<p>22:10 <em>Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book. For the time is at hand</em>- The implication would be that the interpretation of Revelation would be sealed until the time for fulfilment was at hand. Daniel was told the same about his prophecies (Dan. 12:9). This fits with much other Bible teaching, to the effect that prophecy will be understood at the very end of time, just before its final fulfilment in the Lord's return. The flagship verse concerning the opening of our eyes to latter day prophecy must be Dan. 12:4,10: &quot;Shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro (an idiom often used concerning response to God's word: Ps. 119:32,60; 147:15; Amos 8:11,12; Hab. 2:2; 2 Thess. 3:1 Gk.), and knowledge (of Daniel's prophecies) shall be increased... many shall be purified, and made white, and tried (in the tribulation); but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand&quot;. This is all in the context of the Angel rejecting Daniel's plea for insight into his own prophecies. All he was told was that they would be fulfilled in the far distant future, but he was comforted with the thought that the faithful at that time would understand. That the fulfilment of all the latter day prophecies will be understood fully in the very last days is implied in Jer. 23:20: &quot;In the latter days you shall understand it perfectly&quot;. The &quot;it&quot; refers to &quot;the intents of God's heart&quot; revealed in His prophetic word. It is no accident that the Apocalypse ends with&nbsp;words which clearly allude to the closing words of Daniel. John falls at the Angel's feet, as Daniel did. The Angel then says: &quot;Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of <em>this</em> book (unlike Daniel's, which was sealed): for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still (cp. &quot;the wicked shall do wickedly&quot;)&quot;. The implication is that the book is sealed for those who are a long way from the time of fulfilment; hence John must not seal the prophecy <em>because</em> its fulfilment is near. Thus Dan. 12:4 LXX reads: &quot;Seal the book until the time of its accomplishment&quot;- <em>then</em> it will be unsealed and the meaning become apparent. The primary application of Revelation is to the events of AD70; the implication is that the righteous understood the pattern of events then because of this book. There is a repeated stress throughout the NT epistles on the need to understand and get true knowledge (1 Pet. 3:7; 2 Pet. 1:2-6,8,16; 2:20; 3:18), perhaps with special reference to Scripture like the Olivet prophecy and Revelation; likewise 1 Tim. 3:1,16; 4:1,2 encourage Bible study in the 'last days' leading up to AD70. The need for understanding and study at that time is reflected in our last days. Paul told the Thessalonians (in the context of AD70) that he didn't need to tell them about the times and seasons because they already understood the prophecies so well- but they needed rather to make sure that their lifestyle was appropriate to their understanding (1 Thess. 5:1-5). The situation in AD70 is a type of the true &quot;last days&quot;. Therefore the understanding of Revelation will not be sealed just before its second and major fulfilment in the second coming of Christ. In the same way as Daniel's prophecies will be opened to us in the&nbsp;last days, so must the book of Revelation, because the understanding of Revelation is so bound up with the meaning of Daniel. &quot;None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand&quot; suggests that this true understanding of prophecy motivates the faithful remnant in holding on to a righteous lifestyle. Time and again Israel are condemned because their lack of <em>understanding</em> of the prophecies led them into sinful behaviour (Dt. 32:29; Ps. 94:8; Is. 44:18).</p><p>As to the time being &quot;at hand&quot;, see on :7.</p>