The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

fulfillment of the vision. It would seem also to imply that the period from the time the
vision commences, when human affairs are in an orderly condition, to the end of the Age,
when the sea or anarchistic conditions begin to threaten, is spanned by the distance
between the two feet.
We call attention to a very striking difference between this vision of Christ and that of
chapter 1. In the latter He is represented as holding the "seven stars" in His right hand,
whereas in this He is represented as holding a "little book" (scroll) which St. John
afterwards, in a command from heaven, is told to go and take from the angel's hand and
eat. The little scroll doubtless represents God's Word, or certain portions of that Word
which needed to be specially emphasized at the time the vision applies. There is an
explanation of what is represented by eating a book or scroll in one of the visions of the
Prophet Ezekiel. The Prophet is shown a scroll, and is commanded to eat it. We have the
significance of this very clearly explained in the Prophet's words:
"Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness. And He [Jehovah] said
unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto
them. . . . All My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with
thine ears."--Ezek. 2:9,10; 3:1-3,10.
Thus it is learned that in the vision under consideration, among other things is taught that
at the period in history to which the vision applies, there would be a special giving of
God's Word to the Church.
We now notice the very significant action of this angel, and let it be carefully observed that
it takes place before St. John receives the book from the angel's hand. This is brought to our
view in the words of the Apostle: "And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth."
We have learned by an examination of Scriptures in our consideration of a previous vision
that a lion itself, when employed as a symbol, has various meanings. One use of it is that of
kingly authority. We have discovered also that frequently the peculiar traits or habits of a
lion are the things referred to in the symbol, sometimes referring to good and sometimes
to bad traits possessed by the object to which the symbol refers. This use of the symbol we
have noted in examining one of the features of the sixth trumpet. In the vision we are now
considering the peculiar trait or habit of the lion's roar and its effects are the things to be
considered. Some one has said that "the roaring of a lion is in itself one of the most terrible
sounds in nature." We have an instance in Amos (3:1-8) where the lion's roar is likened to
God's voice speaking a judgment message to apostate Israel of old:
"Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, . . . which I
brought up from the land of Egypt, saying, You only have I known of all the families of the
earth: therefore I will punish you. . . . The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord
God hath spoken."
We have another instance of the use of the same symbol in Joel which contains a still
further thought: