And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
The command leaves the prophecy open rather than sealed shut, to be read carefully and prayerfully, searched and studied earnestly, made known, and kept. It can be understood, for its teachings are definite and not mystical or unintelligible, with the Spirit revealing neglected truths and one passage unlocking another as Scripture is compared with Scripture. The time being at hand means its appointed events are near and soon to transpire, with many prophecies about to be fulfilled in quick succession in the closing scenes of earth's history and the final conflict over God's law. Because it is open and near, its message is to be definitely proclaimed and exalted as present missionary work and the last warning to the world. That nearness brings a final fixing of character, when the unjust and filthy remain so and the righteous and holy remain so, for Christ as Alpha and Omega comes quickly with His reward, blessing those who keep His sayings and do His commandments with right to the tree of life and entrance through the gates into the city, and calling all to immediate repentance, cleansing of heart, and obedience to the truth without delay.
Open Prophecy Near Fulfillment
The command not to seal means the prophecy of this book is not to be treated as hidden, sealed, or unknowable, but is left open to be searched carefully to learn what it reveals, to be read carefully and prayerfully, to be studied earnestly, to be made known, and to be kept. Its sayings must not be kept hidden because fulfillment is near, and as part of a faithful message about things soon to come they are to be made known and kept. The chapter to which the command belongs is to be brought to people because it carries significance for the church and concerns especially those living in the last days. The message was given to John to be delivered to the churches and is for people in the present time.
The book can be understood, for its very name denies that it is sealed, and the veil has been removed by God's own hand. Its teachings are definite and not mystical or unintelligible even though given in figures and symbols, recording marvelous events to take place in the last days of this earth's history. The Spirit reveals neglected truths and brings new meaning from familiar texts, illuminating Scripture for those who seek to know what God says. One passage unlocks another when Scripture is compared with Scripture, and old and young alike are to study in this way so that the common people can understand God's Word in its genuine simplicity, rather than ministers and teachers telling hearers that Daniel and Revelation cannot be understood or making no effort to explain Revelation. Its truths are addressed to those living in the last days, who stand with the veil removed in the holy place of sacred things and must enter not carelessly or irreverently or turning from them as mystery, but with reverence and godly fear.
It is sealed only to those who reject light and truth. To all others the book of prophecy is to be opened to the people and its truths proclaimed, and its prophecies must not be left unexplained.
For the time is at hand means its appointed events and fulfillment are near and soon to transpire, and the things shown to servants are to be done shortly. The message is to be read, heard, and understood in the churches, and is connected with the last message of warning to the world to be proclaimed with power and urgency. Many prophecies are about to be fulfilled in quick succession while past history and old controversies recur, and its prophecies are to be understood as events approach. The time is nearing when the prophecies of the book are to be fulfilled.
What is thus opened reveals the closing scenes of earth's history, showing past events, present realities, and future events. It points to the final conflict between those who keep God's commandments and those who make void His law. It continues the prophetic line found in Daniel and records events of the last days. It was given by Christ to John on Patmos to be delivered to the churches as a message for people living in the last days.
Proclaiming Warning Preparing Character
Because the prophecy is left open and its time is near, its message is to be definitely proclaimed and exalted as present missionary work and the last warning to the world. It is not to be dismissed as unknowable, but is to be read carefully and prayerfully, understood, brought to people, and opened to them rather than left unexplained. The last warning has not yet stirred people to action in response to divine compassion, and it is to be proclaimed with power and urgency so people may have opportunity to prepare for events so soon to transpire. That warning includes the third angel's message, to be presented as the only hope for the salvation of a perishing world. Ministers and teachers are to hold fast against division, discord, party spirit, and propositions contrary to Christ's teaching while carrying this open proclamation.
The nearness marks a grand and final review in which character is fixed forever, the unjust remaining unjust, the filthy remaining filthy, and the righteous and holy remaining righteous and holy. Christ as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, comes quickly with His reward to give every person according as his work shall be. This demands immediate preparation for review of character that decides fitness to enter the city of God, with judgment set and no opportunity to lose as His coming rapidly draws near. The prophecy is to be read, heard, and understood in the churches as urgent and connected with this decisive time when things shown to servants are to be done shortly.
Every person's actions will be judged by God's law, with transactions exposed, recorded, and weighed against its holy precepts. That standard includes the Ten Commandments, which are flawless and disclose the truth of what was done. Unjust or selfish conduct in business cannot be excused by human legal interpretation. Blessing rests on those who keep its sayings and do His commandments. They are God's denominated people who witness to loyalty by keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and owning the crucified Saviour as Saviour, and they have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. That promise is to be read with Exodus 20 and Exodus 31:12-18 to answer whether a person can be saved without keeping the Sabbath, since God's will is revealed in His Word.
Christ holds its open sayings as richest treasures in His Word for His people to lay hold of by walking in His way and taking all the Scriptures as guide. Mighty blessing will surely come upon them and the promises will be fulfilled in everlasting life. This prepares a people even to see the face of God. In view of the soon coming there is no time to dally, and earnestness is required in forming character after the divine similitude rather than living to please self and gratify desires and inclinations. Following on day by day to know the Lord is necessary, since without such following ground is lost and standing at last among the redeemed is impossible.
The last chapters, especially the last four chapters and the last chapter with Revelation 22:10-21, call for immediate, deep, thorough individual work because work that should have been done long ago now needs to be done. This means thorough humbling of the soul before God, cleansing and refining and transformation of the heart, diligent cultivation of the heart's soil, and purifying the soul through obedience to the truth and washing robes of character white in the blood of the Lamb. It calls for earnest prayer and untiring work, most thorough work for repentance with no longer tarrying in an unprepared state, heartfelt repentance and asking forgiveness for unfaithful discharge of duty, and opening the door of the heart that Christ may enter. Fruit is to appear in the life in proportion to light given, especially by teachers, workers, and those carrying responsibility in the office and in the church, with every church, every school, and every sanitarium placed upon a much higher platform long overdue.
The Word must be preached as it is, without human inventions, suppositions, inventive theories, fanciful interpretations and doctrines, traditions, and ceremonies presented as doctrine. Teachers and ministers must stay within what Scripture teaches, search it earnestly and deeply for heavenly truth that gives eternal life, and not confuse minds by presenting human ideas as doctrine. Those who preach their own suppositions and teach for doctrine things not contained in God's Word stand under the warning of its last chapter.
The command leaves the prophecy open rather than sealed shut, to be read carefully and prayerfully, searched and studied earnestly, made known, and kept. It can be understood, for its teachings are definite and not mystical or unintelligible, with the Spirit revealing neglected truths and one passage unlocking another as Scripture is compared with Scripture. The time being at hand means its appointed events are near and soon to transpire, with many prophecies about to be fulfilled in quick succession in the closing scenes of earth's history and the final conflict over God's law. Because it is open and near, its message is to be definitely proclaimed and exalted as present missionary work and the last warning to the world. That nearness brings a final fixing of character, when the unjust and filthy remain so and the righteous and holy remain so, for Christ as Alpha and Omega comes quickly with His reward, blessing those who keep His sayings and do His commandments with right to the tree of life and entrance through the gates into the city, and calling all to immediate repentance, cleansing of heart, and obedience to the truth without delay.
Open Prophecy Near Fulfillment
The command not to seal means the prophecy of this book is not to be treated as hidden, sealed, or unknowable, but is left open to be searched carefully to learn what it reveals, to be read carefully and prayerfully, to be studied earnestly, to be made known, and to be kept. Its sayings must not be kept hidden because fulfillment is near, and as part of a faithful message about things soon to come they are to be made known and kept. The chapter to which the command belongs is to be brought to people because it carries significance for the church and concerns especially those living in the last days. The message was given to John to be delivered to the churches and is for people in the present time.
The book can be understood, for its very name denies that it is sealed, and the veil has been removed by God's own hand. Its teachings are definite and not mystical or unintelligible even though given in figures and symbols, recording marvelous events to take place in the last days of this earth's history. The Spirit reveals neglected truths and brings new meaning from familiar texts, illuminating Scripture for those who seek to know what God says. One passage unlocks another when Scripture is compared with Scripture, and old and young alike are to study in this way so that the common people can understand God's Word in its genuine simplicity, rather than ministers and teachers telling hearers that Daniel and Revelation cannot be understood or making no effort to explain Revelation. Its truths are addressed to those living in the last days, who stand with the veil removed in the holy place of sacred things and must enter not carelessly or irreverently or turning from them as mystery, but with reverence and godly fear.
It is sealed only to those who reject light and truth. To all others the book of prophecy is to be opened to the people and its truths proclaimed, and its prophecies must not be left unexplained.
For the time is at hand means its appointed events and fulfillment are near and soon to transpire, and the things shown to servants are to be done shortly. The message is to be read, heard, and understood in the churches, and is connected with the last message of warning to the world to be proclaimed with power and urgency. Many prophecies are about to be fulfilled in quick succession while past history and old controversies recur, and its prophecies are to be understood as events approach. The time is nearing when the prophecies of the book are to be fulfilled.
What is thus opened reveals the closing scenes of earth's history, showing past events, present realities, and future events. It points to the final conflict between those who keep God's commandments and those who make void His law. It continues the prophetic line found in Daniel and records events of the last days. It was given by Christ to John on Patmos to be delivered to the churches as a message for people living in the last days.
Proclaiming Warning Preparing Character
Because the prophecy is left open and its time is near, its message is to be definitely proclaimed and exalted as present missionary work and the last warning to the world. It is not to be dismissed as unknowable, but is to be read carefully and prayerfully, understood, brought to people, and opened to them rather than left unexplained. The last warning has not yet stirred people to action in response to divine compassion, and it is to be proclaimed with power and urgency so people may have opportunity to prepare for events so soon to transpire. That warning includes the third angel's message, to be presented as the only hope for the salvation of a perishing world. Ministers and teachers are to hold fast against division, discord, party spirit, and propositions contrary to Christ's teaching while carrying this open proclamation.
The nearness marks a grand and final review in which character is fixed forever, the unjust remaining unjust, the filthy remaining filthy, and the righteous and holy remaining righteous and holy. Christ as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, comes quickly with His reward to give every person according as his work shall be. This demands immediate preparation for review of character that decides fitness to enter the city of God, with judgment set and no opportunity to lose as His coming rapidly draws near. The prophecy is to be read, heard, and understood in the churches as urgent and connected with this decisive time when things shown to servants are to be done shortly.
Every person's actions will be judged by God's law, with transactions exposed, recorded, and weighed against its holy precepts. That standard includes the Ten Commandments, which are flawless and disclose the truth of what was done. Unjust or selfish conduct in business cannot be excused by human legal interpretation. Blessing rests on those who keep its sayings and do His commandments. They are God's denominated people who witness to loyalty by keeping the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ and owning the crucified Saviour as Saviour, and they have right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city. That promise is to be read with Exodus 20 and Exodus 31:12-18 to answer whether a person can be saved without keeping the Sabbath, since God's will is revealed in His Word.
Christ holds its open sayings as richest treasures in His Word for His people to lay hold of by walking in His way and taking all the Scriptures as guide. Mighty blessing will surely come upon them and the promises will be fulfilled in everlasting life. This prepares a people even to see the face of God. In view of the soon coming there is no time to dally, and earnestness is required in forming character after the divine similitude rather than living to please self and gratify desires and inclinations. Following on day by day to know the Lord is necessary, since without such following ground is lost and standing at last among the redeemed is impossible.
The last chapters, especially the last four chapters and the last chapter with Revelation 22:10-21, call for immediate, deep, thorough individual work because work that should have been done long ago now needs to be done. This means thorough humbling of the soul before God, cleansing and refining and transformation of the heart, diligent cultivation of the heart's soil, and purifying the soul through obedience to the truth and washing robes of character white in the blood of the Lamb. It calls for earnest prayer and untiring work, most thorough work for repentance with no longer tarrying in an unprepared state, heartfelt repentance and asking forgiveness for unfaithful discharge of duty, and opening the door of the heart that Christ may enter. Fruit is to appear in the life in proportion to light given, especially by teachers, workers, and those carrying responsibility in the office and in the church, with every church, every school, and every sanitarium placed upon a much higher platform long overdue.
The Word must be preached as it is, without human inventions, suppositions, inventive theories, fanciful interpretations and doctrines, traditions, and ceremonies presented as doctrine. Teachers and ministers must stay within what Scripture teaches, search it earnestly and deeply for heavenly truth that gives eternal life, and not confuse minds by presenting human ideas as doctrine. Those who preach their own suppositions and teach for doctrine things not contained in God's Word stand under the warning of its last chapter.