The Secret Things

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. … He gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.

Rev 10:1-4

There are certain clues given that identify this angel as the Angel of the Lord, who accompanied Israel through their wilderness wanderings. This great angel comes robed in a cloud. When Israel was marching through the desert, they were preceded by a cloud by day and followed by a pillar of fire by night. When the tabernacle was completed, and later when the temple was built, this same cloud came down and filled the Holy of Holies. It was called the Shekinah, the cloud of glory, an indication of the presence of God. Immediately we have a clue that identifies this Angel as the Lord himself, Jesus, God the Son, appearing as the Angel of Jehovah.

The Angel's face was like the sun and his legs were like fiery pillars. That takes us back to chapter 1 where John saw the vision of Jesus standing amid the churches. John describes his face as shining like the sun and his feet like burnished, glowing bronze. Here, as John watched, he saw the Angel plant one foot upon the land and the other upon the sea, so that he stood astride the earth. Here is the rightful owner of earth, standing like a great colossus, claiming the earth for himself. The last clue is that he roared like a lion. In chapter 4 we saw the slain Lamb who is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He roars in triumph over the earth. This scene must have been a great encouragement to John. It is also to us, because we see that all these cosmic events affecting earth are still under the firm control of the Angel of God. He is working out everything that happens on his own timetable.

To the roar of this Angel, seven great peals of thunder reply. John heard what they uttered and was about to write it down, when there came another voice that said, Do not write it, but seal it up. This is the only part of Revelation that remains sealed. Would you like to know what the seven thunders said? It has not been revealed! Only John knows what the seven thunders uttered. I do not know why it was sealed. John does not tell us; he simply obeyed what he was told to do. There is truth from God that he does not want us to know yet. It is not that he will not tell us in time, but not yet. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us, The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever. That is why we are to study carefully the things already revealed in the word of God.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, as the rightful owner of the whole earth, the one who roars in triumph, and who is in firm control of all that takes place. Amen.