Qǐshìlù 10

1 Wǒ yòu kànjian Lìng yǒu yī wèi dàlì de tiānshǐ , cóng tiān jiàng xià , pī zhe yúncai , tóu shàng yǒu hóng . liǎnmiàn xiàng rìtou , liǎng jiǎo xiàng huǒ zhù .

2 Tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe xiǎo shū juàn shì zhǎn kāi de . tā yòng yòu jiǎo tà hǎi , zuǒ jiǎo tà dì .

3 Dàshēng hūhǎn , hǎoxiàng shīzi hǒu jiào , hūhǎn wán le , jiù yǒu qī léi fā shēng .

4 Qī léi fā shēng zhī hòu , wǒ zhèng yào xiĕ chūlai , jiù tīngjian cóng tiān shàng yǒu shēngyīn shuō , qī léi suǒ shuō de nǐ yào fēng shàng , bùkĕ xiĕ chūlai .

5 Wǒ suǒ kànjian de nà tā hǎi tā dì de tiānshǐ , xiàng tiān jǔqǐ yòushǒu lái ,

6 Zhǐ zhe nà chuàngzào tiān hé tiān shàng zhī wù , dì hé dì shàng zhī wù , hǎi hé hǎi zhòng zhī wù , zhí huó dào yǒng yǒngyuǎn yuǎn de , qǐshì shuō , bú zaì yǒu shí rì le . ( huò zuò bù zaì dān yán le )

7 Dàn zaì dì qī wèi tiānshǐ chuīhào fā shēng de shíhou , shén de àomì , jiù chéngquán le , zhèng rú shén suǒ chuán gĕi tā púrén zhòng xiānzhī de jiā yīn .

8 Wǒ xiānqián cóng tiān shàng suǒ tīngjian de nà shēngyīn , yòu fēnfu wǒ shuō , nǐ qù bǎ nà tā hǎi tā dì zhī tiānshǐ shǒu zhōng zhǎn kāi de xiǎo shū juàn qǔ guò lái .

9 Wǒ jiù zǒu dào tiānshǐ nàli , duì tā shuō , qǐng nǐ bǎ xiǎo shū juàn gĕi wǒ . tā duì wǒ shuō , nǐ ná zhe chī jìn le , biàn jiào nǐ dùzi fā kǔ , ránér zaì nǐ kǒu zhōng yào tián rú mì .

10 Wǒ cóng tiānshǐ shǒu zhōng ba xiǎo shū juàn jiē guò lái , chī jìn le . zaì wǒ kǒu zhōng guǒrán tián rú mì . chī le yǐhòu , dùzi juéde fā kǔ le .

11 Tiānshǐ ( yuánwén zuò tāmen ) duì wǒ shuō , nǐ bì zhǐ zhe duō mín duō guó duō fāng duō wáng shuō yùyán .

Qǐshìlù 10 Commentary

Chapter 10

The Angel of the covenant presents a little open book, which is followed with seven thunders. (1-4) At the end of the following prophecies, time should be no more. (5-7) A voice directs the apostle to eat the book; (8-10) and tells him he must prophesy further. (11)

Verses 1-7 The apostle saw another representation. The person communicating this discovery probably was our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, or it was to show his glory. He veils his glory, which is too great for mortal eyes to behold; and throws a veil upon his dispensations. A rainbow was upon his head; our Lord is always mindful of his covenant. His awful voice was echoed by seven thunders; solemn and terrible ways of discovering the mind of God. We know not the subjects of the seven thunders, nor the reasons for suppressing them. There are great events in history, perhaps relating to the Christian church, which are not noticed in open prophecy. The final salvation of the righteous, and the final success of true religion on earth, are engaged for by the unfailing word of the Lord. Though the time may not be yet, it cannot be far distant. Very soon, as to us, time will be no more; but if we are believers, a happy eternity will follow: we shall from heaven behold and rejoice in the triumphs of Christ, and his cause on earth.

Verses 8-11 Most men feel pleasure in looking into future events, and all good men like to receive a word from God. But when this book of prophecy was thoroughly digested by the apostle, the contents would be bitter; there were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, such desolations in the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would be painful to his mind. Let us seek to be taught by Christ, and to obey his orders; daily meditating on his word, that it may nourish our souls; and then declaring it according to our several stations. The sweetness of such contemplations will often be mingled with bitterness, while we compare the Scriptures with the state of the world and the church, or even with that of our own hearts.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 10

This chapter contains a vision of an angel of a wonderful appearance, the voices of the seven thunders, and an order to John to take the book in the hand of the angel, eat it, and prophesy. The angel is described by his strength, a mighty one; by his descent from heaven; by his attire, being clothed with a cloud; by a rainbow on his head; by his face being like the sun; by his feet, which were as pillars of fire, the one foot set on the sea, and the other on the earth; by having a little book open in his hand, and by the loud cry he made, like the roaring of a lion, Re 10:1-3, upon which seven thunders uttered their voices, which John was going to write, but was forbid, Re 10:4; next follows a solemn oath of the angers; the gesture he used, lifting up his hand to heaven; the person by whom he swore, the living God; what he swore to, that time should be no more, and that the mystery of God would be finished at the beginning of the seventh trumpet, Re 10:5-7; then several orders are given to John, as to take the open book in the hand of the angel, which he did, to eat it, as he accordingly did; when he found it to be as it was told him it would be, namely, sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly; and then to prophesy again before people, nations, tongues, and kings, Re 10:8-11.