THE LITTLE BOOK
CHAPTER 10
1. And I [the John Class] saw another mighty
angel [our Lord] come down from heaven [the divine abode],
clothed with a cloud [invested with glory]: and a rainbow [New
Covenant] was upon his head, and his face [favor] was as it were
the sun [bringing the fulfillment of the Gospel blessings], and his feet
[members who represent him in judgment] as pillars of fire [having
consuming powers]:
2. And he [Christ] had in his hand [power] a
little book open [of the Divine Plan from CE 1829 onward, Vol. 3, p. 89]: and
he set his right foot upon the sea [restless masses and his honored agencies
begin to assume control over the restless masses], and his left foot on the earth
[stable elements of society to subdue these].
3. And cried with a loud voice [great proclamation], as when a
lion roareth [having a lion-like effect of terrorizing by reason of the divine
judgments]: and when he had cried [made this proclamation], seven
thunders [controversies
—
political, economical, social, moral, scientific,
religious, and military controversies] uttered their voices [were
proclaimed].
4. And when the seven thunders [controversies
—
social, political,
economical, civil, scientific, military and religious] had uttered their voices
[made themselves heard], I [the John Class] was about to write
[become involved in these issues]: and I [the John Class] heard a
voice [message] from heaven [from a Divine source] saying
unto me [the John Class], Seal up those things [issues of the
seven controversies] which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not
[do not become involved in these matters].
5. And the angel [the Lord] which I [the John Class] saw
stand upon the sea [assuming control over the restless masses] and upon the
earth [stable elements of society] lifted up his hand to heaven
[invoked the Divine witness].
6. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever [Jehovah],
who created the heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things
that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time
no longer [no more of this 360 year period covering from CE 1517-8 to 1878 when
Reformation attempts ended and the harvest begins]:
7. But in the days of the voice [during the proclamation of this
messenger's voice which continued after his death] of the seventh angel
[messenger, Brother Russell], when he shall begin to sound [to proclaim
the harvest message], the mystery of God [secret of the plan of God and
the concealment of the church, the Christ, in that plan as well as the apportioning of the
crowns to the church] should be finished, as he [God] hath
declared to his servants the prophets. [RSV reads more
correctly:
"But that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the
mystery of God, as he announced to his servants the prophets, should be fulfilled."
This reading avoids the conclusion that at the beginning of the sounding
of the seventh trumpet the mystery of God would be finished. Rather, it is in the
days of the trumpet message or voice, even after his death, his voice continued, that the
true church would be completed.]
8. And the voice [proclamation] which I [the John
Class] heard from heaven [a divine source, the same voice as in vs. 4
which commanded him to seal the voice of the seven thunders] spake unto me
[the John Class] again, and said, Go and take the little book [truth of
the Scriptures] which is open [has been revealed] in the hand
[power] of the angel [the Lord] which standeth upon the sea
[who assumed control of the sea—restless masses] and
upon the earth [stable
elements of society].
9. And I
[the John Class] went unto the angel [drew
near unto the Lord], and said unto him, Give me the little book [of the
Scriptures]. And he [the Lord] said unto me [the John
Class], Take it, and eat [appropriate] it up; and it shall make
thy belly bitter [bitter with trials to the flesh], but it shall be in
thy mouth [your heart] as sweet as honey.
10. And
I [the John Class] took the little book
[truth of the Scriptures] out of the angel’s [the Lord’s] hand,
and ate it up [appropriated it unto themselves]; and it was in my mouth
[their hearts] sweet as honey: and as soon as I [the John Class] had
eaten it [appropriated it], my belly [our bellies] was
bitter [with trials to their flesh].
11. [And he said unto me, not in the Sinaitic or
Alexandrine, if this is a true reading
it would be the Father and Son saying,] Thou must prophesy again before many
peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
