Chapter 10:
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
Revelation 10
From the first verse of this chapter to chap. xi. 13, preparation
is made for the important trumpet of the seventh angel. It consists
of two parts, which run parallel to each other: the former reaches
from the first to the seventh verse of this chapter; the latter, from
the eighth of this to the thirteenth verse of the eleventh chapter:
whence, also, the sixth verse of this chapter is parallel to the
eleventh verse. The period to which both these refer begins during
the second woe, as appears, chap. xi. 14; but, being once begun, it
extends in a continued course far into the trumpet of the seventh
angel. Hence many things are represented here which are not
fulfilled till long after. So the joyful "consummation of the
mystery of God" is spoken of in the seventh verse of this chapter,
which yet is not till after "the consummation of the wrath of God,"
chap. xv, 1. So the ascent of the beast "out of the bottomless pit"
is mentioned, chap. xi, 7, which nevertheless is still to come,
chap. xvii, 8; and so "the earthquake," by which a tenth part of the
great city falls, and the rest are converted, chap. xi, 13, is really
later than that by which the same city is "split into three parts,"
chap. xvi, 19. This is a most necessary observation, whereby we
may escape many and great mistakes.
1. And I saw another mighty angel - Another from that "mighty
angel," mentioned, chap. v, 2; yet he was a created angel; for he
did not swear by himself, verse 6. Clothed with a cloud - In token
of his high dignity. And a rainbow upon his head - A lovely token
of the divine favour. And yet it is not too glorious for a creature:
the woman, chap. xii, 1, is described more glorious still. And his
face as the sun - Nor is this too much for a creature: for all the
righteous "shall shine forth as the sun," Matt. xiii, 43. And his feet
as pillars of fire - Bright as flame.
2. And he had in his hand - His left hand: he swore with his right.
He stood with his right foot on the sea, toward the west; his left,
on the land, toward the east: so that he looked southward. And so
St. John (as Patmos lies near Asia) could conveniently take the
book out of his left hand. This sealed book was first in the right
hand of him that sat on the throne: thence the Lamb took it, and
opened the seals. And now this little book, containing the
remainder of the other, is given opened, as it was, to St. John.
From this place the Revelation speaks more clearly and less
figuratively than before. And he set his right foot upon the sea -
Out of which the first beast was to come. And his left foot upon
the earth - Out of which was to come the second. The sea may
betoken Europe; the earth, Asia; the chief theatres of these great
things.
3. And he cried - Uttering the words set down, verse 6. And while
he cried, or was crying - At the same instant. Seven thunders
uttered their voices - In distinct words, each after the other. Those
who spoke these words were glorious, heavenly powers, whose
voice was as the loudest thunder.
4. And I heard a voice from heaven - Doubtless from him who
had at first commanded him to write, and who presently
commands him to take the book; namely, Jesus Christ. Seal up
those things which the seven thunders have uttered, and write
them not - These are the only things of all which he heard that he
is commanded to keep secret: so something peculiarly secret was
revealed to the beloved John, besides all the secrets that are
written in this book. At the same time we are prevented from
inquiring what it was which these thunders uttered: suffice that we
may know all the contents of the opened book, and of the oath of
the angel.
5. And the angel - This manifestation of things to come under the
trumpet of the seventh angel hath a twofold introduction: first, the
angel speaks for God, verse 7; then Christ speaks for himself,
chap. xi, 3. The angel appeals to the prophets of former times;
Christ, to his own two witnesses. Whom I saw standing upon the
earth and upon the sea, lifted up his right hand toward heaven - As
yet the dragon was in heaven. When he is cast thence he brings
the third and most dreadful woe on the earth and sea: so that it
seems as if there would be no end of calamities. Therefore the
angel comprises, in his posture and in his oath, both heaven, sea,
and earth, and makes on the part of the eternal God and almighty
Creator, a solemn protestation, that he will assert his kingly
authority against all his enemies. He lifted up his right hand
toward heaven - The angel in Daniel, Dan. xii, 7, (not improbably
the same angel,) lifted up both his hands.
6. And swear - The six preceding trumpets pass without any such
solemnity. It is the trumpet of the seventh angel alone which is
confirmed by so high an oath. By him that liveth for ever and ever
- Before whom a thousand years are but a day. Who created the
heaven, the earth, the sea, and the things that are therein - And,
consequently, has the sovereign power over all: therefore, all his
enemies, though they rage a while in heaven, on the sea, and on
the earth, yet must give place to him. That there shall be no more
a time - "But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, the
mystery of God shall be fulfilled:" that is, a time, a chronos, shall
not expire before that mystery is fulfilled. A chronos (1111 years)
will nearly pass before then, but not quite. The period, then, which
we may term a non-chronos (not a whole time) must be a little,
and not much, shorter than this. The non-chronos here mentioned
seems to begin in the year 800, (when Charles the Great instituted
in the west a new line of emperors, or of "many kings,") to end in
the year 1836; and to contain, among other things, the "short
time" of the third woe, the "three times and a half" of the woman
in the wilderness, and the "duration" of the beast.
7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel - Who sounded
not only at the beginning of those days, but from the beginning to
the end. The mystery of God shall be fulfilled - It is said, chap.
xvii, 17, "The word of God shall be fulfilled." The word of God is
fulfilled by the destruction of the beast; the mystery, by the
removal of the dragon. But these great events are so near together,
that they are here mentioned as one. The beginning of them is in
heaven, as soon as the seventh trumpet sounds; the end is on the
earth and the sea. So long as the third woe remains on the earth
and the sea, the mystery of God is not fulfilled. And the angel's
swearing is peculiarly for the comfort of holy men, who are
afflicted under that woe. Indeed the wrath of God must be first
fulfilled, by the pouring out of the phials: and then comes the
joyful fulfilling of the mystery of God. As he hath declared to his
servants the prophets - The accomplishment exactly answering the
prediction. The ancient prophecies relate partly to that grand
period, from the birth of Christ to the destruction of Jerusalem;
partly to the time of the seventh angel, wherein they will be fully
accomplished. To the seventh trumpet belongs all that occurs
from chap. xi, 15 - chap. xxii, 5. And the third woe, which takes
place under the same, properly stands, chap. xii, 12, xiii, 1-18.
8. And - what follows from this verse to chap. xi, 13, runs parallel
with the oath of the angel, and with "the fulfilling of the mystery
of God," as it follows under the trumpet of the seventh angel;
what is said, verse 11, concerning St. John's "prophesying again,"
is unfolded immediately after; what is said, verse 7, concerning
"the fulfilling the mystery of God," is unfolded, chap. xi, 15-19
and in the following chapters.
9. Eat it up - The like was commanded to Ezekiel. This was an
emblem of thoroughly considering and digesting it. And it will
make thy belly bitter, but it will be sweet as honey in thy mouth -
The sweetness betokens the many good things which follow,
chap. xi, 1, 15, &c.; the bitterness, the evils which succeed under
the third woe.
11. Thou must prophesy again - Of the mystery of God; of which
the ancient prophets had prophesied before. And he did prophesy,
by "measuring the temple," chap. xi, 1; as a prophecy may be
delivered either by words or actions. Concerning people, and
nations, and tongues, and many kings - The people, nations, and
tongues are contemporary; but the kings, being many, succeed one
another. These kings are not mentioned for their own sake, but
with a view to the "holy city," chap. xi, 2. Here is a reference to
the great kingdoms in Spain, England, Italy, &c., which arose
from the eighth century; or at least underwent a considerable
change, as France and Germany in particular; to the Christian,
afterward Turkish, empire in the east; and especially to the
various potentates, who have successively reigned at or over
Jerusalem, and do now, at least titularly, reign over it.
Chapter 10:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Jude Genesis
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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