Leaving the Scroll Unsealed (Revelation 22:10–15)

 

Leaving the Scroll Unsealed | (Revelation 22:10–15)

Many refuse to join the Fellowship of the Lamb. They make their own bed and

now must lie in it. The angel instructs John not to seal the scroll. Let its

contents lie open for inspection and reflection. This stands in contrast to the

book of Daniel (and standard apocalyptic literature), where Daniel is told several

times to “seal up” his visions in a scroll because they refer “to many days

from now” (Daniel 8:26; see also Daniel 12:4, 9). In the case of John’s message,

the time is short and the churches need to hear the message now.

In antiquity, scrolls were sealed and often stored in jars for safekeeping (see

Chapter 8 for more on scrolls and seals). In Revelation, there’s no need to

reseal the scroll because the churches have immediate need of its message.

In this section, we observe how John begins to draw out the practical implications

of what he has seen in his visions. He spells out what is going to

happen on the day of reckoning. Decisions must be made one way or the

other — one is either for or against the Lamb. The consequences of each

person’s choice are mutually exclusive. And God makes no mistakes in the

sorting-out process; the God of eternity, who knows the end from the beginning,

dispenses perfect justice.