reveal. The reasons for this procedure are not far to seek; (1) clearness and distinctness would have been too profane, only the mysterious appears divine; (2) it was often dangerous to be too distinct.
The book of Revelation begins by saying, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to shew unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John; who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that He saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."
Then St. John goes on to say: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: what thou seest, write in a book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia. After this (that is, after he had received and delivered the messages to the seven churches which were in
