2005-11-5 11:11:00
Six angels have sounded their trumpets and the seventh is about to sound. Meanwhile, this powerful angel shows up just before the seventh trumpet. This angel doesn't seem to be the seventh angel, which sounds the final trumpet, but represents a revelation from heaven that precedes the last angel and is closely linked with it.
Another thing to keep in mind is this. The number seven keeps repeating itself. We have already had the opening of the seven seals, or chakras, but after this we have the seven angels sounding the seven trumpets, the seven thunders and the seven plagues. The book also talks about the seven churches, seven spirits before the throne, seven eyes, seven horns, seven candlesticks, seven stars, seven lamps, seven heads, seven golden vials, seven mountains and seven kings.
It sounds like John is trying to tell us something about the number seven.
Seven is, of course, a very important number because our whole current universe is built upon the number seven, or the seven rays. Even so, our personal universe is built upon this number through the interplay of the seven rays through our seven chakras that make up our individual existence.
We have already noted the progress of the disciple opening the seven seals, but after this we have the seven angels coming forth sounding the seven trumpets. Are the two related?
Yes.
You'll remember that the seals were on a book, which must be read and understood. Opening the seal is just the first step. After the book is open it must be read and assimilated.
The opening of the seal represents access to the energy of the center involved. The blowing of the trumpet by the corresponding angel represents a core realization or awakening gained from the mystery of the center involved.
Each center has a number of petals. The heart, for instance, has twelve. The seal of this center is open when just a couple petals are unfolded, but the majority of the petals must be unfolded before the trumpet of the corresponding angel sounds and the revelation is realized.
The seven last plagues yet to come represent the stage where the disciple uses the full energy of the centers and all seven are completely unfolded and the understanding gained from them put to full use.
Now let us examine the next verse:
And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. Revelation 10:1
Heaven is often associated with the highest stage of consciousness or the highest center. When the seventh seal was open there was "silence in heaven." Now we are approaching the seventh trumpet a great angel comes down from "heaven."
In other words, this angel represents a revelation to the disciple. To discover the nature of it we just examine the additional clues.
The angel was clothed with a cloud. What does this mean? It helps to examine the use of the cloud in previous scriptures. For one thing, God revealed himself to Moses and the people in a cloud. A cloud rested upon Mount Sinai and was in the pillar if fire that followed the Israelites.
During the transfiguration of Jesus the voice of God spoke from a cloud and later Jesus ascended into a cloud. In addition, we are told he will come again in the "clouds of heaven."
It is interesting that one reference tells us he will come not in clouds, but "a cloud."
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:27
This more closely corresponds to the coming of the angel who is a symbol of the coming of Christ. He who is the Christ will indeed come among us again, but there is also a coming of Christ that happens to each disciple on a personal level. When he is ready, the "angel of the presence" will visit him and it will be as real as if the Messiah from Galilee had come to his door.
When the seeker is visited, a cloud always stands between him and God for the glory of God is so overwhelming that it needs to be covered by a cloud, else the presence would be too powerful to withstand, especially before the disciple has reached relative perfection.
The cloud thus represents the glory and power of pure spirit diffused or stepped down so those of us in matter can partially comprehend that which is beyond matter.
The verse then states that there was "a rainbow was upon his head."
You can't have a rainbow without there first being a cloud. Without the cloud there would only be pure undifferentiated light, but the diffusion of the cloud differentiates the light of spirit into the seven colors or the seven rays that creates all there is in matter.
The rainbow represents the promise of God that the many will be gathered into the One and that behind the many is always the One.
... his face was as it were the sun ...
If the disciple peeks beyond the rainbow and the cloud to the pure presence of this god like angel he sees, not seven colors, but a face that shines in one bright light, like the sun.
The face of the angel represents the soul, the higher self or the solar angel of the disciple.
... and his feet as pillars of fire.
Remember that God followed the Israelites led by Moses in a cloud and pillar of fire.
The pillars of fire represent the power given to the disciple who realizes his unity with God. He now has great power to move toward spirit, even when he has descended to the lowest point in the world of matter.
Life is an unbroken succession of false situations. Thornton Wilder (1897 - 1975)
Copyright © 2005 by J J Dewey, All Rights Reserved