12 - 3, “Time No Longer”, December 3
“Time No Longer”, December 3
“And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, ... that there should be time no longer.” Revelation 10:5, 6. (CTr 344.1)
The mighty Angel who instructed John was no less a personage than Jesus Christ. Setting His right foot on the sea, and His left upon the dry land, shows the part that He is acting in the closing scenes of the great controversy with Satan. This position denotes His supreme power and authority over the whole earth. The controversy has waxed stronger and more determined from age to age, and will continue to do so to the concluding scenes when the masterly working of the powers of darkness shall reach their height.... (CTr 344.2)
After these seven thunders uttered their voices, the instruction comes to John, as to Daniel, in regard to the little book: “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered.”(Revelation 10:4)... John sees the little book unsealed.... Then Daniel′s prophecies have their proper place in the first, second, and third angels′ messages to be given to the world. The unsealing of the little book was the message in relation to time. (CTr 344.3)
The books of Daniel and the Revelation are one. One is a prophecy, the other a revelation; one a book sealed, the other a book opened.... The special light given to John, which was expressed in the seven thunders, was a delineation of events that would transpire under the first and second angels′ messages.... The first and second angels′ messages were to be proclaimed, but no further light was to be revealed before these messages had done their specific work.... (CTr 344.4)
This time, which the Angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world′s history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which would precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite “time”. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time. The longest reckoning reaches to the autumn of 1844. (CTr 344.5)
The Angel′s position, with one foot on the sea, the other on the land, signifies the wide extent of the proclamation of the message. It will cross the broad waters and be proclaimed in other countries, even to all the world. The comprehension of truth, the glad reception of the message, is represented in the eating of the little book. The truth in regard to the time of the advent of our Lord was a precious message to our souls.—Manuscript 59, 1900 (Manuscript Releases 19:319-321). (CTr 344.6)