Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Revelation
Book: Revelation
Chapter: 10
Overview:
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)
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.
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.