We Don’t Get To Know Everything

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” 

Revelation 10.1-4 

This wouldn’t be the first time in scripture that information is partially but purposefully held back from the reader. The book of Daniel is considered to be closely related to Revelation and in Daniel 12 we see one of many similarities. For context, the prophet Daniel understands that Israel will be destroyed and he’d like to know precisely when these events will take place. 

“Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” 

 Daniel 12.8 

But the answers aren’t given and a confused Daniel is left to wonder. 

The angels cryptically say, 

 “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days.” 

Daniel 12.9-13 

We don’t get to know everything. In fact, we know based on these two accounts that God doesn’t reveal all of the information we’d like to know. We can rest peacefully knowing that God does reveal everything we need to know. For those of us who enjoy a good puzzle, there are many to be found within scripture. 

The mysterious meaning of the message shared by those equally mysterious “thundering voices” in Revelation 10–  isn’t clear in scripture. Maybe we don’t need to know? Or, maybe what was being said had already taken place or the information was beyond our comprehension. 

God’s Word occasionally makes us scratch our heads and in the author’s opinion– that makes it even more interesting.