Apocalypse Revealed #478
478. The mystery of God would be concluded, as He declared to His servants the prophets. This symbolically means that then will appear what was foretold in the Word of both Testaments and previously concealed, that after the Last Judgment upon those people who have destroyed the church, the Lord's kingdom will come.
To be concluded means, symbolically, to be fulfilled, to come to an end, and then to reappear. The mystery of God declared to the prophets symbolizes something foretold by the Lord in the Word and previously concealed. To declare good news means, symbolically, to proclaim the coming of the Lord and His kingdom, for the gospel is happy news. That this would come about after the Last Judgment was executed on the people who destroyed the church was also foretold in the Word. Therefore this, too, is symbolically meant.
It can be seen from this that all of these meanings are contained in these words.
[2] First we must say something here about the Lord's advent and His kingdom's being foretold in the Word of both Testaments:
In the Word of the Old Testament, in the spiritual sense of the prophetic portion, and also in its natural sense wherever the spiritual sense shines through, the subject is the Lord alone, namely, His advent in the fullness of time, a time when the goodness of charity and the truth of faith would no longer be present in the church, whose state then is called a consummation, a being laid waste, a desolation, and a cutting off. It includes as well His battles with the hells and victories over them, which constitute also the last judgment that He executed, and after that the creation of a new heaven and the establishment of a new church, which are the Lord's kingdom to come. All of this is found in the Word of the New Testament, too, in the portion called the Gospels, and in particular in the book of Revelation.
[3] That it is the Lord's kingdom that would be declared in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel is apparent in the next chapter (chapter 11) from the following:
Then the seventh angel sounded: and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" And the twenty-four elders... fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God..., who are and who were and who are to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned. (Revelation 11:15-17)
[4] This mystery, in almost the same words as in Revelation here, is described in Daniel, where we find the following:
I heard the man clothed in linen..., when he held up his (hands) to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a set time of set times and a half..., when... all these things shall be finished... But he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." (Daniel 12:7, 9)
Till the time of the end refers to the present time. That the Son of Man would then receive His kingdom - this Daniel foretells in these words:
I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! ...Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, nations, and languages will worship Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom one which shall not perish. (Daniel 7:13-14)
[5] That declaring good news symbolizes the Lord's advent and His kingdom then, is apparent from the following passages:
Get up into the... mountain, O Zion, who brings good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, who brings good tidings... Say..., "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord Jehovih is coming with strength, and His arm shall rule for Him. (Isaiah 40:9-10)
How delightful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of goodness, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your King shall reign!" (Isaiah 52:7, cf. Nahum 1:15)
Sing to Jehovah, bless in His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day... ...Jehovah, for He is coming... (Psalms 96:2, 13)
The Spirit of the Lord Jehovih is upon Me; therefore Jehovah has anointed Me to bring good tidings to the poor..., to proclaim liberty to the captives..., to proclaim the year of Jehovah's good pleasure... (Isaiah 61:1-2)
The angel said to (Zacharias), "(Behold)..., your wife... will bear... a son..., (who) will go before (the Lord God) in the spirit and power of Elijah..., to prepare a people for the Lord... I am Gabriel..., and I was sent... to bring you these glad tidings." (Luke 1:13, 17, 19)
...the angel said to (the shepherds), "Do not be afraid, ...behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy... For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." (Luke 2:10-11)
The Lord brought good tidings of the kingdom of God: Matthew 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:14-15. So did John the Baptist: Luke 3:18.
The Lord also said to the Disciples,
Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to every creature. (Mark 16:15)
This, too, is the everlasting good news or gospel that "the angel flying in the midst of heaven" had "to proclaim to the those who dwell on the earth" (Revelation 14:6).
[6] Our being told that the mystery of God would be concluded means that something would be fulfilled that was not fulfilled before, namely, the coming of the Lord's kingdom. It was not fulfilled by the Jews because they did not acknowledge the Lord. Neither has it been fulfilled by Christians because they do not acknowledge the Lord to be God of heaven and earth even in respect to His human element; for they regard this as being like anyone else's human element. Consequently they do not turn to Him directly, even though He is Jehovah who came into the world.
Luke 2
1
But it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census should be made of all the habitable world.
2
The census itself first took place when Cyrenius had the government of Syria.
3
And all went to be inscribed in the census roll, each to his own city:
4
and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city Nazareth to Judaea, to David's city, the which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
5
to be inscribed in the census roll with Mary who was betrothed to him [as his] wife, she being great with child.
6
And it came to pass, while they were there, the days of her giving birth [to her child] were fulfilled,
7
and she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8
And there were shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night over their flock.
9
And lo, an angel of [the] Lord was there by them, and [the] glory of [the] Lord shone around them, and they feared [with] great fear.
10
And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people;
11
for to-day a Saviour has been born to you in David's city, who is Christ [the] Lord.
12
And this is the sign to you: ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger.
13
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men.
15
And it came to pass, as the angels departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us make our way then now as far as Bethlehem, and let us see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.
16
And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger;
17
and having seen [it] they made known about the country the thing which had been said to them concerning this child.
18
And all who heard [it] wondered at the things said to them by the shepherds.
19
But Mary kept all these things [in her mind], pondering [them] in her heart.
20
And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it had been said to them.
21
And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called Jesus, which was the name given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb.
22
And when the days were fulfilled for their purifying according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present [him] to the Lord
23
(as it is written in the law of [the] Lord: Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord),
24
and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of [the] Lord: A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.
25
And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and [the] Holy Spirit was upon him.
26
And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see [the] Lord's Christ.
27
And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and as the parents brought in the child Jesus that they might do for him according to the custom of the law,
28
*he* received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29
Lord, now thou lettest thy bondman go, according to thy word, in peace;
30
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31
which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;
32
a light for revelation of [the] Gentiles and [the] glory of thy people Israel.
33
And his father and mother wondered at the things which were said concerning him.
34
And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Lo, this [child] is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against;
35
(and even a sword shall go through thine own soul;) so that [the] thoughts may be revealed from many hearts.
36
And there was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of [the] tribe of Asher, who was far advanced in years, having lived with [her] husband seven years from her virginity,
37
and herself a widow up to eighty-four years; who did not depart from the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers;
38
and she coming up the same hour gave praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem.
39
And when they had completed all things according to the law of [the] Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own city Nazareth.
40
And the child grew and waxed strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom, and God's grace was upon him.
41
And his parents went yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the passover.
42
And when he was twelve years old, and they went up [to Jerusalem] according to the custom of the feast
43
and had completed the days, as they returned, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents knew not [of it];
44
but, supposing him to be in the company that journeyed together, they went a day's journey, and sought him among their relations and acquaintances:
45
and not having found him they returned to Jerusalem seeking him.
46
And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and hearing them and asking them questions.
47
And all who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
48
And when they saw him they were amazed: and his mother said to him, Child, why hast thou dealt thus with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee distressed.
49
And he said to them, Why [is it] that ye have sought me? did ye not know that I ought to be [occupied] in my Father's business?
50
And they understood not the thing that he said to them.
51
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was in subjection to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.
52
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men.
