Today's reading has me in the book of Revelation. This book is an interesting read, as the whole thing is a massive vision given to a man named John who was living in exile on the tiny Greek island of Patmos. Is the vision full of allegory and metaphor, or is it to be interpreted literally? Well, that's an entirely different — and much larger — "question for Heaven".
Today, however, I have a more specific question. (Though, I won't be surprised if this turns out to be just the first of many such questions I have about this book's content.) In chapter 10, John is witnessing a strange event. A mighty angel is straddling earth and sea and toting a little scroll. Read with me from Revelation 10:2-4:
2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down."
By now, my question is probably obvious: What was it that the seven thunders said, and why was John instructed not to reveal this?
I'd love to hear some scholarly opinions about this. Googling around turned up all kinds of not-so-defensible opinions, but maybe somebody else has a saner suggestion?
I believe that as thunder warns us of an impending storm, so does the voice of God warn of the "complete" judgement of God.Because God wants us to live by faith, he stopped John from writing down all that he heard. The musterion of Revelation is preserved while the awesomeness of what God has instore is understood.
ReplyDeleteIt was not the time for this to be revealed. It would be so at the end of tribulation
ReplyDeleteGOD SAID DO NOT WRITE WHAT THE SEVEN THUNDERS SAID; SO NO ONE KNOWS WHAT WAS SAID AND GOD OBVIOUSLY DID NOT INTEND FOR US TO KNOW, LET'S LEAVE IT AT THAT. PERIOD!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Mighty Angel is Jesus who paid for the Book with His blood (Rev5). (Did Jesus die for a book, or the names in that book?) The Book is written within and on the backside, there is no more room to write the history of the world, its empires and nations, to record every soul who lived, ---the Book is complete. (Therefore the 7churches, the 7seals, the 7trumpets, and the seven thunders have their "more direct/complete fulfillment" in earth's end-time events! They take their place at end of the Book, before/with the 7plagues!) As the 7seals are unseal (Rev6), and as the 7trumpets blow their warning judgments (Rev8-9), a smaller portion of the Book (of Rev5), "a little book," is now read (Rev5:4) by the Mighty Angel (Rev10:3). The seven thunders are sealed (Rev10:4), ---as is that portion (understanding) of the book of Daniel which relates to the time of last-day events (Dan12:9,13). The seven thunders are seven events which relate to time (Rev10:6) ---they are directly related to the seven times found in the "little book of Daniel"--- and are explained by the seven events of these times as they relate specifically to "repeated" prophetic history! ("And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy AGAIN". . . from the "little book open" of Daniel; Rev10:11; 10:2). The stance of Jesus, on the sea and the earth, shows that God the Father (who is on the throne; Rev4; 5:1) places His Son in charge of the last events of earth's history. His voice will be heard as each of the seven last-day thundering events follow the exact same pattern of "fulfilled" prophetic history! Type meets antitype! At the ending of the days, the seventh event will be the cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary (Dan8:14; Rev10:7), --of the sins from the faithful down through the 6,000 year great controversy. The sins are then placed upon Satan as he is led into the 1,000 year wilderness to meet his end. (Rev20:2-4)
ReplyDelete"Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days." (Dan12:12) "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." "And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the Book." (Dan12:3,1,10)
Daniel is a book sealed (Dan12:9,13); but Revelation is a book open (Rev22:10), and it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which unseals and explains the seven thundering events as taking place during the last great controversy between Christ and Satan (Rev12); ---who will man worship?(Rev13:15) ---The Creator (Rev10:6) or the destroyer (Rev12:7-9).
Would we dare to know what will be the last great "test of worship" for this last generation? (Matt24:15) Would we dare to study and know the wisdom of these things and be saved? (2Tim2:15) It would do us well to eat the little book of seven thunders (Rev10:8-10) and let it become a living part of our lives, ---if it be God's will. Surely the events of these times will be trying, and we may cry out, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" We can be encouraged, for "many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Rev6:10; Dan12:10)
---May God Bless---
I am of the opinion that we are not meant to know since an angel of the Lord told John not to write down what the utterances were. However scholars are constantly finding new writings i.e. the dead sea scrolls... perhaps there is another writing that John wrote that has yet to be found. I very well could be wrong but I do believe we have yet to find all the writings from Biblical times.
ReplyDeleteMaybe God wants to keep us humble. We think we know so much about today and tomorrow. There are a lot of prophecy experts who outline everything so definitevely. But God has the last word. No, we don't know everything about the future. Stay humble. God is in control.
ReplyDeleteListen to audio The Seven Seals 1963 Bro William Branham. God bless
ReplyDeleteThe 7 Thunders reveal the true nature of the 7 mysteries of God. The bible talks about 7 mysteries. Faith, Sin, The Body of Christ, godliness, The false church, the gospel and God's eternal purpose. The truth of these mysteries wil be revealed. They change everything about what we thought we did as Christians. That is why it was bitter in John's stomach when he swallowed it. It was as sweet as honey on his lips because the truths of God are sweet to tell people but it made his stomach bitter because John realized things were not as he thought and he would get no glory for what he supposedly did for God. All glory goes to God.
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