November 4: WHOSO READETH, LET HIM UNDERSTAND
And 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. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth. Revelation 10:1-2 KJV
As the descriptions of the fifth and sixth trumpet judgements, along with the lack of response, close chapter 9, we enter upon an interlude before the sounding of the seventh trumpet (11:15), which is the Savior’s return to gather His people and take them to heaven. All of chapter 10 and verses 1-14 of chapter 11 comprise this interlude. Daniel 10 uniquely intersects with Revelation 10 in the description of the mighty messenger: I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude (Daniel 10:5-6).
This is Jesus! Notice the little book open in His hand. The only book of Scripture ever closed was Daniel, for the Lord had said, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end… for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days (Daniel 12:9,13).
The time of the end was launched when the Dark Ages came to their prophesied end in 1798. Napoleon’s general marched into Rome and removed the pope from his throne. The expiration of papal supremacy coincided with the beginning of the time of the end and the opening of the book of Daniel: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased (Daniel 12:4). Since that time, many have certainly run to and fro—throughout the world and throughout the Word—and understanding of prophetic subjects has marvelously increased!
John the Revelator records the Lord’s right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, signifying the massive audience for salvation’s final appeal before He returns. By contrast, at the time of Daniel, He appears above the waters of the river (Daniel 12:7). Our Redeemer sees down through the corridors of time, giving Daniel a “sealed letter” that was “opened” at the designated time. He cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices (Revelation 10:4). The Lion of the tribe of Judah (5:5) comes to open Daniel’s book, with a thunderous voice like the voice of a multitude (Daniel 10:6).
Jesus appears both to Daniel and to John in a glorified state. He guides Daniel to seal the book, and John is prophetically shown the book opened. In both accounts, Jesus lifts His hand toward heaven, and we find ourselves coming to a pivotal time in history when the end-time prophecies of Daniel are fully revealed to all who are willing to receive this light. “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)…” Matthew 24:14-15