Revelation 7:2
2 And[kai] I saw[eido] another[allos] angel[aggelos] ascending[anabaino][anabaino] from[apo] the east[anatole],[helios] having[echo] the seal[sphragis] of the living[zao] God:[theos] and[kai] he cried[krazo] with a loud[megas] voice[phone] to the four[tessares] angels,[aggelos] to whom[hos] it[autos] was given[didomi] to hurt[adikeo] the earth[ge] and[kai] the sea,[thalassa] KJV-Interlinear
2 And I
saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the
living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it
was granted to harm the earth and the sea, NASB
A fifth angel is seen by
John.Some feel that this is actually
Jesus Christ, as He was often referred to with the title, ‘Angel of the Lord’
in the Old Testament.
However, the word for another,’allos,’ refers to something of the same type, or
more of the same kind.
Since the first four
angels are referred to as such, so this fifth angel has the same designation.
He carries with him, the
credentials of God, indicated here as the ‘living God,’ so as not to be
confused with any of the many false gods, that do not possess life.
The seal is an indicator
of credentials.The nature of the seal
is not indicated, however that is not the focus of
this verse anyway.Nor is the angel, per
se.
What is important, is that the angel comes with a message, or
command.That command comes from God,
and the angel brings sufficient authoritative credentials to substantiate that
his message originates from God and from no other source.
Ascending
from the rising of the sun, further illuminates, so to speak, his origin and
message.The sun
rises in the east, and brings the first light of day along with it. This only serves to further symbolize the
source and origin of the angel and his message.
Jesus Christ controls
history.No one else does, nor can they.
And even as the winds of the
earth (symbolical of judgment) are restless and anxious to break out with their
judgments, they cannot because God has four angels restraining them. And, this fifth angel gives them further
instructions, from God, to continue holding them back (holding back judgments),
until they are told to release them.
The earth and the sea is
a reference to the entire planet.
Hurt, ‘adikeo,’ refers to social, moral and physical harm,
punishment, vengeance, to be unjust.And
as evil has brought unjust treatment on the earth, so then, justice will bring
the same treatment against evil.Evil
brings a certain level of violence, and justice will bring a greater level of
violence to quash it.
Evil would not hesitate
to destroy the earth, forfeiting the rights of everyone. God postpones the punishment of evil, in
order that many will be saved.
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