when this takes place we are not told. Here, as we see in Chapter 10:, the mystery of God

is brought to a conclusion in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound. All the

mysteries of the Word seem to focus here. What are the mysteries referred to in

Matt. 13:? Most interpreters of the parables would have us believe that the Christendom

of the past 1,900 years is the fulfillment of those parables. We believe they point to the

closing day of the Lord.

The mystery of Christ's rejection is solved by the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

The mystery of Israel's blindness shall be finished when the trumpet sounds, for when

"He shall send back Jesus", the times of restitution shall begin, and all Israel shall be

saved. Israel's feast of trumpets in the seventh month, the trumpet of the jubilee with its

liberty and re-entry into the forfeited inheritance, is consummated in the sounding of this

seventh trumpet. The mystery of the sudden change from mortality to immortality

without the necessity of death and resurrection will be solved when this trumpet sounds.

This, together with the resurrection, takes place at the last trump. When this is brought to

pass the prophecy of Isa. 25: 8 is fulfilled, which in its turn will take place when the

veil that is spread over all nations shall be taken away, the rebuke of God's people be

taken away from off all the earth, and the Lord of hosts shall reign in Mount Zion and in

Jerusalem, and before His ancients gloriously (Isa. 25: 6-8; 24: 23).

The proclamation of Christ as King is the solution of every mystery, the reason for all

the chequered history of the world, the goal of the purpose of the ages.

John is commanded to take the little scroll and eat it. The effect of doing so was that

while it was to his mouth as sweet as honey, yet to his belly it was bitter. Ezek. 2: 9-3: 3

is parallel. "How sweet are thy words to my taste, yea sweeter than honey to my mouth",

said the psalmist, and this is echoed by the apostle. Yet the awful character of the

judgments therein revealed could not be contemplated without emotion.

After having taken the little scroll and eaten it the apostle is told, "Thou must

prophesy again concerning (or against, but not `before', epi with dative) many peoples,

and nations, and tongues and kings". The simplest interpretation seems to be that the

remaining chapters of the Revelation, "the words of this prophecy", are here intended.

Some who think that a future ministry is here indicated have wondered whether John was

to be one of the two witnesses of Chapter 11:, but this we do not believe is at all likely.

There is a sweetness and a bitterness at the consummation of God's mystery. It is the

year of God's redeemed, but it is also the day of vengeance. This we shall see more fully

when we read the actual passage in Chapter 11:, which chronicles the sounding of the

seventh trumpet. The book of the Revelation is essentially, "The revelation of Jesus

Christ". The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. "Lo, I come", and "Lo, He

comes" fill the volume of the book and bring the mystery of God to an end.

May the seventh angel quickly sound! The bitterness attending that trumpet note will

soon be passed, and then bliss, glory, joy and life immortal! Even so come Lord Jesus.