What did these "seven peals of thunder" say to John?
Lightning is associated with the second coming of Jesus to earth. We always see lightning before we hear the thunder. The amount of time from seeing the lightning to hearing the thunder lets us know how far the storm is away from us (about 1 mile per second).
“For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:27)
In Revelation chapters 8 and 9 six angels had SHOWN John details of what will happen during the final year before the return of Jesus - the wrath of God poured out on the kingdom of the Antichrist. Then in Chapter 10 he HEARD the "seven peals of thunder" - they told him what would happen when the “the mystery of God is finished”.
“…in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished as He preached to His servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7)
So, what is this “mystery of God” that was “preached” to “His servants and prophets”, and would be “finished” by the end of Chapter 22?
It was the salvation of all humanity and their entrance into the Kingdom of God - the New Heaven and New Earth.
“And it will be said in THAT DAY, Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:9)
In Chapter 10 John HEARD about what he wrote down in Chapters 21 and 22. And I think this is also what the Apostle Paul saw and heard in his trip to "Paradise", then located in the third heaven, but was not allowed to write down the details.
“And it will be said in THAT DAY, Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." (Isaiah 25:9)
In Chapter 10 John HEARD about what he wrote down in Chapters 21 and 22. And I think this is also what the Apostle Paul saw and heard in his trip to "Paradise", then located in the third heaven, but was not allowed to write down the details.
"I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago—whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—such a man, having been caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—that he was caught up into Paradise, and he HEARD inexpressible words, not being permitted to man to speak." (2 Corinthians 12:2-4)
Paul refers to this as “my gospel", which had been “kept secret” in the past.
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to MY GOSPEL and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past…” (Romans 16:25-27)
Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, elaborates on what he calls “my gospel” in his New Testament letters. John, one of the twelve Apostles to Israel, and the writer of Revelation, himself recognized that Jesus atoned for the sins of Israel, and everyone else...
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Paul explains in his letters that the “mystery” revealed to him which had been “kept secret”,is the good news of the grace of God "bringing salvation" to all people, an age when God will "reconcile to Himself ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven" in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to MY GOSPEL and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past…” (Romans 16:25-27)
Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, elaborates on what he calls “my gospel” in his New Testament letters. John, one of the twelve Apostles to Israel, and the writer of Revelation, himself recognized that Jesus atoned for the sins of Israel, and everyone else...
"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 John 2:2)
Paul explains in his letters that the “mystery” revealed to him which had been “kept secret”,is the good news of the grace of God "bringing salvation" to all people, an age when God will "reconcile to Himself ALL THINGS, whether things on earth or things in heaven" in the New Heaven and New Earth.
“For the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people…God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself not counting their trespasses against them...and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross…" (Titus 2:11; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 1:19-20)
"Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence." (Colossians 1:21-22)
"…the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God…in this hope we are saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:19-25)
The words of the "peals of thunder" that followed the "lightning" - is the really good news we HEAR about now, but can only SEE by faith. And what is "faith".
"Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds because of your evil deeds. But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence." (Colossians 1:21-22)
"…the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God…in this hope we are saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.” (Romans 8:19-25)
The words of the "peals of thunder" that followed the "lightning" - is the really good news we HEAR about now, but can only SEE by faith. And what is "faith".
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not being seen." (Hebrews 11:1)
Again - "Creation itself will be set free from its bondage and decay" and "in this we hope" - Yes I do!