Verse 10: Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. The metaphor of sealing in respect to visions denoted secrecy, or that which was not ready to be disclosed. The prophet Daniel was instructed to “ shut up the words, and seal the book” (Daniel 9:24; Daniel 12:4; Daniel 12:9) for the events prophesied were far distant and were not at hand nor shortly to come to pass; therefore the prophet was commanded to “ seal up the vision” ; and he was told that the words of it were “ closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” So it was with the vision of John in chapter 10:4--the things which were not intended for disclosure he was commanded to seal up and write them not. But in chapter 22:10 the angel enjoined John to seal not the contents of this book; and the reason was stated--for the time is at hand. For comparison again, in Daniel 8:26, the prophet was directed to shut up the vision for it shall be many days; but in Revelation 22:10 John was ordered to seal not . . . for the time is at hand. The time had come for the public announcement of the things enfolded in the seals and the trumpets-therefore, let it be known. This is the obvious distinction in the significance of the two commands in the phrases seal up and seal not up. The use of the phrase the time is at hand before the visions were introduced, and in exactly the same words following so closely the order to seal not up the sayings of the vision, certainly implied with necessary inference the immediate importance of the visions; and it undeniably has the same import of immediacy as the announcement of Jesus (Mark 1:15) that the kingdom of God is at hand. The uses of this phrase in several other passages bear the same meaning and are subject to the same application. The statement of Paul (Romans 13:12) that “ the night is far spent, the day is at hand” must be considered with his further statement (Romans 16:20) that “ the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly, both of which declarations were the anticipations of the impending events. To the Philippians (Philippians 4:5) he said: The Lord is at hand; and Peter said (1 Peter 4:7) that “ the end of all things is at hand”--that is, the end of the Jewish state and all things pertaining to it. To impart any other meaning to the phrase at hand in these passages, and apply them to the end of time, would amount to convicting the inspired apostles of contradictions and of teaching error on the second coming of the Lord, which was not at hand (2 Thessalonians 2:2)--for he did not so come, neither as yet has done so. And if at hand can be stretched to the end of time in these instances, it obliterates the meaning of the same expressions in reference to his kingdom. It adds up to one conclusion: the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, the demolition of the temple and termination of the Jewish theocracy, together with the end of the Jewish state with its attendant tribulations, were the impending ominous events before the New Testament churches and the object of many references in the epistles of the apostles. Admonishing the Jews of the Dispersion, James exhorted : “ Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” The Lord’ s second coming was not nigh--it did not occur; so it is evident that the apostle’ s monitory declaration referred to the imminent events envisioned in John’ s apocalypse. (James 4:7-8)