The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

It was not, however, until the "seventh trumpet" began to sound that, with an open Bible
and the many helps necessary to understand its teachings, together with the fruitage of the
Reformation, and certain experiences necessary to awaken hunger for the Truth, the due
time arrived for special messengers of these last times to begin to eat the little book in the
full sense of the symbol to bring to light all the wonderful features of the Divine Plan of
the Ages; though the rays of light on the imminency of Michael's (Christ's) Kingdom began
in the Second Advent movement in 1829, and the eating of the "little book" has been in
process of fulfillment up to the present time. It may properly be said that Martin Luther
and his associates ate sufficiently of the little book to turn the whole current of human
affairs into new channels, and to divide Christendom into two parts--Protestantism and
Roman Catholicism, and cause several nations to be liberated from Papal bondage. Other
of God's people down the centuries have obtained more and more knowledge of God's
Word and have continued the work, but it was not until the seventh trumpet began to
sound, and the time came for the last message to be given that the whole of the "little
book," the message of Michael's Kingdom, etc., was due to be eaten (understood).
Though the great work of bringing out of the Divine storehouse (the Bible) the mysterious
features of the Divine Plan was hindered from time to time by the formation of sects,
nevertheless, there has been all along a company of God's saints who have kept free from
sectarian bondage. Through this class the work was continued, and the way prepared for
the last, and as many think, the greatest movement of Church history in which it has been
the blessed privilege of many today to have a part--a work which we believe is rapidly
drawing to a close. We are now awaiting with thrilling interest its completion.
Having noted in the Protestant Reformation Movement the fulfillment of the early part of
this vision, namely the coming forth of the strong angel sounding his voice as a lion, we
are now prepared to inquire more particularly respecting the fulfillment of those symbolic
developments that followed, recorded in chapter 10.
The seven thunder-voices
"And when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven
thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven
saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them
not."--Rev. 10:3,4.
Obviously the "seven thunders" uttered their voices as a result of the loud cry of the angel
described as like the roar of a lion, which, as we have seen, refers in its beginning stage to
the bold, fearless preaching of Luther and his companions, as in protest they lifted up their
voices with all the energy they possessed against the abominations of the
Papacy.