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chapter 5: the theme shall change from creation to redemption. Such an ascription we
render unto Him now, during the time of His rejection.
The Sealed Book (Rev. 5:).
pp. 97-100
Having described the throne, the living ones, and the elders, and having recorded the
utterances of these heavenly beings, the apostle recalls our attention to the throne, and
what is taking place there.
The right hand of the glorious occupant of the throne held a scroll that had been
written inside, and on the back, and which had been sealed with seven seals. What is the
meaning of this sealed book? The answer is found by observing what happens when the
seals are broken and the scroll unrolled. Chapter 6: describes the opening of six of the
seals, and it will be seen that the sixth seal takes us to the day of judgment (6: 12-17),
"the great day of His wrath is come".
The opening of the seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets, and at the beginning of
the seventh trumpet "the mystery of God shall be finished" (10: 7). When the seventh
angel sounds his trumpet, the following words are heard, "the kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign unto the ages of
the ages" (11: 15). This is linked with the theme of the seventh seal by the words of
verse 18, "Thy wrath is come". It is also the time for the judgment of the dead, the
apportioning of rewards, and the destruction of those who destroy the earth. This is none
other than "the REVELATION of Jesus Christ", for the wrath is the wrath of the Lamb,
the King who reigns is Christ, and all judgment is committed into the hands of the Son.
Let us turn to the book of Daniel. We have already referred to Dan. 10: when
comparing the vision and its effects on Daniel as recorded in that chapter with the
description of the Lord and the effects upon John in Revelation 1:
"In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel whose
name was Belteshazzar: and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long, and he
understood the thing and had understanding of the vision" (10: 1).
Then follow three weeks' mourning and fasting. Evidently "the thing" and "the vision"
were something to cause sadness. The vision of a man clothed in linen next appeared to
Daniel, and after reviving the trembling saint he tells him that he has come "to make him
understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many
days". The whole of chapter 11:, therefore, must refer primarily to the "latter days", and
must be concerning a period that was "many days" from the days of Daniel.
To us, this settles the vexed question as to where in chapter 11: the yet future begins
and past history ceases. Chapter 12: tells us that:--