Silenced Thunders - Rumor notes 62

 Trumpet Intermission (Revelation 10)

4 When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don't write them."

5 The angel who I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky, 6 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 will no longer be delay, 7 but 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 declared to his servants, the prophets.

When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky [heaven]saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don't write them."

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet saying, "What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea." (Revelation 1:10-11)

While there are a number of references to a voice from heaven in this book, we will only note here that this same voice is mentioned a few verses later in this same context.

The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land." (Revelation 10:8)

Seal up the things...don't write them

I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals. (Revelation 5:1)

After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living God. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying, "Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads!"

(Revelation 7:1-3)

He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:9-10)

He said to me, "Don't seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand." (Revelation 22:10)

Might these parallel passages involving sealing inform us about the nature of this command of the voice from heaven? We find God holding a book sealed up that only the Lamb is qualified to unseal. Then we hear an angel urgently calling out for continued restraint of dark spirits until the bondservants of God are fully sealed on their foreheads. And finally we hear a command not to seal up words of this book because the time is at hand.

Might this sequence of passages related to sealing or not sealing inform us in some way about what is going on with the messages of these thunders? Could these concealed messages involve what is needed to be sealed into the minds and hearts of those who are being sealed internally into the image of the Lamb's version of God in their thinking and living? We see that the factor of timing is directly linked with sealing or not sealing. The 6^th trumpet that just finished is clearly connected to the finishing of the sealing of the bondservants, yet right after that trumpet we still find something very important still being sealed. But John's sealing of these messages I don't believe is meant to be permanent, but by inference this concealment is to expire at some point when the time is right.

John is evidently writing this book in real time while he is experiencing the vision. I strongly disagree with theologians who assert that John was simply contriving all these symbols and events to encode hidden messages to send to the churches in his day to avoid detection or resistance from the oppressive government of Rome. The author of this vision is God, not the overactive imagination of an apostle. There is far too much unbelief among many in higher education that exalt their assertions over inspiration. What is needed is to allow inspired Scripture and the Spirit that inspired it to also inspire us as we humble ourselves to be taught directly by God and receive insights that may not be accepted by the foolishness of the wisdom of this world's ways of interpretation. But I digress.

Is it possible that the need to temporarily seal the words of these 7 thunders was because, though the sealing of God's bondservants was already finished in the sequence of the vision, the outside life at that time in history had not yet caught up with what was in the vision. This would make sense as the messages of the 7 thunders would be highly relevant and useful for the people who are freshly sealed on their foreheads with the seal of God's Spirit, and when that actually is accomplished through the assistance of angelic beings sent to do this, then the messages delivered by the thunders will be understood and embraced by them as they will no longer be hidden from their view.

The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." (John 12:29)

In other words, what we see here is the problem of a difference between timing inside the vision and timing outside the vision. When the time outside the vision in the flow of history catches up with the description of what is predicted inside the vision, then the requirement to keep the messages hidden will no longer apply and they can be released to the understanding of those who need them most because the time is ripe.

Now let's add in other passages related to sealing from the rest of Scripture and see if the same pattern is confirmed.

The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

This reveals that what we need to know will be revealed to us. But this revelation is also dependent on our disposition and attitude toward truth and towards God. The purpose of vital information or revelation is spelled out here, for we need to know certain things in order to carry out our choices to align with the law of love that governs the lives of all who choose to live in harmony with the Lamb's kingdom principles. So whether or not we experience revelation may be determined by our willingness to consent to be conformed to the spirit of heaven.

For Yahweh spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, "Don't say, 'A conspiracy!' concerning all about which this people say, 'A conspiracy!' neither fear their threats, nor be terrorized. Yahweh of Armies is who you must regard as holy. He is the one you must fear. He is the one you must dread. He will be a sanctuary, but for both houses of Israel, he will be a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Many will stumble over it, fall, be broken, be snared, and be captured." (Isaiah 8:11-15)

These passages are highly relevant for us right now. Yahweh commands Isaiah to not be conditioned by other people's opinions about what constitutes a conspiracy. Today I am seeing that the word conspiracy has become a derogatory term used by those in power to discredit anyone who threatens to unmask their hidden agendas. By accusing someone of being a conspiracy theorist they can be marginalized as irrelevant or superstitious. Yet the exact same method was used against many of God's prophets of ancient times whose warnings of impending doom and disaster were neutralized by those whose power was threatened by the truth about their selfish agenda to stay in power at all cost.

God is telling us to not allow the mainstream version of perceived reality to shape what we value as true and important. The enemy always uses distractions to arouse our fear circuits for the purpose of riveting our attention on things that pervert the truth about what God would have us pay attention to as most important. Threats and terrors are being used today to manipulate and control billions of people as a smokescreen to hide the true agenda of the enemy to lock the world into ignoring the truth of God's glory that is rapidly spreading over the whole world. We must not be sucked in by this agenda.

The multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all who fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, will be like a dream, a vision of the night. It will be like when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he eats; but he awakes, and his hunger isn't satisfied; or like when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he drinks; but he awakes, and behold, he is faint, and he is still thirsty. The multitude of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion will be like that. Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For Yahweh has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets; and he has covered your heads, the seers. All vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is educated, saying, "Read this, please;" and he says, "I can't, for it is sealed:" and the book is delivered to one who is not educated, saying, "Read this, please;" and he says, "I can't read."

The Lord said, "Because this people draws near with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but they have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which has been taught; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden." Woe to those who deeply hide their counsel from Yahweh, and whose works are in the dark, and who say, "Who sees us?" and "Who knows us?" You turn things upside down! Should the potter be thought to be like clay; that the thing made should say about him who made it, "He didn't make me;" or the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding?" Isn't it yet a very little while, and Lebanon will be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field will be regarded as a forest? In that day, the deaf will hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind will see out of obscurity and out of darkness. The humble also will increase their joy in Yahweh, and the poor among men will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 29:7-19)

In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true: but seal up the vision; for it belongs to many days to come. (Daniel 8:23-26)

Again we see the principle reinforced here of what is hidden through sealing having a time when it must be released to be understood and absorbed by those in a right posture to embrace it. Notice those on the receiving end in the last passage from Isaiah in contrast to those in power. It is the deaf, the blind, the humble and the poor who are in a position to hear, see and increase in joy. This means that what is sealed may never be understood or known by those who refuse to be humble.

"At that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who shall be found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the expanse; and those who turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run back and forth, and knowledge shall be increased."

Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, there stood other two, the one on the brink of the river on this side, and the other on the brink of the river on that side. One said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by him who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

I heard, but I didn't understand: then said I, my lord, what shall be the issue of these things? He said, Go your way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves, and make themselves white, and be refined; but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand; but those who are wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:1-10)

Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready. It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (Revelation 19:7-8)

Do we have to be able to elucidate distinctly what the messages of the 7 thunders said in John's hearing in order to prove that it is now time to receive them? I suspect that what they said may be things that have been hidden in plain sight all along, yet require a radical revamping of our thinking about God's heart in order to discern them. As we embrace the light of the true glory of God that is even now flooding the entire planet in our day, with humility and confession of our own deafness and blindness I believe we may discern with our heart what John heard from those thunders from God.

Possibly the reason John was told to not write them was because to write out things plainly before it is time to know them is to expose truth that is beautiful to scorn and have it discredited by those who resist and reject it. God withholds things that are so important that they need to remain preserved and potent until the time is ripe for them to be received in their purity without time for the enemy to dampen them in our thinking. Sometimes the timing of truth is just as important as the validity of truth. For God knows that if we know things before our spirit is synchronized with the atmosphere of heaven to appreciate it fully, the enemy is given too much opportunity to dissuade us with objections of the flesh and the truth can be twisted into a curse to us instead of the blessing it was intended to be in our lives.

I want to go back to something we briefly mentioned last time and take another look at it.

When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices

What I see happening in this experience John describes in his interaction with this angel holding the book, might very well relate to what he heard the 7 thunders say in response to what the angel just said. Quite possibly what the angel said initiated the thunders response. Why might this be significant?

What is emerging for me is a belief that the 7 thunders may be expressions of the 7 spirits of God. And the collective voices of those on earth who are attuned and synchronized with those same spirits are indicated as also sounding like thunder. Maybe the children of God as represented by this sea/land angel are singing the New Song which John says sounds like thunder, and as they do the voices of God's 7 spirits immediately affirm what they are singing and provide feedback to give them courage and boldness. This corresponds to other things we find in the narrative of both Jesus and the experience of the early believers.

I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. (Revelation 14:2-3)

"Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? 'Father, save me from this time?' But for this cause I came to this time. Father, glorify your name!" Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice hasn't come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (John 12:27-32)

We have seen how thunder is often associated with God's voice as well as with getting people's attention when they are filled with a spirit of resistance to God. When this event happened with Jesus, He was closing in on the final hours of His life among humanity, and His testimony given about the truth of His Father's character had resulted in a high level of resistance and resentment on the part of many. Thus the Father's answer by thunder represented an attempt by God to get people's attention in a way impossible to ignore, in order for people to become willing to receive the truth Jesus came to give us. This same spirit of resistance is the backdrop for the next story with similar elements.

"Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."

When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. The multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul. Not one of them claimed that anything of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. With great power, the apostles gave their testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Great grace was on them all. (Acts 4:29-33)

A voice came forth from the throne, saying, "Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!" I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! (Revelation 19:5-6)

I am coming to believe that the location of these thunders in the flow of this narrative is key to understanding what may be in their messages. In a way, it is when the people on earth who seek to synchronize with their Father in heaven and give expression to the same truth Jesus brought to light, the passion for God awakened in them by the Spirit of God leads them to seek the boldness of God which is answered in earth-shaking ways that defeats all the power of the enemy which is the power of fear.

As I have pondered this mystery over the past few weeks, something compelling has been slowing emerging into my consciousness until at last I had to sit down and explore it intentionally to see if it contained key insights I suspect may be waiting for someone to put into place. The result was a document that includes a chart comparing the 3 main interludes that all come after the sixth event in each set of 7s, as well as this pattern being found in other passages of Revelation. Comparing these interludes side by side to analyze them for potentially similar patterns has indeed confirmed what I was beginning to suspect – that the message of the 7 thunders is all about the contents of the New Song which is also a major theme in this book as well as throughout the rest of Scripture.

For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." Again, "I will put my trust in him." Again, "Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me."

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:11-15)

I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now is come the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. They overcame him because of the Lamb's blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life, even to death. (Revelation 12:10-11)

The question that arises in my own heart is this, How can I enter into this same kind of experience? How can I synchronize with the heart of God to be delivered from all the power of fear that still seeks to hold me in bondage? How might I effectively seek the boldness of God in the face of increasing threats and hostilities that are exponentially being amplified all around me every day? I want to have that same boldness that resulted in the earth-shaking outpouring of the Spirit of God, likely endowing the followers of God with all 7 Spirits that affirm with thunder that I am safe in God's hands whether or not I live or die. I want it to be my experience that I don't love my life more than I love my Savior who loves me and gave His life for me. This is what I believe these 7 thunders may be meant to lead us towards in our thinking.