Chapter 10

There Should Be Delay No Longer -2

v.5-7 And 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, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there should be delay no longer, but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.

This, dear ones, is that defining moment in time when God makes the decision that “enough is enough.” When, after long millenniums, His patience with evil is fully spent and the outpouring of His fearful wrath will no longer be delayed. Jesus, reminiscent of Daniel’s vision (Dan.12:7), lifts His hand to heaven and swears “by Him who lives forever and ever” “there should be delay no longer”.

Why would Jesus swear by the name of God, given that He is God? Because He can swear by no one greater than Himself as God (Heb.6:13).

Okay, now let’s consider the meaning of the remarkable passage:

“…but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished…”

Foremost, notice that it’s not at the “sound” of the trumpet that the mystery of God is finished, as if it’s one short trumpet blast, but “in the days of its sounding”. In other words, this blast continues to be sounded. As we’ll soon see, the seven “bowl” judgments initiated throughout the remaining days of the Tribulation, all of which finish the works of God in this present earth and usher in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, occur because of this blasting.

The phrase “the mystery of God would be finished” speaks of the mystery that has always surrounded God’s timetable for these last days. For God has consistently remained silent, even under cross-examination, to reveal the time. The prophet Daniel, for instance, was refused an answer when he asked about it (Dan.12:5-9). When the Apostles did likewise Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt.24:3,36). In other words, dear ones, the date for these last days will remain a mystery known only to the Father until God openly declares it at the appointed time revealed by this passage.