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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire; |
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| 2 and he had in his hand a little book opened: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth; |
A little book – The message concerning Michael's Kingdom. C89
The book signifies the plan and purpose of God as written in the Law and the prophets. R530:3*
Open – Unsealed prophecies--"shut up the words, and seal the book even to the time of the end." (Dan. 12:4) HG79:2
Gradually opening from 1829 onward. C89
It was sealed perfectly (with seven seals) until Christ began to open it. R530:3*
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| 3 and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. |
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| 4 And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. |
Seal up – Make secret, render secure against intrusion. E246
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| 5 And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven, |
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| 6 and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer: |
Time no longer – This Gospel time or age. R194:4
Many are the "times and seasons which God hath put in his own power" (Acts 1:7) and no doubt each of these will end as its work is accomplished. Many have so ended already. R194:3
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| 7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, whenever he is about to sound, then is finished the mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets. |
In the days – Years. HG79:4
Seventh angel – Many of the sweetest notes of the glad tidings of restitution are reserved until now, during the sounding of the seventh trumpet. R757:2, 287:2
We are now living in the days of the seventh angel. R368:3; B148
During which the first resurrection and change of the living saints comes. R194:4, 152:3
The seventh trumpet covers the entire period of the Millennial reign of Christ, as indicated by the events which are to transpire under it. (Rev. 11:15, 18) B149
The sixth trumpet ended Aug. 11, 1840. Since then we have been living under the "seventh trumpet," or "last trump," or "trump of God," which continues until the kingdoms of this world, by a great time of trouble, become the kingdoms of our Lord. R368:5, 194:4, 152:6; HG79:3
Begin to sound – In the forepart of his sounding. R368:2
Greek, mello. In other cases it is rendered "will," "should" or "shall." Hence: "when he will or shall sound." HG79:5
Mystery of God – Both God's plan and his Church are called a "mystery." Neither is comprehended by the world. R194:4, 5928:1, 1427:4; A87
Kept secret from the foundation of the world. R757:2, 1427:4, 287:2; OV6:T; SM152:2
The mystery has been in operation from the beginning of the world and is still a mystery so far as the world is concerned. It will continue to be a mystery until the end of the present dispensation. CR10:5; NS399:1
The only exception will be the Revelation of the mystery granted to the saints--those fully consecrated to the Lord. CR10:5; NS399:1
Many features of the Divine Plan are now hidden in mystery. NS588:1; OV230:3
God kept these matters a "mystery," a "secret," because this was wise, so as not to interfere with the purposes out-working. CR406:1
Which is "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27)--your membership in the Body of Christ, your share with him in present sufferings and future glory. R4495:5, 368:2
The mystery is that the Church, as well as the Lord, and in association with him, will be the world's great restorer--Regenerator. CR406:1; R3192:4
The peculiar relationship between the Gospel Church and its Head and Lord is not intended to be understood by the world or by the nominal Christian nor by even the true Christian who is not in a proper attitude of heart and fully consecrated to the Lord. R3192:4
Evidently the gospel: the taking out of a people to become sons by the mysterious process of being begotten and born of the Spirit. HG79:5
Mystery is used in the same sense as the word church. Thus the true and false churches are called, "The mystery of God," and "The mystery of iniquity." (Col. 1:27; 2 Thes. 2:7) R368:6
The Messiah, composed of many members, of which the Lord Jesus was the Head. HG275:1; NS142:2
"To make all see what [are the conditions of] fellowship of the mystery." (Eph. 3:3-6, 9) R369:4
The mystery class began with Pentecost. There was no mystery class before that. The Church is this mystery class. The world knoweth not what God is doing. HG178:6
Be finished – When the Church is exalted, the mystery both of the Church and God's plan will be finished. R194:4; A87
The secret, hidden plan will have sought out the full, complete number of the members of the Body of Christ, and hence it, the Body of Christ, will be finished. A87; CR415:5; OV7:4
The plan will cease to be a mystery, because there will be no further object in perpetuating its secrecy. A87
Some of the mysteries of God were due to be understood at once, and some more gradually down through the age, but the great unfolding of the divine mystery we are told was reserved until the close of the Gospel age. R2208:2; OV6:T
While the unfolding of the mystery of God commenced in the days of the apostles, it will not be finished until the end of this Gospel age. R368:3
Not until the days of the voice or sounding of the seventh trumpet--in the end or close of this Gospel age and the dawn of the Millennial age. R4452:5, 368:3; CR361:4; OV6:T
Not until the last seal was broken, did the scroll fly wide open, permitting the "mystery of God" to be fully disclosed. (Rev. 5:1) R2209:1, 2156:4
The due time for revealing to the Church the divine plan respecting its participation with Christ in the blessing of all the families of the earth--"meat in due season." R2490:2
During the trump of God, God will finish the mystery by letting his saints come to a full appreciation of his glorious plans. (Col. 1:27) R368:5
The due time has come for the mystery to be finished. R1867:3, 2156:4, 1279:2
We are now living in the time when the "mystery" is ending and the righteous dealings of God, from the Scriptural standpoint, may be clearly seen. But these Revelations are not meant for the world in general, but merely for "the elect." ; NS588:1; OV230:3
Daily and hourly the saints of God are being searched out and sealed "in their foreheads" [intellectually] with a clear appreciation of the "mystery of God" which has been kept secret in part hitherto. R1279:2
As the mystery and cloud of error and evil begins to roll away, we get a glimpse of our Father's loving plans. R255:4
The "wise" of his people may understand. (Dan. 12:10) CR406:1
Therefore God has provided for his people's instruction and use the orderly presentations of Millennial Dawn to point out to them his plan of the ages, and the duties and privileges of this "harvest" time. R1867:3; 1536:1*
Very shortly now, this mystery of God, this company of divinely-begotten ones, will be "finished"--completed. R369:1; A87; OV7:3
Then, no longer the mystery, we shall be Jehovah's agents in blessing all the families of the earth. R369:4
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| 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. |
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| 9 And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. |
Thy belly bitter – After partaking of truths, you must expect to encounter bitter opposition from your old nature and your former friends. R426:4, 530:4*
The after effects are always more or less a blending of the bitterness of persecution with the sweetness. C89
Signifies the pleasurable but often painful labor of serving it to others that they may find it easily and eat it. R1867:6
It is indeed a severe trial to come out boldly and acknowledge former errors and advocate the truth in the face of so much organized opposition as we find today. R950:6
Having been digested, it leads to self-denial, crucifixion, death. R530:5*
The bitterness which followed needs no explanation to such as know the bitterness of the disappointment of the 10th day of the 7th month of 1844. HG79:3
Sweet as honey – The experience of all who receive these truths--wondrous sweetness; Oh, the blessedness. C89
Great rejoicing in the strong meat of God's Word. R426:4
Receive the truth gladly, if you would have its full sweetness and strength. R951:1
To those who love the appearing of our Lord. HG79:2
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| 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 when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. |
And I – John represented the "wise" of the "holy people." (Dan. 12:10, 7) C89
Ate it up – He who will not eat of a full table will be empty and starved, as truly as though there were no food. E225
The proper attitude of the Church is to be active in eating the food already received and in using the strength derived from it. She is not to leave the table bountifully spread to pray for more. R1867:5
"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart." (Jer. 15:16) HG79:2
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| 11 And they say unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings. |
Prophesy again – Now being fulfilled in this midnight cry and harvest message. HG79:3
These two messages are also given in Matt. 25. The first: the virgins go forth to meet the Bridegroom (verses 1 to 5); the last from verses 6 to 12. The one was to end in the bitterness of disappointment, the other in success. HG79:3
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