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The Seven Trumpets of Revelation Chapter 14 -- An Interlude with Jesus – Commissioning of John (Saints)
“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. 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” (Revelation 10:8-9). We now move away from that magnificent divine oath scene to return to the little book theme. John hears a voice speaking to him from heaven. He calls it “the voice.” This means it had spoken to him previously. The only other voice, besides angel Jesus, was “the voice” that told him not to write what he heard (vs 4) the thunders say. Most feel that this was God the Father’s voice! John is now commissioned to do three things: (1) take the little book, (2) eat it, and then (3) prophesy. Those three steps introduce powerful imagery. This is the second time we are told that the little book was open and in the angel’s hand. This underscores the importance of the book, that it is open to understanding and that it remains protected by the hand of God until it is taken and imbibed or used. That portrays a vital message. Though the book is unsealed or opened, it will not be understood until the time to prophecy! When is that? When Jesus declares that time is no longer delayed – at the beginning of Daniel’s “time times and half time.” Daniel’s book:
“Since 1798 the book of Daniel has been unsealed.”1 “Blessed are the eyes which saw the things that were seen in 1843 and 1844. The message was given. And there should be no delay in repeating the message, for the signs of the times are fulfilling; the closing work must be done. A great work will be done [future] in a short time. A message will soon be given by God’s appointment that will swell into a loud cry. Then Daniel will stand in his lot, to give his testimony.”2 “Daniel shall stand in his lot at the end of the days. John sees the little book unsealed. Then Daniel’s prophecies have their proper place in the first, second, and third angels’ messages to be given [future] to the world. The unsealing of the little book was the message in relation to time.”3 What was sealed was that part of Daniel related to time at the end (Daniel 8 and 12). There has been progressive understanding of Daniel since it was unsealed, especially related to the judgment issues [“the judgment was set, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10)]. Daniel won’t stand fully in his place until there is a loud cry at an appointed time. That’s exactly what Daniel 8:17 and 19 say. The time of the end is the appointed time, described fully in Daniel 12. That loud cry is represented, and here it gets inspiring, by John’s “prophesying again.” That is described in the next chapter as two witnesses going out just before Jesus comes! This whole message is an echo of a commission given to Ezekiel. He saw a hand come to him with a scroll. It was opened, and he was asked to eat it. It was as sweet as honey, but later, as he went to the house of Israel, he described bitterness. It was for God’s people first (Ezekiel 2:8-3:14). We shall soon notice that John’s first “stop” is at the house of God. John doesn’t delay in obeying God. He went to the angel and asked for the little open book (scroll). Jesus said to him, take it and eat it. To “eat” that scroll means to study, understand and take to heart the message it contains. It comes from a word (kataphage) that is an idiomatic Hebrew word meaning to receive knowledge – digesting it. Kata, the prefix, emphasizes the completeness of eating it (similar to Ezekiel 3:1-3 and Jeremiah 15:16). Daniel 8–12 will be completely understood. That message was to be so much a part of him, he could then share it with others (prophesy). John here symbolizes God’s last day people who will take this message to the world. Our grasp of its details, warnings and hope are to be so deep and thorough, it is like food – it becomes part of us. But there is something unusual about this “eating experience.” The message was as sweet as honey in his mouth. It was a wonder eating experience, just like eating desert. God’s Word is that way! “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103; cf. Psalm 19:10, Proverbs 24:13-14, Jeremiah 15:16). As we dig deeper and deeper into its nuances and inspired expressions, a thrill comes to us that makes us crave for even more. But, like indigestion, Jesus told John that it would become bitter when in his stomach. What could that mean? Something backlashes. Could it be God’s message turns bitter? Never! In 1844 when the Great Disappointment occurred, that had been a sweet message that Jesus would come – but then He didn’t. That became a bitter experience. Even greater was the bitter opposition that followed by those who once held the same hope.4 That 1844 experience is a metaphor for the greater meaning here. Daniel 8–12 is an end-time message. It tells us, once certain events begin, exactly when God’s people will be delivered and the special resurrection occurs. That will happen immediately before Jesus appears. Thus, the open book is a second advent message book! That is/will be sweet to know. What turns such a sweet message into bitterness? The opposition to God’s people when giving that message!5 But they (the wicked), in turn, will meet with bitter disappointment when they soon realize that they are lost – forever6 In 1844 Jesus didn’t come; that was a bitter disappointment. But with this open little book message, He is coming. The keen resistance from those who had been rejoicing in the faith will be cutting and bitter. That opposition will lie at the root of a fascinating but sad commentary. “Those to whom the message of truth is spoken seldom ask, ‘Is it true?’ but, ‘By whom is it advocated?’ Multitudes estimate it by the numbers who accept it; and the question is still asked, ‘Have any of the learned men or religious leaders believed?’”7 With the opposition comes suffering, persecution and even martyrdom (6:9-11) to God’s people. This will be developed more in the next chapter. For the saints, the end of all suffering is endless joy and peace with Jesus (I Peter 1:11; 4:1, 12-19). There is interesting contrast drawn in these first few verses of Revelation 10. The heavenly voice prohibited the writing of the seven thunder event-driven messages (vs 4). Now he eats, then is ready to witness – to tell what he knows. The whole scene is a progressive revelation of unfolding information until an appointed time comes. When we view the continuing sequence into the next chapter and view the vision’s structural integrity, note what we discover:
This is such an important sequence to grasp. It introduces how careful God is in sharing truth. The understanding of Daniel 8–12 comes before the timed prophecies begin! The church rejects that understanding. It is bitter and not understood. Judgment on the church commences. This, as we shall see, is the beginning of the judgment of the living. It starts just before the appointed time as those Danielic messages are being fully understood. “This solemn work is to be done upon the earth. Look and see how stands your measurement of character as compared with God’s standard of righteousness, his holy law. The worshipers are to pass under the measuring line of God. Who will bear the test? Christ says, ‘I know thy works.’ Nothing is hid from him of whom John says, ‘His head and his hair were white like wool, white as snow, and his eyes were as a flame of fire.’ How many are purifying their souls by obeying the truth? How many are now in this time wholly on the Lord’s side? How many are seeking to be a blessing to those around them? Many need help, kind words, thoughtful attentions; and if you pray with such, you may be a blessing to them.”8
“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” (Revelation 10:10). John follows through with the divine instructions. Isn’t it phenomenal to see John being given the same directive from God the Father and Jesus, one right after the other? With Jesus taking the oath and then the Father and Son talking with Him, what’s in that part of Daniel’s book must be some of the most amazing information ever given to man! There are legitimate questions as to whether the disciples really knew how far into the future Jesus’ second coming might be. Their concern was always expectancy and preparation. Though Jesus had told them that the timing details of the end of time would be found in Daniel (Matthew 24:15), there is little evidence that they studied that or understood its implications – until now. Expositor White noted: “The disciples were mistaken in regard to the kingdom to be set up at the end of the seventy weeks.”9 Their ‘kingdom at hand’ message was based upon that misunderstanding. Since that prophecy linearly ended in 34 A.D. and their mission and writings took them way beyond that period, they probably had a restricted grasp of even its beginning. John eats the little book. It’s now part of him, totally. He now understands that part of Daniel that had been sealed and that part which Jesus referred to. It is that understanding that sanctions Jesus and God to next command, “go prophesy.” Based on the unsealed portion of Daniel, an end-time message is to permeate the world in a final thrust just before Jesus comes (seen in the next chapter). Once again we draw on the parallels from Ezekiel and Jeremiah (Table 1).
TABLE 1 Ezekiel Jeremiah Revelation 10 Call to prophetic ministry 2:1-8 1:5; 15:11 10:11 Saw open scroll book 2:7-8 (implied) 10:2, 8-9 Ate it 3:1-3 15:16 10:10 Sweet like honey in mouth 3:3 15:16 (implied) 10:10 Preach that message 2:3-6 15:20 (implied) 10:11 Israel refused words – bitter 3:3-14 14:17, 15:20 10:10 Persecution 2:6 3:6, 15:21 11:3, 7 False prophets 14:18
From commissioning through prophetic revelation to preaching, all three prophets represent the mission of the saints at the end. Ezekiel was even asked to take the message to God’s people in Babylon. That is what happens in Revelation. The great cry to the religious apostate world is to come out of Babylon and partake not of her sins and false form of worship. It is important to observe that in Ezekiel the throne room scene and the eating the scroll occur together. In Revelation they are separated (Revelation 4–5, 10). John is given a wonderful span of end-time prophecies that cover the end of the 2300 years to the consummation, seventh millennium and, finally, recreation. We get wonderful glimpses of the end in those Old Testament books, including from the minor prophets. They develop beautiful resumes of what follows in Daniel and then forward-moving Revelation. As the gospel is proclaimed to the world, resistance and persecution will come (Revelation 11:7; 12:17; 13:15-17; 17:6, 14; 20:4), but God’s promise declared, “I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee” (Jeremiah 15:21). It will soon be apparent that the great work of God’s people will be to those claiming to be His. They all believe in a divine Being. The issues are in the context of truth related to God!
“And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings” (Revelation 10:11). The words here are not “he said” but plural “they said” (legousin). Isn’t that wonderful! The commission to preach comes from both God and Jesus. All of heaven is joined together in amazing imagery as the final work on earth commences. We got a little glimpse of that some time ago in Revelation 8:3-4 when God provided Jesus with more incense to accommodate the crescendoing prayers reaching the heavenly Altar. The command is a directive. He is filled with truth. The link between the seven thunders and the open book is complete. He is to go out and preach – “Thou must” (dei se). It is a necessity in light of the urgency of the message. Here is the call. The next chapter will be the response. It is interesting that the word “again” is used here. When did he prophesy before? In 1:11 and 19 he was told to “write” what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. In 4:1 John is ordered into heaven to see “what must take place after this.” Now this third command, “must prophesy again,” comes. Some expositors say that John’s call should be called a recommissioning. The audience? Peoples, nations, tongues and kings. That’s the whole world! There is in this directive a thought that has been lost to a narrower view of the great commission. The gospel of the kingdom is to go to the whole world (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20). Revelation 10 expands our understanding of that world message. It is to include the unsealed timing messages of Daniel! That broadens what Jesus said, “teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20) to what God and Jesus said in the context of that “open little book.” The word “before” (epi) is a preposition and has stirred much debate. In the Septuigent it is most often used in context of judgment. It is translated in many ways. The implication seems to be that this message from Daniel will show that a final judgment against the world is pending. What a fitting understanding! The world, in a timing warning, is informed “your time is about up!” What a setting in which to bring the final gospel message about our precious Jesus to every human heart! There is more to this prophecy! Daniel 12 tells of the 1260-day period (12:6-7) in answer to “How long it would take for these things to end.” Then Jesus adds the timing prophecy of 1290 days. What is that tied to? The abomination (false sabbath) that leads to desolation and the daily (Sabbath rest) being removed. That is another piece of the third angel’s puzzle of Revelation 14:9-11! Daniel’s unsealed message is a marvelous prophecy of that third angel’s proclamation. In 1843 and 1844 the first and second angels’ messages brought hope and power to the advent movement. The third angel’s message remained mainly in waiting. Revelation 10 is an unfolding of all those Danielic themes, given in a timing setting, immediately preceding the second advent! “There was one class who soon renounced the idea that ‘the door of mercy was shut [post-1844 disappointment],’ because they discovered that other messages were to be proclaimed after that declaring, the hour of judgment is come; and that that of the third angel, the last one, was to go to ‘many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings [Revelation 10:11].’ They learned that the judgment sits in heaven before the coming of the lord; that the judgment of the righteous is fully accomplished while Jesus is yet their advocate before the Father’s throne; that eternal life is instantly given to the saints when their saviour comes, which is proof that they have been judged and acquitted [judgment of the living]. As the hopes of the disciples revived, and they were ‘glad when they saw the lord,’ and declared his Messiahship with yet greater confidence, so did these rejoice when they discovered the truth of the third angel’s message, which, to them, was like life from the dead. With renewed zeal and strengthened confidence they began again to proclaim the soon coming of the lord.”10 “The people whom God has made the depositaries of His law are not to permit their light to be hidden. The truth must be proclaimed in the dark places of the earth. Obstacles must be met and surmounted. A great work is to be done, and this work has been entrusted to those who know the truth. They should make mighty intercession with God for help now. The love of Christ must be diffused in their own hearts. The Spirit of Christ must be poured out upon them, and they must be making ready to stand in the judgment. While they are consecrating themselves to God, a convincing power will attend their efforts to present the truth to others, and its light will find access to many hearts. We must sleep no longer on Satan’s enchanted ground, but call into requisition all our resources and avail ourselves of every facility with which Providence has furnished us. The last warning is to be proclaimed ‘before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings;’ and the promise is given, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’”11
References:
1The Great Controversy, p. 356. 2Manuscript Releases, vol. 2, p. 20 (emphasis added). 3The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 971 (emphasis added). 4Selected Messages, bk 2, p. 26. 5Ibid. 6The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 970. 7The Desire of Ages, p. 459. 8Youth’s Instructor, 08/25/1886. 9The Great Controversy, p. 353. 10Spirit of Prophecy, p. 499 (Appendix) (1884) (emphasis added). 11Testimonies, p. 454.
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