Apocalypse Revealed # 474
474. Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever. (10:6; 10:6) This symbolizes an attestation and testification of the Lord on His own authority.
The angel standing on the sea and on the land means the Lord (no. 470). Lifting up the hand to heaven symbolizes an attestation, here that there should be no more time (verse 6). Swearing symbolizes a testification, here that in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel the mystery of God would be concluded (verse 7). He who lives forever and ever means the Lord, as in Revelation 1:18; 4:9-10, and 5:14 above, and in Daniel 4:34. That the Lord swears on His own authority will be seen shortly.
It is apparent from this that the statement, "Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his hand to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever and ever," symbolizes an attestation and testification of the Lord on His own authority.
[2] That Jehovah swears or testifies on His own authority is clear from the following passages:
I have sworn by Myself; a word has gone out of My mouth (which) shall not return... (Isaiah 45:23)
I swear by Myself... that this house shall become a desolation. (Jeremiah 22:5)
Jehovah... has sworn by His soul. (Jeremiah 51:14, Amos 6:8)
...Jehovah has sworn by His holiness. (Amos 4:2)
Jehovah has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength. (Isaiah 62:8)
Behold, I have sworn by My great name... (Jeremiah 44:26)
That Jehovah, which is to say, the Lord, swore by Himself or on His own authority means, symbolically, that Divine truth attests; for the Lord is Divine truth itself, and this attests of itself and on its own authority.
In addition to these passages, that Jehovah swore may be seen in Isaiah 14:24; 54:9, Psalms 89:3, 35; 95:11; 110:4; 132:11.
We are told that Jehovah swore because the church established with the children of Israel was a representational church, and the conjunction of the Lord with the church was represented by a covenant, like one made between two parties who swear to their compact. Therefore, because an oath was a part of any covenant, we are told that Jehovah swore. Still, this does not mean that He swore, but that Divine truth attests to something.
[3] That an oath was a part of any covenant is apparent from the following:
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, so that you became Mine... (Ezekiel 16:8)
...to remember His covenant, the oath which He swore... (Luke 1:72-73; cf. Psalms 105:9, Jeremiah 11:5; 32:22, Deuteronomy 1:34; 10:11; 11:9, 21; 26:3, 15; 31:20; 34:4)
Because the covenant was representative of the conjunction of the Lord with the church, and reciprocally of the church with the Lord, and because an oath was a part of any covenant and was to be sworn on the ground of the truth in it, being sworn thus also in appeal to that truth, therefore the children of Israel were permitted to swear by Jehovah, and so in appeal to Divine truth (Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12, Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20, Isaiah 48:1; 65:16, Jeremiah 4:2, Zechariah 5:4).
After the representative constituents of the church were abrogated, however, the Lord also abrogated oaths to covenants (Matthew 5:33-37; 23:16-22).
Deuteronomy 10
1
At that time Yahweh said to me, "Cut two tables of stone like the first, and come up to me onto the mountain, and make an ark of wood.
2
I will write on the tables the words that were on the first tables which you broke, and you shall put them in the ark."
3
So I made an ark of acacia wood, and cut two tables of stone like the first, and went up onto the mountain, having the two tables in my hand.
4
He wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which Yahweh spoke to you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and Yahweh gave them to me.
5
I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they are as Yahweh commanded me.
6
(The children of Israel traveled from Beeroth Bene Jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his place.
7
From there they traveled to Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water.
8
At that time Yahweh set apart the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, to stand before Yahweh to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.
9
Therefore Levi has no portion nor inheritance with his brothers; Yahweh is his inheritance, according as Yahweh your God spoke to him.)
10
I stayed on the mountain, as at the first time, forty days and forty nights: and Yahweh listened to me that time also; Yahweh would not destroy you.
11
Yahweh said to me, "Arise, take your journey before the people; and they shall go in and possess the land, which I swore to their fathers to give to them."
12
Now, Israel, what does Yahweh your God require of you, but to fear Yahweh your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
13
to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you this day for your good?
14
Behold, to Yahweh your God belongs heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth, with all that is therein.
15
Only Yahweh had a delight in your fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.
16
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked.
17
For Yahweh your God, he is God of gods, and Lord of lords, the great God, the mighty, and the awesome, who doesn't respect persons, nor takes reward.
18
He does execute justice for the fatherless and widow, and loves the foreigner, in giving him food and clothing.
19
Therefore love the foreigner; for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.
20
You shall fear Yahweh your God; you shall serve him; and you shall cling to him, and you shall swear by his name.
21
He is your praise, and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things, which your eyes have seen.
22
Your fathers went down into Egypt with seventy persons; and now Yahweh your God has made you as the stars of the sky for multitude.
