Revelation 9:2121Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:21) closes the description of the sixth trumpet or second woe. The seventh trumpet or third woe is yet to come, and is of a very remarkable character. Revelation 10:77But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7) tells us that “In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God [that is, God's dealings preparatory to the open reign of Christ, when mystery will cease and full revelation as to the earth will take place] should be finished.”
From Revelation 10 to 11:14 is parenthetic. It begins with a Mighty Angel, clothed with a cloud, a rainbow upon His head, His face as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire. In this description there can be no mistake. Here we have the Lord Himself in angelic form. When He appears it is indeed the beginning of the end.
He has in His right hand a little book open. We shall presently see what this means. He sets His right foot upon the sea and His left upon the earth; that is to say, the time of His public intervention in the affairs of this world has come. He is able to assert Himself over the masses (the sea) and also over the governing part of the world (the earth).
The angel cries like a lion, and seven thunders utter their response. The prophet is forbidden to record these thunders. The whole scene is full of mystery.
The angel lifted up His hand to heaven and sware by Him who liveth forever, who created all things—that is God—that there should be time no longer; that is, that there should be no more delay.
During this present dispensation of grace God has not intervened directly in the affairs of the world. In long-suffering grace He has been bearing with this world. But once the Church is caught up the work of judgment begins. First the seven seals, God's providential judgments, run their course; then the seven trumpets follow, direct visitations from heaven as seen in their angelic agency; the last three of the latter series being likewise called woes. But in the seventh trumpet or third woe, taking place during the great tribulation, we have THE LORD INTERVENING IN PERSON.
And we are distinctly and solemnly told by the Lord Himself that in the days of the voice of the seventh angel the mystery of God should be finished, and that there should be time no longer, that is, no more delay. It means that God's secret dealings are to come to an end, and His public dealings are about to bring judgment to a close, preparatory to setting up Christ's Millennial kingdom. He refers to time in relation to judgment.
The prophet is bidden to eat the little open book. In his mouth it is sweet; in his belly it is bitter. It is the book of prophecy, open because it is about to come to pass. To the spiritual mind all God's ways are sweet; but the prophesying of God's ways before kings, rulers, and people, whilst affording sweetness as God's service, in its actual carrying out is bitter.