the sound of sevenTHUNDERS
1THEN I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, robed in a cloud, with a [halo like a] rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire. 2He had a little book (scroll) open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3And he shouted with a loud voice like the roaring of a lion; and when he had shouted, the seven thunders gave voice and uttered their message in distinct words. 4And when the seven thunders had spoken (sounded), I was going to write [it down], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down! 5Then the [mighty] angel whom I had seen stationed on sea and land raised his right hand to heaven (the sky), 6And swore in the name of (by) Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens (sky) and all they contain, and the earth and all that it contains, and the sea and all that it contains. [He swore] that no more time should intervene and there should be no more waiting or delay, 7But that when the days come when the trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the prophets, should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).
The sound of the seven thunders, is not some secret prophecy that is to be given to a specific individual; we are told exactly what the sound of the seven thunders are, it is the que in heaven that indicates to the angel holding the seventh trumpet that God's mystery is completed, fulfilled, accomplished and completed; the sound of the seven thunders is the sound of God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced through the glad tidings to His servants the prophets, being fulfilled, accomplished and completed.
1THEN I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, robed in a cloud, with a [halo like a] rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire. 2He had a little book (scroll) open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3And he shouted with a loud voice like the roaring of a lion; and when he had shouted, the seven thunders gave voice and uttered their message in distinct words. 4And when the seven thunders had spoken (sounded), I was going to write [it down], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down! 5Then the [mighty] angel whom I had seen stationed on sea and land raised his right hand to heaven (the sky), 6And swore in the name of (by) Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens (sky) and all they contain, and the earth and all that it contains, and the sea and all that it contains. [He swore] that no more time should intervene and there should be no more waiting or delay, 7But that when the days come when the trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the prophets, should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).
So the sound of the seven thunders is the sound of the completion and accomplishment of God's mystery, His secret design and His hidden purpose. Notice it is the sound of seven thunders, so what causes a single thunder to sound? The answer to this question lies in the understanding that the Book of the Revelation is Christ's unveiling of the divine mysteries of God His Father, that have been given to Him (Christ) for the purpose of being revealed to His bondservants (the Church).
1[THIS IS] the revelation of Jesus Christ [His unveiling of the divine mysteries]. God gave it to Him to disclose and make known to His bond servants certain things which must shortly and speedily come to pass [a]in their entirety. And He sent and communicated it through His angel (messenger) to His bond servant John,
And it lies in the understanding that as Christ removes each seal from the scroll, the unveiling of one of the divine mysteries is revealed to his bondservants. If something is sealed, then what it contains is not disclosed, it is hidden from view; however, if the seal is removed then what was contained is exposed to view. So as Christ removes each of the seven seals, what is exposed or brought into view? The revelation of each of the divine mysteries!
1AND I saw lying on the open hand of Him Who was seated on the throne a scroll (book) written within and on the back, closed and sealed with seven seals; 2And I saw a strong angel announcing in a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll? And [who is entitled and deserves and is morally fit] to break its seals? 3And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in the realm of the dead, Hades] was able to open the scroll or to take a [single] look at its contents. 4And I wept audibly and bitterly because no one was found fit to open the scroll or to inspect it. 5Then one of the elders [[b]of the heavenly Sanhedrin] said to me, Stop weeping! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root (Source) of David, has won (has overcome and conquered)! He can open the scroll and break its seven seals!
6And there between the throne and the four living creatures (beings) and among the elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [[d]the sevenfold Holy Spirit] Who have been sent [on duty far and wide] into all the earth.
7He then went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him Who sat on the throne.
8And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each was holding a harp (lute or guitar), and they had golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God's people (the saints).
9And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10And You have made them a kingdom (royal race) and priests to our God, and they shall reign [as kings] over the earth!
As each of the seals are opened, the revelation and understanding of a divine mystery of God is brought forth to the Church, and wisdom hones out one of its seven pillars!
1WISDOM HAS built her house; she has hewn out and set up her seven [perfect number of] pillars.
2She has killed her beasts, she has mixed her [spiritual] wine; she has also set her table.
3She has sent out her maids to cry from the highest places of the town:
4Whoever is simple (easily led astray and wavering), let him turn in here!
As for him who lacks understanding, [God's] Wisdom says to him,
6Leave off, simple ones [forsake the foolish and simpleminded] and live! And walk in the way of insight and understanding.
So as each seal is opened, a revelation and understanding of one of the divine mysteries of God comes forth, and wisdom hewns out one of Her pillars, and there is a sound in heaven...the sound of THUNDER!
1THEN I saw as the Lamb broke open one of the seven seals, and as if in a voice of thunder I heard one of the four living creatures call out, Come! 2And I looked, and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.
The King James version says, "and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder,..."
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Now let's look at this phrase,"...and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder...", the word "noise" is derived from the Greek word, "phone" (pronounced fo-nay') and means, "to lighten and shine with the idea of a disclosure (or revelation)" and carries with it the idea of the Greek word, "phemi" (pronounced fay-mee') which means "to show or make known one's thoughts", and it also carries with it the idea of the Greek word, "lego" (pronounced leg'-o) which carries with it the definition of "laying forth" and "breaking the silence". The word, "thunder" comes from the Greek word, "bronte" (pronounced bron-tay') and is likened to the word "bremo" which means to "roar" or "thunder".
So what we see here in the opening of the first seal; "...and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder...", is the disclosure (or revelation), the enlightenment of what was sealed, God making His thoughts known, showing Himself, and that revelation being "laid forth", and therefore God has broken His silence concerning that particular mystery that was sealed! The "breaking silence" is the "noise" and that noise is the roar or thunder that resounds throughout heaven!
When all seven seals have been opened, and the mysteries that they conceal are revealed, then wisdom will have hewn out Her perfect number of (seven) pillars and the sound that resounds throughout heaven is like that of seven thunders, as God's mystery, His secret design and hidden purpose is fulfilled, accomplished and completed!
1THEN I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, robed in a cloud, with a [halo like a] rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his feet (legs) were like columns of fire. 2He had a little book (scroll) open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3And he shouted with a loud voice like the roaring of a lion; and when he had shouted, the seven thunders gave voice and uttered their message in distinct words. 4And when the seven thunders had spoken (sounded), I was going to write [it down], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down! 5Then the [mighty] angel whom I had seen stationed on sea and land raised his right hand to heaven (the sky), 6And swore in the name of (by) Him Who lives forever and ever, Who created the heavens (sky) and all they contain, and the earth and all that it contains, and the sea and all that it contains. [He swore] that no more time should intervene and there should be no more waiting or delay, 7But that when the days come when the trumpet call of the seventh angel is about to be sounded, then God's mystery (His secret design, His hidden purpose), as He had announced the glad tidings to His servants the prophets, should be fulfilled (accomplished, completed).
Hallelujah!
When John received the vision, he was told not to write down what the seven thunders had uttered,
4And when the seven thunders had spoken (sounded), I was going to write [it down], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up what the seven thunders have said! Do not write it down!
Why, was John told not to write it down, but to seal it up? He was told that because had he written it down the sound of the seven thunders would have resounded, and that would have been the cue for the seventh angel to sound his trumpet at that particular time! The revelation and understanding was meant for the time of the end, it was not meant for the time that it was shown John when he was commisioned by the Lord to write the Book of Revelation!
So now the question, "Can you hear the thunder?"
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