John does as he is told. Prophets are never ‘just’ instruments. They are no insensitive machines. No inhumane, hard as stone, robotic-like instruments. On the contrary, they are flesh and blood people, like you and me, with emotions and feelings. They experience personally the emotions that go with their task, like the sweetness of it: “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”1 It is sweet, wonderful to be near to God. It is glorious to be allowed to belong to the Lord Jesus, but it creates a gap between you and the world around you. The world will start regarding you more and more as a stranger, who often apparently always disagrees and opposes everything. Once again: what does the little open booklet contain? It has the prophecy concerning the completion of the Mystery of God’s mystery. The completion of the mystery of the Church. The completion of the mystery of Israel. And finally the completion of the mystery of the nations and of the whole of Creation. This revelation means ultimately redemption. All these mysteries are now going to be unveiled. The Church’s covering, her veil, is taken away—in the revelation of Jesus Christ when He returns. Israel’s covering will be taken away, when the fullness of the Gentiles will has come in and the ‘hardening in part’ will be over and all Israel shall have been saved,2 having received the full revelation about Jesus, Zechariah 12:10-14. And the veil over the nations with regard to the nation of Israel is taken away when God Himself invites the nations to the final feast. “On this mountain [Jerusalem] He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations” 3 Then the nations will suddenly realize what a special people the Jews are, and the Land of Israel, and the City of Jerusalem.
The finale of the revelation comes when the seventh bowl is poured out. Then everything becomes full, complete, and perfect. That is the indescribable sweetness. But the bitterness for John is the judgment of the stubborn and rebellious people and nations. The trials and tribulations. The wiping off the face of the earth of those people who hate God and His Christ. Every believer who has the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, living in his or her spirit will think and feel the same—happy with the redemption, sad because of the judgment.
John has to prophesy once again. The last days, the final days, the seventh trumpet, are almost here. The pouring out of God’s wrath is almost complete. John understands that the whole world has to know this. That he himself must let the world know. This task goes much further than writing down what was shown and must shortly come to pass. He has to write down and eat and devour this booklet. He must stand before kings and peoples and nations. He must personally share and impart what he has seen and heard. He cannot remain silent. The Lion is still roaring. Jesus message of warning about impending judgment is still going out.
Why is there this ‘again’, once again in the task? Is John not doing it well? He certainly did, but the little, opened, booklet could possibly contain the specific prophecies about the seventh seal – new prophecy, in which the great tribulation, the fall of Babylon, Armageddon, the second Coming of Christ and the resurrection of the righteous dead are described in much more detail. God is revealing mysteries, and the mysteries of the definitive coming to an end of all things are part of it. And all the people of the world must know this, so that they will understand what is going on, in order not to fall into the hands of the antichrist and the false prophets with their false ideologies. In order that they will listen, hear, turn around and be healed!
• The Greek word ‘epi’ can mean before, in front of, against and concerning. The NIV translation says, “concerning many nations…” while the Authorised Version says: “before/in front of”. Jeremiah 1:18 “Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests and to the people of the land.” The correct translation appears to be “in front of”, because of the special content of the little booklet.
• The future of the world and its rulers and peoples are revealed to John. This has to be imparted before, in front of, and even ‘against’ all those rulers and peoples. It is a message before, in front of them but also against them. Even today, one can take the warnings about the prophetic future to heart! And act accordingly!
Bible References:
1.Psalm 119:103; Psalm 19:10–11 2.Romans 11:25–32 3.Isaiah 25:7
