Daniel & Revelation

Author’s note: We’ve been studying the “book” mentioned in Revelation 5:1. Unfortunately, I haven’t had enough time to study it all out for myself and to completely organize, write out, and post my notes on everything we’ve studied (not to mention the computer I’m on is being slower than the dinosaurs, so I’m not able to get much on here very fast, so this is the basic idea of what we’ve been studying; the main points that I’m understanding the best and have had time to put on here! Enjoy!

“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.” – Revelation 5:1

So what is this book mentioned in Revelation? Why is it sealed with seven seals? What is written within and on the backside?

“It was my idea to have the two books bound together, Revelation following Daniel, as giving fuller light on the subjects dealt with in Daniel. The object is to bring these books together, showing that they both relate to the same subjects.” {TM 117.2}

Here, Ellen White states that Revelation gives more details on the subjects presented in Daniel. In order to find out more about the sealed book, we need to look at where a book is mentioned in both Revelation and Daniel.

Daniel:

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” – Daniel 12:4

Revelation:

“And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” – Revelation 5:1-9

“And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and [his] left [foot] on the earth …And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go [and] take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take [it], and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.” – Revelation 10:2, 8-10

The scene in Revelation 5 shows the book in the throne room, in the hand of Him that sat on the throne (Revelation 4 is the introduction that gives the details of the setting, see verses 1 and 2). Because Revelation “gives fuller light on the subjects dealt with in Daniel”, we can conclude that the book in the throne room must be the same book that Daniel was commanded to seal until the time of the end (Dan 12:4).

“The book that was sealed was not the book of Revelation, but that portion of the prophecy of Daniel which related to the last days. The Scripture says, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” [Dan. 12:4]. When the book was opened, the proclamation was made, “Time shall be no longer.” [See Revelation 10:6.] The book of Daniel is now unsealed, and the revelation made by Christ to John is to come to all the inhabitants of the earth. By the increase of knowledge a people is to be prepared to stand in the latter days.” {17MR 6.3}

The book that was sealed by Daniel contained the 2300 day prophecy. Daniel was told “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.”(Daniel 8:26, NIV)

But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of these prophecies. {GC 355.3}

The book was sealed, because the prophecy would not be fulfilled until “the time of the end”. Revelation unseals the sealed portion of Daniel.

“One is a prophecy, the other a revelation; one a book sealed, the other a book opened.” {MS 59, 1900. 7BC 971}

Sidenote:

So what does “seal up the book” mean?

“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” – Daniel 8:26, NIV

“And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.” – Revelation 22:10

By looking at these two verses, we can see that the book being sealed is directly related to the time the prophecy it contains is fulfilled. Daniel was told to “seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.

“But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the judgment be proclaimed, based on the fulfillment of these prophecies.”- GC, pg. 355.3

Here in Ellen White’s statement, we can see that the book being sealed means that the prophecy was unfulfilled. Daniel was told to seal it up because the prophecy wouldn’t be fulfilled for a long, long time. Where in contrast, Paul was told “seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.”

(I know there’s a lot more to this than what’s here. I just haven’t had the time to put it all together in an explanatory form. For more study notes/explanatory charts/etc,  see danielandrevelationspeak.wikispaces.com )