Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
The Angel of Revelation 10 is a Great One, standing with one foot on the earth and one foot on the sea, swearing a solemn oath that there should "be delay [time] no longer." He is no less than Christ Himself; He is tired of waiting. He is fully divine, from eternity; but now He is also human. And He wants the problem of sin to be solved forever. He says that when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, it will be.
In fact, in a certain solemn sense God cannot "rest" until the misery caused by sin is finished. The thought that since He is infinite, Christ doesn't care how long the "delay" continues is not true. His is the eagerness of a Bridegroom longing for the wedding day to come. Christ is still human and will be for all eternity, but like we are, He is now subject to time. The Bride-to-be has put Him off long enough. He is tired of delay.
But how long must He wait? Centuries more? What will bring about the change that will enable the reluctant Bride-to-be to "make herself ready"?
Not force; no bridegroom can have a happy marriage if he forces the girl to marry him. But in this case the Bride-to-be has misjudged her divine Bridegroom and has delayed the marriage due to her unbelief. The only possible solution is repentance on her part.
And this is precisely what He calls for in His message to the "angel of the church of the Laodiceans," "be zealous and repent" (Rev. 3:19). Her response will trigger enthusiastic rejoicing in heaven beyond imagination--four Hallelujah choruses (19:1-6), for "the mystery of God" has at last met resolution.
There has been at last a fundamental change in understanding and motivation unheard of for 6000 years; the Bride has grown up out of her childish egocentric concerns. At last she can think of Him, feel for Him, share with Him His concern. And He is happy--at last.
--Robert J. Wieland
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: November 21, 2011.
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