290 and the 1335 days. The angel is CLEARLY warning that the beginning of the Time of the End is just that — A BEGINNING. Much more will follow. And even though the little book is “open,” its understanding is not yet totally clear.

When the Seventh angel begins to sound, THEN the details of God’s plan would be clarified. The statement that God had “preached (this) to His servants and prophets” brings to mind Acts 3:21 where the similar statement is made regarding the Times of Restitution of all things.

Without the understanding of the Restitution doctrine and its accompanying return of Jesus, the “MYSTERY” could not be ended. Having given this warning, the angel shows what will happen by ignoring it:

VERSE 8 “Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”

The voice from heaven again might be hungry Christians seeking to study the details of prophecy. The Miller Movement and its worldwide counterparts began to search the “little book” and to find many wonderful things. These movements were interdenominational and widespread — all focusing on the second advent prophecies and particularly their chronology.

VERSE 9 “So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

The great Bible-study movements following the French Revolution were the greatest Bible study crusades in history up to that time. The Adventist predictions were STIMULATING and were rapidly absorbed by thousands and thousands (sweet as honey.) But, as the angel had warned (Verse 7), the mystery was not yet to be finished. Their understandings were imperfect and wrong enough to be disappointing (bitter to the stomach).

While prophecy lived on after the Adventist disappointment, Bible chronology had been given a bad name.

VERSE 10 “Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.”

This verse merely confirms that the angel’s predictions were correct.

VERSE 11 “And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

Here again, the Sixth stage of the Church leads to the Seventh. The statement is clear: While you (the Church) prophesied once about the return of Jesus, you will do it again (in the 7th period). The next time it will not only be of general interest to religious people (many peoples and nations and tongues,) but ALSO TO KINGS — those in high places of power. History confirms that the teachings during Bro. Russell’s ministry caught the ears of many in power who, when World War I broke out, were not quite so sure that the world hadn’t ended.*

The best MSS seem to indicate that this verse begins — “And THEY said to me. . .” The KJV says “And He said to me . . .” The KJV seems so much easier to interpret! But THEY, because of the context of the chapter, could only be BOTH the angel and the voice from heaven. The angel (back in Daniel 12) HAD PROPHESIED more to come at the 1290 and 1335 days. A FEW of those with remaining faith in chronology from the Adventist movements also had a strong faith that the matter would clear up and they would continue the work. It was one of those little groups of enthusiastic Adventists into which Brother Russell stumbled one day and which kindled his interest in pursuing the chronology of what was yet to come. The rest is history.

---

*The unique 4-part phrase of Rev 10:11 might have a significant connection to chapter 17. At all other times (see Rev 11:9 as an example), the phrase is “peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations.” It represents the common people — the “sea class” of humanity. Here, however, it is “peoples, nations, tongues, and KINGS.”

Kings, of course, are from the class known as “those who dwell on the earth” — rooted people. However, in Rev 17:12 and 16, the Kings AMALGAMATE  (join) with the sea class in order to preserve the old order and to destroy the harlot. Perhaps Rev 10:11 is saying that at that peculiar “one hour” the John class will have a special witness opportunity.

See, “How to study the book of Revelation”, Parts 31-35, under “Words and Phrases” for a more through look at the following three groups:

Those who dwell on the earth;

Peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues;

The sea

We move on to Part Three of the Sixth Trumpet (Chapter 11) in our next post.