By Wu Ming

If you have read the Bible, you may know that there is a prophecy in Revelation: “And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals” (Revelation 5:1). So, what does the book sealed with seven seals refer to? Perhaps many people will answer: “It definitely refers to the Bible.” But is that really the case? The Bible says, “But you, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4). We can learn from this verse that many people would seek and investigate this hidden and sealed book in the end times to understand more truths. However, the Bible is open for all mankind—so why would people need to seek it in the last days? Therefore, the sealed book mentioned in the Book of Revelation does not refer to the Bible. So what exactly does it refer to?

To make this question clear, let’s first examine the Bible carefully. The prophecy from the Book of Revelation says, “And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders said to me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” (Revelation 5:1–5). We can see from this prophecy that the book is in the hand of the One who sits on the throne. The One who sits on the throne, without doubt, refers to God Himself, because no human being is qualified to sit on the throne. That is, the book is in the hand of God and contains hidden truth and mysteries. However, each of us believers in the Lord has a Bible, and we can read it freely; even unbelievers can read it. How could it be said to have been sealed with seven seals? Next, let’s take a look at Revelation 5:2–4, “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” We know that John wrote Revelation around 90 A.D. At that time, the Four Gospels, Acts, and letters to churches had already been finished. If the book refers to the Bible, then why did John cry because no one was worthy to open the book? Revelation records the vision John saw on the island of Patmos, prophesying the work which hadn’t been accomplished by the Lord Jesus at that time, that is, the work that God would do later. It’s just as Revelation says, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to Him, to show to His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John” (Revelation 1:1). “Things which must shortly come to pass” mentioned here refers to the things which are about to be accomplished but haven’t been fulfilled yet. From all these we can be sure that the book absolutely doesn’t refer to the Bible, but refers to God’s new words outside the Bible. It’s just as the Lord Jesus said, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come” (John 16:12–13). Revelation 2:17 says, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows saving he that receives it.” From these verses, now we can understand that when God returns in the last days, He would speak to the churches and express more truths. He would open the scroll and loose the seven seals, and more. This is the work that shall be accomplished by God in the last days. The Bible only has prophecies about it, but does not record how God does this work. Only when God comes back in the last days would He open up the mysteries to us. Let’s read a passage of God’s words, “I will tell it to you when I open My scroll in the last days. (‘The scroll’ refers to all of the words that I have spoken—My words in the last days; it contains all of them.)” (“Chapter 110” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning). These words of God show us that the scroll refers to the words of God that He speaks in the last days. So, if we want to learn about the mysteries of the scroll, we should seek God’s words of the last days.

Then how can we find the scroll that God opens in the last days? The Lord Jesus has told us, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27). The Book of Revelation also records, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). And it is mentioned multiple times in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

From this we can see that when God comes back in the last days, He would speak words to the churches and express the truth to supply us; only these words are the content of the scroll. As long as we listen for God’s voice, and thirst and seek the truth, we will be able to hear God’s voice, welcome the Lord’s return, and understand the mysteries within the scroll.

Nowadays, in the whole world, only The Church of Almighty God is testifying that the Lord Jesus has returned as Almighty God. Upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption, Almighty God is carrying out the work of judgment beginning with the house of God, expressing the words to cleanse and save mankind, and revealing all the mysteries of God’s management plan of saving mankind. He tells us clearly of the essence of various aspects of the truth. The book of His words, The Word Appears in the Flesh, is the scroll opened by the Lamb foretold in the Book of Revelation. Through reading a lot of words of Almighty God, many people who truly believe in God and long for God’s appearance have heard God’s voice and returned before Him. After accepting Almighty God, they read God’s words every day and have attended the marriage banquet of the Lamb. These people are wise virgins who have welcomed the Lord. On the contrary, those who refuse to accept Almighty God are foolish virgins. They do not recognize God’s voice and thus lose the chance to welcome the Lord; in the end they will be cast into disasters by God.

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