The Little Open Book
Screen
1
Let's pray:
Father,
We thank You for having revealed to us six tools essential to understand Bible prophecy.
We would like to add a seventh tool to our box: «the little open
book», found in the book of Revelation.
What is this little book? How can it be useful to us?
May this lesson enlighten us on this subject. We humbly ask this in the name of Jesus
Christ.
Amen.
Screen
2
Revelation 10:1,2
And I saw still another mighty angel coming down from
heaven, clothed with a cloud.
And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of
fire.
And he had a little book open in his hand.
Revelation chapter 10 opens onto the vision of a mighty angel having a little
book open in his hand.
First, in order to better understand what this little book represents, we will try to find
out who is this mighty angel.
Screen
3
Revelation 10:1
And I saw still another mighty angel coming down from
heaven, clothed with a cloud.
And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of
fire.
Revelation 1:13,15,16
[I saw] One like the Son of Man (...).
His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, (...) and His countenance was
like the sun shining in its strength.
The mighty angel corresponds to the «Son of Man»
of Revelation 1.
Who is this «Son of Man»?
Screen
4
Revelation 10:3
[He] cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars.
Revelation 1:15,17,18
His voice [was] as the sound of many waters (...).
«I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore.»
The description of the mighty angel with the little book corresponds with that
of the «Son of Man», who describes Himself as He who was
dead but now lives forever.
The mighty angel is Jesus Christ.
Screen
5
Jesus is often described as the One coming on the clouds:
«I saw still another mighty angel coming down from
heaven, clothed with a cloud.» (REVELATION 10:1)
«Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced
Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.»
(REVELATION 1:7)
«Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the
earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory.» (MATTHEW 24:30)
«I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with
the clouds of heaven!» (DANIEL 7:13)
Screen
6
Revelation 10:2,5,6
He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his
right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land (...).
And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his hand to heaven
and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in
it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it,
that there should be delay no longer.
The deeds of the mighty angel are vital clues to identify the nature of the
little open book.
Let's look at the following verses...
Screen
7
Screen
8
Daniel 12:6,7
«How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?»
(...)
[The man clothed in linen] swore by Him who lives forever that it shall be for a time,
times, and half a time.
Revelation 10:6
[The angel] swore by Him who lives forever and ever (...)
that there should be delay no longer.
In the days of Daniel, a period of «a time, times, and
half a time» is announced before the end.
Centuries later, the angel of Revelation 10 declares «that there
should be delay no longer»...
Screen
9
Daniel 12:4,9
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book
until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. (...)
Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Revelation 10:2
[The angel] had a little book open in his hand.
Even more: whereas the book of Daniel is sealed until the time of the end, the
angel of Revelation has now an open book in his hand...
Screen
10
Daniel 12:4
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book
until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.
Yes, the little book which the mighty angel of Revelation 10 has in his hand is
actually the prophetic book of Daniel.
It was sealed, that is, couldn't be understood by the people living in the time of Daniel.
But now this book is open, and reveals its secrets to us who live in «the
time of the end», as we will see during these lessons.
Screen
11
Matthew 24:15
Therefore when you see the "abomination of
desolation", spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever
reads, let him understand).
We have just seen that the mighty angel holding the little open book represents
Jesus Christ.
Here is an interesting point: in the last days of His ministry on earth, Jesus was already
advising His disciples to spend time studying the book of Daniel.
Screen
12
Revelation 10:6,7
[The angel] swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who
created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and
the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the
days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God
would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
The angel with the little open book foretells the fulfillment of «the mystery of God», at the sounding of the seventh trumpet.
What is the mystery of God?
Screen
13
Colossians 2:2 (NIV)
My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and
united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order
that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.
Colossians 4:3
(...) meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open
to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.
The mystery of God is embodied in a word: Christ.
This mystery, then, is the plan of redemption that God offers us through the sacrifice of
Jesus.
Screen
14
Revelation 10:7
In the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, (...)
the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
If it's true that the mystery of God is the plan of redemption in Jesus Christ,
is it also true that this plan was announced to the prophets, as mentioned in this passage
of the Scriptures?
Screen
15
1 Peter 1:10-12
Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what
manner of time, the Spirit of Christ who was in them was indicating when He testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.
To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the
things which now have been reported to you.
Yes, the plan of redemption was indeed announced to the prophets of God.
Screen
16
Revelation 10:7
(...) but in the days of the sounding of the seventh
angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished.
Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud
voices in heaven, saying,
«The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and
He shall reign forever and ever!»
The seventh trumpet announces the last stage of the plan of redemption, which
ends happily, with the eternal kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Screen
17
Revelation 10:8,9
Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me
again and said, «Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who
stands on the sea and on the earth.»
And I went to the angel and said to him, «Give me the little book.»
And he said to me, «Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be
as sweet as honey in your mouth.»
Then, Revelation chapter 10 reports the experience of the apostle John who must
eat the little book.
«To eat the book» is an action rich in symbolism, and this
symbolism is also found elsewhere in the Bible...
Screen
18
The symbolism of the book being eaten, the words being eaten, is often
used:
«"But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do
not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give
you." Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll
of a book was in it.» (EZEKIEL 2:8,9)
«He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to
the house of Israel." So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll. And
He said to me, "Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll
that I give you." So I ate it, and it was in my mouth like honey in sweetness.»
(EZEKIEL 3:1-3)
«How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!» (PSALM 119:103)
«Your words were found, and I ate them.» (JEREMIAH 15:16)
Screen
19
Revelation 10:10
And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and
ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
So the experience of John teaches us that the book of Daniel, that is, the
little open book, would first be a source of joy and hope for its students (sweet as honey in the mouth), but would then cause disappointment
and discouragement (bitter in the stomach).
Can we find such an experience in the history of Christianity?
Screen
20
Daniel 8:13,14
«How long will the vision be, concerning (...) the
giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?»
And he said to me, «For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be
cleansed.»
During the nineteenth century, Christians throughout the world studied the book
of Daniel, and especially the prophecy of the 2300 days (subject of a future lesson).
Having calculated that the 2300 days were going to end in 1844, and believing that the
foretold cleansing of the sanctuary corresponded with the return of Jesus who would
cleanse the earth, they all zealously preached the gospel, eagerly waiting for 1844.
Screen
21
Revelation 10:10
[The little book] was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
But, as we saw in our last lesson, the sanctuary which had to be cleansed at
the end of the 2300 days was not the earth, but rather the heavenly sanctuary.
So the sweet waiting of the years preceding 1844 was followed by a deep bitterness, when
all those sincere Christians understood that they had not properly interpreted the content
of the book of Daniel, thus perfectly fulfilling the prophecy of Revelation 10.
Screen
22
Revelation 10:10,11
[The little book] was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But
when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
And he said to me, «You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and
kings.»
After this great disappointment of 1844, God addresses two messages to the
Christians.
First, the year 1844 does not represent the end of the world, but rather the beginning of
God's judgment, and we must announce this message to everyone before the glorious return
of Christ.
Screen
23
Revelation 10:11
You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations,
tongues, and kings.
Revelation 14:6,7
Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth - to every nation,
tribe, tongue, and people - saying with a loud voice,
«Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come.»
So the disappointed Christians stood again, and began to preach this new
message «to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people».
Screen
24
Revelation 10:10; 11:1
But when I had eaten [the little book], my stomach became
bitter. (...)
Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod.
And the angel stood, saying, «Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those
who worship there.»
Here is the second message God gives to the Christians, after this great
disappointment of 1844: we must «measure the temple of God»,
that is, study more deeply the subject of the sanctuary, in order to understand the book
of Daniel and its prophecy about the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Screen
25
Daniel 12:3,4
Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the
firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many
shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.
Our preceding lessons about the sanctuary, its furnishings and its services,
just like our future lessons about the book of Daniel, will «increase
our knowledge».
Now, it is up to us to preach this message and to «turn many to
righteousness»!
Screen
26
Let's thank God:
Our Father,
Bible prophecy is an amazing subject filled with surprises!
We are grateful to You for having given us the book of the prophet Daniel, which had been
sealed after its writing, but which has now become «the little open
book» for us who live in the last days before the return of Jesus.
We also thank You for the understanding of the sanctuary, a subject which was a cause of
bitterness for Christians before our time.
Please help us every day to «turn many to righteousness» by
preaching these wonderful truths. In Jesus Christ we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
Screen 1: Photo by KEMPERLE, Andy. In: «Canadian Adventist
Messenger» magazine (April 1995), SDA Church in Canada, front cover. Screen 2: STEEL,
John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1985, p.268. Screen 3: First picture: STEEL, John. In: «God
Cares, vol.2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.268.
Second picture: «Revelation Seminars», Seminars Unlimited, 1986, lesson #2 («L'Etoile
du drame de l'Apocalypse»), p.1. Composite picture by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen
4: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1985, p.268. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen
5: In: «Le Moniteur», Pacific Press Publishing Association, Second Quarter
2000, front cover. Screen 6: STEEL, John. In: «God Cares, volume 2»
(MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.268. Composite picture
by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 7: BISHOP, Tom. «Angel of Revelation
10». In: «New Pictoral Aid For Bible Study» (BREADEN, Frank), Australian Division of
Seventh-Day Adventists, 1970, chart #39. Table of Screen 7: STEEL, John.
In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1985, p.268. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 8: STEEL,
John. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1985, p.268. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 9: First
picture: COLLINS, Fred. In: «The Bible Story, volume 6» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific
Press Publishing Association, 1955, p.72. Second picture: STEEL, John. Detail. In: «God
Cares, vol.2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.268.
Composite picture by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 10: COLLINS, Fred. In:
«The Bible Story, volume 6» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing Association,
1955, p.72. Screen 11: In: «Egermeier's Bible Story Book» (EGERMEIER,
Elsie E.), The Warner Press, 1963, p.395. Screen 12: MOTTEZ,
Victor-Louis. «The Resurrection of the Dead». Musée des Beaux-Arts, Lille, France. In:
«Revelation - Art of the Apocalypse» (GRUBB, Nancy), Abeville Press Publishers, 1997,
p.103. Screen 13: Photo from Photodisc. «Christ, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil». In: «Le Moniteur - Questionnaire Adulte de l'Ecole du Sabbat», Editions Vie et
Santé, First quarter 2000, front cover. Screen 14: In: «Revelation
Seminars», Seminars Unlimited, 1986, lesson #23 («Les trompettes annoncent la chute de
Rome»), p.1. Screen 15: In: «Prophecy Seminars», Seminars Unlimited,
1989, Daniel lesson #30 («Sharing Daniel's Message with the World»), p.5. Screen
16: STEEL, John. In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (April 1993), Pacific Press
Publishing Association, p.10. Screen 17: In: «La Révélation - le grand
dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.159.
Screen 18: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (March 15, 1991), New York, Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.16. Screen 19: Picture Collection
«Corel Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 3, 550027.PCD. Screen
20: CONVERSE, James. In: «God Cares, volume 2» (MAXWELL, C.Mervyn), Pacific
Press Publishing Association, 1985, p.361. Screen 21: CONVERSE, James.
In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 2» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing
Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950, p.524. Screen 22: ANDERSON,
Harry. In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume 2» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press
Publishing Association and Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1950, p.416.
Screen 23: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (January 1, 1990), New York, Watch
Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.1. Screen 24: In: «La Révélation - le
grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988,
p.163. Screen 25: STEEL, John. In: «The Triumph of God's Love, volume
1» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Pacific Press Publishing Association and Review and Herald
Publishing Association, 1950, p.306. Screen 26: Photo in: «10,000
Designer Photos» by Global Star Software, 1999, P008b086.JPG.
Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used
for the purpose of non-commercial scholarly commentary or criticism in accordance with section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, and with article 29 of Canada Copyright Act (Chapter C-42), which by
law can be without the consent or endorsement of the copyright holder. Images lacking
attribution are either known or assumed to be in the public domain, or have an as yet
undetermined status. Anyone having knowledge of proper attribution for an image is
requested to contact us via email below so that it can be correctly noted. It is our
intent to comply fully with applicable laws regarding intellectual property rights.
The test of Lesson 15 is waiting for you!