The Revelation of John 10

¹And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

² And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

³ And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

⁴ And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

⁵ And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

⁶ And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

⁷ But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

⁸ 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.

⁹ 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.

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 as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

¹¹ And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

The mighty angel

In the Book of Revelation, the expression "mighty angel" appears three times:

• Revelation 5:2 – A mighty angel cries out with a loud voice, asking, "Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?"
• Revelation 10:1 – John sees "another mighty angel" descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, holding a little book that is open.
• Revelation 18:21 – A mighty angel throws a large stone into the sea, symbolizing the complete destruction of Babylon.

The connection between the angel from Revelation 5:2 and the one from Revelation 10:1 can be observed. The first announces a problem – no one is worthy to open the sealed book, which causes John to weep. This book, sealed with seven seals, contains God's plan and His judgment. The slain Lamb (Christ) is the only one who can break the seals and reveal its contents.

In Revelation 10:1, another mighty angel appears, bringing a new revelation, holding in his hand an open little book. He cries out with a loud voice like a lion, and seven thunders sound, but John receives a clear prohibition: "Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them" (Rev. 10:4).

The mystery of God unfolds progressively

1. In Revelation 5, the sealed book must be revealed, and Christ is the only one who can open it.
2. In Revelation 10, John receives a prophetic message, but this time he is instructed to seal it up, meaning to keep the message hidden.

This parallel suggests a fundamental principle of divine revelation:

• God reveals certain things – through the opening of the seals.
• But other things remain hidden until the appointed time – as in the case of the message of the seven thunders, which is sealed.

Thus, the mystery of God unfolds progressively, and understanding the divine plan comes in stages. John, as a prophet, receives both revelation and restriction, showing that God determines the moment when they are to be made known.

The expectation of prophecy fulfillment and confirmation of the appointed time

John, being one of the closest disciples of Jesus, shared the same concern that all the disciples had: "When will the Kingdom of God be established?" Even during Jesus' lifetime, the apostles asked about the exact time of prophetic fulfillment (Matthew 24:3, Mark 13:4, Luke 21:7, Acts 1:6-7), but Jesus answered that "it is not for them to know the times or seasons," but to watch and be prepared.

This tension between the desire to know the exact time and the call to patience and faith is also present in the Book of Revelation. John sees the Lamb breaking the seven seals (Revelation 6), and the souls of the martyrs under the altar cry out: "How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge...?" (Rev. 6:10). The divine response is that they must "wait a little longer" until the number of those who are to be martyred is complete.

In Revelation 10, the mighty angel appears and makes a solemn oath that "there will be no more delay" and that "in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished" (Rev. 10:6-7). This announcement is significant because, throughout biblical history, the apparent delay in fulfilling God's promises has been a test of faith.

Examples:

• Exodus 32:1 – When Moses delays on the mountain, the people lose patience and fall into idolatry.
• Habakkuk 2:3 – God promises that the prophecy will be fulfilled "at the appointed time" and that "if it delays, wait for it, because it will certainly come and will not delay."
• Matthew 24:48 / Luke 12:45 – Jesus warns that the unfaithful servant changes his behavior and becomes negligent if he thinks the Master is "delaying."
• Luke 18:7 – God will bring justice to His chosen ones "even though He delays with them."

God fulfills everything at the appointed time

The mighty angel reassures us that God does not delay but fulfills everything at the appointed time.

The seventh trumpet announces the fulfillment of "the mystery of God," and John understands that although prophetic events will continue to unfold, God governs history with absolute precision.

John is called to prophesy again concerning many peoples, nations, languages, and kings (Rev. 10:11), indicating that the revelation he received is not just about a specific moment but about the entire course of salvation history.

This progression shows that Revelation is not just about the end of the world but about the unfolding of God's entire plan. Even though people may be tempted to focus on "WHEN?", the divine response is that patience and trust are essential because God works according to a precisely appointed time.

"The Mystery of God" and the Connection with the Heavenly Temple

In Revelation 10:7, the mighty angel solemnly declares that:

• The mystery of God will be finished at the sound of the seventh trumpet.
• This mystery had been proclaimed by God to His servants, the prophets.

The text leads us directly to the key question:

• What prophecy had been sealed until the "time of the end"?
• Where in the Old Testament do we find a prophecy that remained "a mystery" until its fulfillment?

The Only Sealed Prophecy

In Daniel 8:13-14, the prophet sees a vision about the continual desecration of the sanctuary and its cleansing:

• Daniel 8:13 – "How long will the vision be concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation?"
• Daniel 8:14 – "For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed."

Later, in Daniel 8:26, the angel tells Daniel that this prophecy is true but must be sealed for the time of the end: "The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future."

This is the only Old Testament prophecy about the Heavenly Temple that was "sealed" and reserved for the time of the end!

How Does Daniel 8 Connect to Revelation 11?

• In Daniel 8, the heavenly sanctuary is defiled by the antichrist power and needs to be cleansed.
• At the sound of the seventh trumpet, the mystery of God is finished. And what happens then?
• In Revelation 11:19, the heavenly temple is opened, and the ark of the covenant becomes visible.

Therefore, what was "sealed" in Daniel 8 is revealed in Revelation at the sound of the seventh trumpet.

What Does It Mean That "The Mystery of God" Is Finished?

In the biblical context, "the mystery of God" often refers to His plan of salvation unfolding throughout history and reaching its climax.

1. The End of the Waiting Time

• Daniel was instructed to seal the prophecy until the time of the end.
• In Revelation, the angel solemnly declares that there will be no more delay → the time appointed by God has come to an end.

2. The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary

• Daniel 8:14 says that after 2,300 evenings and mornings, the sanctuary will be cleansed.
• In Revelation 11:19, the heavenly temple is opened, and the Ark of the Covenant appears, marking the moment of this cleansing’s fulfillment.

3. The Final Judgment and the Fulfillment of God's Plan

• Revelation 15:5-8 shows that after the opening of the heavenly temple, the seven bowls of God's wrath follow → meaning the final judgment begins.
• A long and complicated chapter in human history comes to an end, entering the final phase of God's plan.

Daniel's Prophecy About the Heavenly Sanctuary Was Sealed Until the End Times.

Revelation indicates that this "mystery" is now revealed and reaches its fulfillment.

The opening of the heavenly temple in Revelation 11:19 marks a crucial prophetic moment: the entry into the final stage of the divine plan. This confirms that God has appointed a precise time for everything and that nothing is left to chance.

God and Revelation through Prophets

The verse from Amos 3:7 – "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets" – emphasizes that God does not carry out His plans arbitrarily or in secret, but makes them known through His prophets. This principle is evident throughout Scripture, where God provides revelations about the future, but some of these are intended for a specific generation, as in the case of the prophecy from Daniel 8.

1. Revelation in the Old Testament – Concrete Examples

In the Old Testament, God chose individuals through whom to convey essential messages, whether as warnings or as promises.

Noah and the Flood (Genesis 6-9)

• One of the earliest examples is Noah, to whom God revealed the imminent destruction through the flood. "The end of all flesh has come before Me" (Genesis 6:13). Noah received precise instructions on how to build the ark and had time to warn the people, but few took the divine message seriously.

Moses and the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3-14)

• God spoke to Moses about the plan to liberate the people of Israel, revealing in advance the plagues that would come upon Egypt. "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh..." (Exodus 6:1). This example shows that God revealed His plans before acting, giving people the opportunity to understand and prepare.

Isaiah and the Prophecy about the Messiah (Isaiah 53)

• Isaiah wrote about the sufferings of the Messiah approximately 700 years before the coming of Jesus. "He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5). This prophetic revelation was clear, yet many Jews of Jesus' time did not understand it.

2. Daniel 8 – A Sealed Prophecy until the End Time

One of the most fascinating revelations in the Bible is found in Daniel 8, where the prophet Daniel received a vision about the events of the end times. Unlike other prophecies, this revelation was sealed and reserved for a specific time.

Why Was It Sealed?

• God clearly told Daniel: "But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end" (Daniel 12:4). This indicates that the prophecy could not be fully understood until a future period when historical circumstances and knowledge would enable people to decipher it correctly.

Who Will Understand It?

• Scripture states that only a certain category of people will be able to understand this prophecy: "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:3). God has prepared this revelation for those who seek divine wisdom and discern prophetic truth.

A Revelation Made 2,500 Years in Advance

• Daniel received this prophecy during the Babylonian exile, approximately 2,500 years before the time when it was meant to be understood. God not only reveals His plans but also controls the moment when they become clear to humanity.

3. Why Is This Revelation Important?

Daniel 8 demonstrates that God does not give revelations randomly but preserves them for a precise time. Proper understanding in the end time:

• Provides light and discernment to the faithful.

• Prepares God's people for the final events.

• Demonstrates that Scripture is divinely inspired, containing prophecies written thousands of years earlier but revealed at the right time.

The verse from Amos 3:7 reminds us that God does not leave the world in darkness but reveals His mystery through prophets. However, some revelations are kept for a specific time, as seen in Daniel 8. This shows that God works according to a well-defined plan, and those who dedicate themselves to studying Scripture and obeying Him will be the ones who shine like stars, being the recipients of this revelation.

Thus, it is vital to pay attention to biblical prophecies, study them with discernment, and pray for the wisdom to understand them, especially in the end time when sealed prophecies are on the verge of being fully unveiled.

The Seventh Trumpet, the Opening of the Temple, and the Unsealing of Daniel's Prophecy

In Revelation 10:6-7, the angel swears that "there will be no more delay" and that, when the seventh trumpet sounds, "the mystery of God will be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets." This verse suggests a decisive moment in the unfolding of the divine plan, in which something previously hidden becomes revealed. An important clue about what is revealed comes from Revelation 10:2, where John sees an angel holding "a little book open," which he is instructed to eat. The little book is sweet to the taste but bitter in the stomach, indicating a message that initially brings joy but later becomes difficult to accept.

This "little book" must be the Book of Daniel, which in Daniel 12:4 was "sealed until the time of the end." If this book was sealed in Daniel's time and in Revelation is "opened," then this indicates that the understanding of Daniel's prophecies becomes accessible at the moment announced by the seventh trumpet. In other words, what had been hidden for 2,500 years becomes clear at the fulfillment of time.

Another significant event associated with the seventh trumpet is the opening of the heavenly Temple, described in Revelation 11:19: "Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within His temple was seen the ark of His covenant." This detail is not accidental, as the ark of the covenant symbolizes divine law and God's presence in the sanctuary.

If at the seventh trumpet the heavenly Temple is opened and the ark becomes visible, this suggests a transition in God's work, related to the cleansing of the Sanctuary prophesied in Daniel 8:14.

In Conclusion:

At the sound of the seventh trumpet, we have both the unsealing of Daniel's prophecy and the opening of the heavenly Temple, two fundamental events that mark a major shift in the unfolding of the divine plan.

Ezekiel's Experience: Sweet as Honey

In his book, Ezekiel recounts a powerful symbolic experience in which he is given a scroll to eat. It is described as being "sweet as honey" to the taste (Ezekiel 3:1-3), but then he goes "in bitterness and in the heat of my spirit" (Ezekiel 3:14). This experience has a clear parallel with John's experience in Revelation 10:9-10, where John also receives a scroll that is sweet to the taste but turns bitter in his stomach.

To fully understand the context of this vision, we must clarify the historical moment when Ezekiel lived this experience:

• 597 B.C.– Ezekiel is exiled to Babylon after the second deportation orchestrated by Nebuchadnezzar. He is taken along with King Jehoiachin and a large part of Jerusalem's elite (2 Kings 24:10-16).

• 593 B.C.– A few years after the exile, Ezekiel receives his prophetic calling by the river Chebar (Ezekiel 1:1-3). In this context, he has the vision of the scroll he must eat.

• 586 B.C.– After seven years of prophetic warnings, Jerusalem is completely destroyed by Babylon, and Solomon’s Temple is demolished.

Thus, Ezekiel's experience with the scroll took place before the total destruction of Jerusalem. A simple calculation shows that exactly seven years passed from the vision of the scroll to the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. The sweet scroll, but with a bitter effect, symbolized his prophetic message: the news that God was speaking was full of grace and truth, but the content of the prophecy was devastating, announcing imminent punishment upon the people.

The Parallel between Ezekiel and John

In Revelation 10:9-10, John has a similar experience: he receives a scroll that is sweet to the taste but makes his stomach bitter. This raises an important question: if Ezekiel's experience took place before the destruction of Jerusalem (586 B.C.), then for the parallel to be coherent, John would also have had to receive the scroll before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. If Revelation were written after this event, then the symbolism of John's experience would either disappear or become less clear.

This observation brings into discussion the dating of Revelation and contributes to one of the greatest theological controversies: Was Revelation written before or after 70 A.D.?

The parallel between the two visions shows a clear prophetic pattern. God announced the destruction of Jerusalem through a message given seven years in advance.

If Ezekiel received the vision seven years before the fall of the city, then John received Revelation in the year 63 A.D., exactly seven years before the final destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. This is a direct consequence of the prophetic pattern established in the Old Testament. Once we recognize this connection, the conclusion becomes inevitable: Revelation was written before 70 A.D., specifically in the year 63 A.D. All other textual and historical evidence points precisely to the year 63 A.D.

Implications on the Dating of Revelation

The debate over the date of Revelation revolves around two main hypotheses:

1. Early Date (63 A.D.)– Before the destruction of Jerusalem, during the reign of Emperor Nero (54-68 A.D.).

2. Late Date (90s A.D.)– After the destruction of Jerusalem, during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 A.D.).

If Revelation was written after 70 A.D., then John could not have warned about the destruction of Jerusalem in the same way that Ezekiel did.

Therefore, the argument of parallelism with Ezekiel supports an early date: John received the scroll in 63 A.D., before Jerusalem was destroyed, just as Ezekiel received it before the destruction of 586 B.C.

Dating the Book of Revelation in 63 A.D.: Clear Arguments from Text and History

One of the most fascinating personal discoveries I made in my study of Revelation was identifying a clear parallel between the prophetic experience of Ezekiel and that of John. By carefully examining the biblical texts and the historical context, I realized that just as Ezekiel received a prophetic vision seven years before the destruction of Jerusalem (586 B.C.), so too John would have had to receive Revelation seven years before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This discovery came purely as a result of direct analysis of the biblical text and correlation with relevant historical data.

The great surprise came later when I found out that this perspective was not a new one, but had already been observed by other scholars and theologians who also supported the dating of Revelation in 63 A.D., based on textual and historical evidence rather than tradition. Among them, there are a few important names worth mentioning.

One of these authors is J. Stuart Russell (1816–1895), a British theologian and pastor known for his work "The Parousia"(published in 1878). Russell was born in Elgin, Scotland, and graduated from King's College, University of Aberdeen. He served as a pastor in various congregational churches in England. In "The Parousia", Russell argues that Revelation was written in 63 A.D., before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., emphasizing the parallels between the prophecies of Ezekiel and those of John.

Another scholar who supports the dating in 63 A.D. is Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. (b. 1950), a Reformed theologian and former Presbyterian pastor from the United States, known for his advocacy of orthodox preterism and postmillennialism in Christian eschatology. Gentry earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies from Tennessee Temple University and a Th.D. from Whitefield Theological Seminary. He is the author of "Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation", in which he argues that Revelation was written during the reign of Emperor Nero, before 70 A.D. Gentry draws parallels between Ezekiel's experience and that of John to support this perspective.

Additionally, Samuel Lee (1625–1691) and Philip Carrington (1892–1975) are two other authors who noticed the prophetic parallels between Ezekiel and John, asserting that Revelation was written in 63 A.D., before the year 70 A.D. Samuel Lee was a Puritan theologian from the 17th century, known for his vast erudition and his emphasis on textual analysis. Philip Carrington, an Anglican bishop and theologian from the 20th century, highlighted the literary and thematic connections between Revelation and the prophecies of Ezekiel.

Thus, the realization that others had identified the same connection I independently discovered brought me a profound intellectual satisfaction. This reinforces the conviction that rigorous study of the biblical text, in harmony with clear historical evidence, can lead to solid conclusions independent of dominant theological traditions. The fact that these authors arrived at similar conclusions demonstrates that there is an objective basis for the argument of dating Revelation in 63 A.D., grounded in text and history, not tradition.