Revelation 10:5-7. The angel swears that immediately, viz., in the time of the seventh trumpet, which is at once to sound, the mystery of God shall be finished.

ἦρε τ. χεῖρα αὐτ. τ. ὁεξιὰν εἰς τ. οὐρανὸν. The angel can raise[2734] only his right hand, because his left holds the little book, Revelation 10:2. The significance of the gesture is derived from the form of the oath. He raises his hand to heaven as to the high and holy place where the Eternal, and Almighty dwells,[2735] who even himself, in swearing by himself, raises his own hand to heaven.[2736]

Concerning the ἘΝ in connection with ὬΜΩΣΕΝ, cf. Matthew 5:34 sqq.; Winer, p. 364.

Τῷ ΖῶΝΤΙ ΕἸς Τ. ΑἸΩΝ.

Ὃς ἜΚΤΙΣΕ Τ. ΟὐΡΑΝῸΝ, Κ.Τ.Λ. The pragmatic reference of this appeal to God, as the Eternal and Creator of all things, lies in the fact that the subject of the oath is the ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ, therefore something concealed in God’s eternal decree, but which, in his time, he has not only in prophecy announced,—through the ancient prophets (Revelation 10:7), and now through John (Revelation 10:11; Revelation 1:1 sqq.),—but also the Almighty Lord will infallibly bring about,[2737] and that, too, ἘΝ ΤΆΧΕΙ (Revelation 1:1). For the angel swears, ὌΤΙ ΧΡΌΝΟς ΟὐΚΈΤΙ ἜΣΤΑΙ, “that there should be time no longer.” The authentic norm for the correct explanation of this expression is given by what follows, which defines the same thing from the contrasted side, ἈΛΛʼ ἘΝ Τ. ἩΜ., Κ.Τ.Λ.). It is accordingly not an “entrance of a modern thought,”[2738] but a complete misunderstanding of the text, when many interpreters, following Beda,[2739] have understood the words ΧΡΌΝΟς ΟὐΚΈΤΙ ἜΣΤΑΙ, of the absolute cessation of time, i.e., of the beginning of eternity. The opposite parallel, ἈΛΛʼ ἘΝ Τ. ἩΜΈΡΑΙς, Κ.Τ.Λ., by virtue of its chronological nature, excludes every explanation which presents the formula ΧΡΌΝΟς ΟὐΚΈΤΙ ἜΣΤΑΙ in any other way than chronologically. Ebrard, accordingly, is also incorrect when he understands by the ΧΡΌΝΟς, a season of grace. On the other hand, however, the contrast, Revelation 10:7, as well as also the tenor of the formula χρόν. οὐκ. ἔστ., forbids us to recognize in this a definite, technical expression of Apocalyptic chronology, as Bengel wished, who found here a “non-chronus,” i.e., a period of more than a thousand and less than eleven hundred years, and accordingly reckoned the closing epoch of this “non-chronus” (i.e., the beginning of the thousand years’ reign) as the year 1836, since the starting-point occurred, at all events, before the year 842, the concluding year of the second woe,[2740] and apparently in the year 800, in which the reign was established. Grot., Calov., Vitr., C. a Lap., Eichh., Ew., De Wette., Hengstenb., etc., have correctly recognized the fact that the words ΧΡΌΝ. ΟὐΚ. ἜΣΤΑΙ express the immediate, and the indeed very positively defined (Revelation 10:7), beginning of that which is called in Revelation 10:7 the fulfilment of the mystery of God. But naturally, from this formal unanimity of the most expositors, there proceeds directly the greatest diversity of views, when the question is concerning the more precise reference of the formula, χρόν. οὐκ. ἔστ. according to the standard of what is said in Revelation 10:7. But Vitr. is inaccurate, even in a formal respect, when he says, “No delay of time is to intervene between the sound of the seventh trumpet, and the fulfilment of the prophetic oracles;”[2741] for the affirmative determination, Revelation 10:7, says in apposition to the words ὍΤΙ ΧΡ. ΟὐΚ. ἜΣΤΑΙ, which deny a further delay, that the (immediate, Revelation 10:6) fulfilment of the mystery of God is to occur just at the time of the seventh trumpet. The question, therefore, is not concerning a delay, perhaps still occurring between the seventh sound of the trumpet and the fulfilment of the mystery of God; but the angel swears that between the present point of time (which falls after the close of the sixth trumpet, and before the second part of the second woe, that is finished only at Revelation 11:14), and the fulfilment of the mystery of God, which is to be expected within the time of the seventh trumpet, there will be no more interval. [See Note LXV., p. 309.] What, therefore, might have been expected already after the close of the sixth seal-vision, but yet did not occur, because ch. 7 brought a special preparation,—and, besides, from the seventh seal itself the new series of trumpet-visions proceeded, ch. 8 sq.,—is not to come immediately, and that, too, in the seventh trumpet. Yet it does not actually occur in Revelation 11:16-19.[2742]

ἌΛΛʼ ἘΝ Τ. ἩΜΈΡΑΙς Τῆς ΦΩΝῆς ΤΟῦ ἙΒΔ. ἈΓΓ. These words in combination with the immediately succeeding ὍΤΑΝ ΜΈΛΛΗ ΣΑΛΠΊΖΕΙΝ, which contain an epexegetical description of the ΦΩΝῆς Τ. ἙΒΔ. ἈΓΓ., appear to require an explanation like that of Bengel: “Thus the angel makes himself heard, not only at the beginning of these days, but continually throughout them.” The additional remark, “at the end of the days this trumpet acquires the name of the last trump” (1 Corinthians 15:52), is, of course, entirely without foundation in the context. But even the first statement of Bengel conflicts with the analogy of all the trumpet-voices hitherto in their proper nature (which, nevertheless, the words ὍΤΑΝ ΜΈΛΛῌ ΣΑΛΠ. themselves recall); since, by the heavenly trumpet-sounds, not future things themselves, but only such manifestations as signify what is to occur on earth, are introduced. The seeming difficulty which lies, therefore, in the fact that what is said in Revelation 10:7 is of the “days” of the seventh trumpet, but which cannot be explained by regarding a continuance of the trumpet-voice during the whole of the still future period of that (actual) day, is very simply explained if it be acknowledged[2743] that in the expression ἘΝ Τ. ἩΜΈΡΑΙς Τ. ΦΩΝ. Τ. ἙΒΔ. ΑΓΓ. the standpoint of the vision is not purely maintained, but the reference to the events of the sixth trumpet-vision is intermingled; only from this last standpoint can we properly speak of the “days” of the last trumpet, viz., of the period in which that which is represented to the prophet by the final sound of the trumpet actually occurs.

ΚΑῚ ἘΤΕΛΈΣΘΗ. The annexing of the conclusion is Hebraistic, since the ΚΑῚ with the aor. corresponds to the Vav with the perf.[2744]

τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ θεοῦ. The contextual determination of this idea—whose character is indicated, in general, already by the correlate ideas of divine revelation (εὐηγγέλισε), and of prophecy (τ. προφ.) as the human announcement of the mystery revealed on God’s part[2745]—lies partly in the fact that its actual fulfilment[2746] is placed in the time of the seventh, and consequently the last, trumpet; partly in that its revelation is conceived of by the prophets as a εὐαγγελίζειν, i.e., a communication of a joyful message. Besides, it needs no special proof, that the expression τοὺς ἑαυτ. δούλ., τοὺς προφήτας[2747] can refer only to O. T. prophets,[2748] but neither to N. T. prophets,[2749] nor to Christ and the apostles,[2750] as the mystery of God revealed to these prophets, and proclaimed by them, is infinitely more than the “divine counsel concerning freeing Christians from the oppression of the Jews.”[2751] According to the contextual indication just given, the ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ, whose contents are here declared only by the general allusion to the O. T. predictions, refers to nothing but the glorious completion of the divine kingdom, the final goal whereto the deepest current of O. T. prophecy, which is on that account essentially an Apocalyptic element, tends. The next authentic explanation of the proper contents of the ΜΥΣΤ. Τ. Θ. is contained in the heavenly song of praise sounding forth after the seventh sound of the trumpet, Revelation 11:17 sqq.

[2734] Cf. Daniel 12:7; Genesis 14:22.

[2735] Cf. Isaiah 57:15.

[2736] Deuteronomy 32:40.

[2737] Cf. the entirely similar reference of God’s self-designation, Revelation 1:8.

[2738] Hengstenb.

[2739] “At the last trumpet, the mutable variety of secular ages will cease.”

[2740] Cf. on Revelation 9:13 sqq.

[2741] Likewise Hengstenb.

[2742] Against Hengstenb., etc. See on that passage.

[2743] Cf. De Wette.

[2744] Exodus 16:6; Exodus 17:4, where the LXX. translate by καὶ with the fut. Cf. Ewald, Ebrard, Winer, p. 260.

[2745] Cf. Introduction, p. 32.

[2746] Cf. Luke 18:31.

[2747] Concerning the acc., besides εὐηγγέλισε, cf. Winer, p. 209.

[2748] N. de Lyra, Beng., De Wette, etc.

[2749] Grot., who seeks them altogether among the elders, Revelation 5:5, Revelation 7:13.

[2750] Eichh.

[2751] Eichh. Cf. Grot.: “That indeed is, that Christians were allowed by Hadrian a residence at Jerusalem, and the free worship of God and Christ there.”

NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

LXV. Revelation 10:6. χρόνος οὐκέτι ἔσται

Stier: “The Greek word χρόνος applies equally to a long interval, a respite, a delay, a postponement; and we have already had several instances in which it has been so used, as, for instance, in ch. Revelation 2:21, where we find it rendered ‘space to repent;’ and ch. Revelation 6:11, where it stands for a further period of rest and expectation. Therefore the meaning is simply this: that, whereas the angel with the seal demands an interval of time before the opening of the seventh seal, which interval is to be employed in sealing the servants of God, so this angel, on the contrary, denies any further space for repentance, any respite for the ungodly, before the sounding of the seventh trumpet. He affirms that stroke is to succeed stroke, and that, in a certain limited period, all will be finished.” So, also, Beck, who, in illustration of this meaning of χρόνος, refers to its derivative χρονίζειν: Matthew 24:48Revelation 10:5-6. Modelling from Daniel 12:7, the writer describes the angel’s oath (by the living God, as usual in O.T.; cf. Matthew 26:63), with its native gesture (cf. Trumbull’s Threshold-Covenant, 78 f.) and contents. In the ancient world oaths were usually taken in the open-air (Usener, Götternamen, 181), before the all-seeing deities of the upper light. But here, as at Revelation 14:7, the eschatological and the creative acts of God (the latter an outcome of His living might, as Sir 18:1, En. Revelation 10:1, Acts 16:15, etc.) are deliberately conjoined; God’s activity in creation and providence would culminate in judgment. “There shall be no further delay,” or time lost. The interval of Revelation 6:11 (Daniel 12:7) is over: all is ripe now for the end, ἡ συντέλεια καιροῦ. The parallels in Slav. En. xxxiii. 2, 65:7, upon the abolition of seasons and periods of time are merely verbal. What engages the writer here is the usual point of importance in apocalyptic literature, viz., “Is it long to the end? Is the future longer than the past” (4 Esd. 4:44–50)?

5. lifted up his hand to heaven] Read, “his right hand.” Cf. Daniel 12:7, where the angel lifts up both hands: here, his left is occupied with the book. For the gesture symbolic of an oath see Genesis 14:22, &c.

Verse 5. - And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven; the right hand (Revised Version) is supported by א, B, C, P, Syriac, Coptic, AEthiopic, Armenian, Andreas, Arethas, Primasius. It is omitted in the Textus Receptus, which follows A, 1, 17, 36, Vulgate; cf. Daniel 12:7, a chapter also referred to in the preceding note (vide supra). In Daniel both hands are uplifted, here only one; in the other is the book. The action was customary among the Jews in swearing (see Genesis 14:22; Deuteronomy 32:40). (Upon the signification of "standing upon the sea and upon the earth," see on ver. 2.) Revelation 10:5His hand

Add τὴν δεξιὰν the right, and see on Revelation 10:2. On lifting the hand in swearing, see Genesis 14:22; Exodus 6:8 (margin); Deuteronomy 32:40.

Revelation 10:5 Interlinear
Revelation 10:5 Parallel Texts


Revelation 10:5 NIV
Revelation 10:5 NLT
Revelation 10:5 ESV
Revelation 10:5 NASB
Revelation 10:5 KJV

Revelation 10:5 Bible Apps
Revelation 10:5 Parallel
Revelation 10:5 Biblia Paralela
Revelation 10:5 Chinese Bible
Revelation 10:5 French Bible
Revelation 10:5 German Bible

Bible Hub