Revelation 22:10

10 And he saith to me, `Thou mayest not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is nigh;

Revelation 22:10 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 22:10

And he saith unto me
Not the angel, but Christ, as is manifest from ( Revelation 22:12 Revelation 22:13 Revelation 22:16 Revelation 22:20 ) . This clause is left out in the Ethiopic version. Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book;
as the orders are, when things are intended not to be published, but concealed, at least as yet, because of the distance of the accomplishment of them, which was not the case here; see ( Revelation 10:4 ) ( Daniel 8:26 ) ( Daniel 12:4 Daniel 12:9 ) . Christ would have the things John saw and heard, written, and made public, sent in an open book, unsealed, to the churches, that they might be seen and read of all; that so the afflictions and persecutions of the people of God, both under Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal, might be known, and the saints not be offended at them when they came, but be prepared for them, to endure them patiently; and that they might be apprised of the errors and heresies that were to spring up, and of the appearance and wickedness of the man of sin, and his followers, and beware of them; and that they might have some assurance of the destruction of antichrist, and of the glorious state of the church, both in the spiritual and personal reign of Christ, and so be comforted in the midst of their tribulations, and rejoice in the faith and hope of these things. We may learn from hence, that the Scriptures in general are not to be locked up, and concealed from the common people, but lie open, and are to be read by all; and in particular, that this book is not so dark and obscure as it is thought to be: for the time is at hand;
when the things in this book shall begin to be fulfilled; see ( Revelation 1:1 Revelation 1:3 ) .

Revelation 22:10 In-Context

8 And I, John, am he who is seeing these things and hearing, and when I heard and beheld, I fell down to bow before the feet of the messenger who is shewing me these things;

9 and he saith to me, `See -- not; for fellow-servant of thee am I, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of those keeping the words of this scroll; before God bow.'

10 And he saith to me, `Thou mayest not seal the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is nigh;

11 he who is unrighteous -- let him be unrighteous still, and he who is filthy -- let him be filthy still, and he who is righteous -- let him be declared righteous still, and he who is sanctified -- let him be sanctified still:

12 And lo, I come quickly, and my reward [is] with me, to render to each as his work shall be;