Conclusion

The book of Revelation contains, as John clearly stated in his introduction, the revelation of Jesus Christ. That revelation was given to him by God the Father. In it the Savior is revealed as the divine and visible Lamb; and the Father, as the omnipotent invisible God. But the invisible God is a God of action. For much of earth’s history, he has chosen to act, as it were, behind the scenes. This has made it easy for natural men and women to attribute the course of history to political, social, or other causes. But this will not be the case for long. Already God is beginning to more openly direct the course of history and manifest more directly his control over the destiny of mankind. Soon he will personally disrupt the flow of history and set it upon a completely new course.

In the meantime, John’s vision stands as more than a powerful testimony of God’s prophetic abilities. It shows not only that the Almighty knew the end from the beginning and contemplated the whole of earth’s history, but also that he arranged it. To say it more strongly, before the first soul was ever placed on the earth, God orchestrated the whole of earthly existence. Since that time, all things have moved in concert with his plans.

The issue throughout Revelation centers on sovereignty. Who is the God of this world, the Father or Satan? John’s vision, focusing as it does on cosmic reality, clearly shows that it is the God of heaven, not the master of hell. Further, the Seer discloses that there is never a moment when the Father’s supremacy comes into question. He has full power over all things, including death and hell. Nothing, though it may seem at times otherwise, moves independent of his designs – not even the host of Satan. Showing that God overmasters all things, John admonishes his reader to faith and patience. In the end, no matter how bad things may appear until then, righteousness will triumph, and the faithful will have their full reward.

In spite of this, there has never been the slightest interference with either human will or satanic machinations. Each individual stands as a separate player, creating his own lines, developing his own character, and freely producing the drama of his own life. Still, God shares the same stage. Further, he is not only the principle actor, but also the director. Though he may not select the cast, he alone has the power to determine when and where each soul will be played. His self-imposed rules dictate that he must use every person, no matter how evil or twisted he may become or how much good he may do. Each must have his chance. Still, God knows what each will do, how each will respond to any given situation and to life as a whole.

Some have asked, “If God knows the end of every soul, why doesn’t he just judge people now and place them in their kingdom?” The question makes two false assumptions. The first tries to make a connection between what God knows and how a person behaves. Richard Draper has reported how he teaches this principle: “I have used a simple illustration in some of my classes to show that there is no connection between the two. Taking a pencil, eraser-end down, and placing it roughly six inches above the center of a sloping table, I have asked my students to tell me what will happen when I release it. I stress that they may not guess and must tell me what they absolutely know will happen. They are uncanny in their ability to determine its course, predicting, among other things, that it will fall, bounce, produce a noise, roll, and come to rest. When I drop the pencil, everything happens exactly as they say. I then ask them how they get the pencil to do what they know it will. They assure me that they have nothing to do with what the pencil does. This simple exercise demonstrates that foreknowledge does not cause action: no connection exists between what God knows about us as individuals and our behavior.”

The second false assumption is that God is a magician who, by the wave of some divine wand, can make us into creatures of celestial, terrestrial, or telestial glory. But God is not a magician, and he cannot make us into anything. He can protect, guide, and empower us. But we are the ones who make us into something, and we do it through the millions of choices, both big and little (but mostly little), that we make during the course of an entire lifetime. Thus, we shape our eternal character, and in the resurrection what we have shaped is what we become (cf. Alma 41:1-8).

Now to the point. God knows how each person will behave at any given time and under any given circumstance. By knowing what each person will do, he knows how the whole of any combination of people will behave. He shapes history by assembling the aggregate while at the same time allowing each individual free reign over his own destiny.

Thus, John’s revelation testifies not only to the omniscience of God, but also to his omnipotence. The Revelator appeals to both faith and faithfulness as he shows that everything moves in harmony according to the composition orchestrated by God. God even weaves the discord of Satan into the whole movement. The result becomes a magnificent hymn of praise to his power as both God and the Lamb. In the words of the heavenly choir: “Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest” (Revelation 15:3-4).

#Doctrine and Covenants Section 77 Book of Revelation

See the introductory commentary in Learning to Love the Doctrine and Covenants for “Section 77 Book of Revelation.” We will now provide specific commentary for those fifteen verses in section 77:

1 Q. What is the sea of glass spoken of by John, 4th chapter, and 6th verse of the Revelation? A. It is the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state.

verse 1 “the sea of glass” See the commentary above for Revelation 4:6.

2 Q. What are we to understand by the four beasts, spoken of in the same verse? A. They are figurative expressions, used by the Revelator, John, in describing heaven, the paradise of God, the happiness of man, and of beasts, and of creeping things, and of the fowls of the air; that is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, and every other creature which God has created.

verse 2 “the four beasts” It seems apparent that the four beasts are actual beasts who are now exalted but lived on other worlds. These actual beasts are also symbolic of – figurative expressions of – other things (see the commentary for Revelation 4:6.

”the spirit of man in the likeness of his person” There is a similarity of form between the spirit of a living thing and the body it inhabits. This similarity may not be exact, however, as in the case of birth defects and other mortal deformities, and the precise degree to which individual spirits correspond to the appearance of their mortal bodies has not been revealed. Certainly, spirits can look exactly like their deceased bodies when necessary, but whether they always do so is open to question. It is not necessary to insist that genetic and environmental influences on mortal, physical bodies are coincidentally shared by their inhabiting spirits.

3 Q. Are the four beasts limited to individual beasts, or do they represent classes or orders? A. They are limited to four individual beasts, which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity.

verse 3 “limited to individual beasts, or do they represent classes” See the commentary for Revelation 4:6, 7-8.

”in their destined order or sphere of creation” There is no revealed doctrine which explains this intriguing phrase. It raises the question: Are there well-defined orders of animals? Just as man is of a higher order than the animals, and animals are a higher order than plants, are some orders of animals higher than others? We simply do not know.

”the enjoyment of their eternal felicity” All forms of living things, and not just human beings, will, through the work of Christ, receive eternal joy – except perdition. Does this apply to every living microscopic creature, plants, even inanimate objects? Perhaps so, but we are not given revelation on this issue presently.

4 Q. What are we to understand by the eyes and wings, which the beasts had? A. Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that is, their wings are a representation of power, to move, to act, etc.

5 Q. What are we to understand by the four and twenty elders, spoken of by John? A. We are to understand that these elders whom John saw, were elders who had been faithful in the work of the ministry and were dead; who belonged to the seven churches, and were then in the paradise of God.

verse 5 “four and twenty elders” John saw in his vision twenty-four elders who, along with the four beasts, had harps and little bottles of perfume – symbolizing their singing and praying to God as acts of worship (see also the commentary for Revelations 5:8-9). We learn in this particular verse that John may have known some of these men personally, for they had lived in the seven churches of western Turkey addressed in the book of Revelation among which John had labored (see Revelation 1:11). Though John saw in his vision twenty-four specific individuals, these twenty-four symbolically represented all the faithful elders who will be exalted through Christ out of every nation of the earth.

”the paradise of God” This is the pleasant state of some of the spirits in the world of spirits who, between their mortal deaths and their resurrections, are sealed up to immortal life.

6 Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals? A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence.

verse 6 “the book which John saw” See the introductory commentary for Revelation 5, the commentary on verses 1-5 of that chapter, and the commentary for Revelation 5:1.

”the revealed will, mysteries, and the works of God” The book symbolizes the comprehensive plan of God for this earth and its inhabitants from the beginning to the end.

”the seven thousand years of its continuance” The seven thousand years of this earth’s existence between the fall of Adam and the end of the Millennium. These seven periods of one thousand years are equated with the “seven seals” (see also the commentary for Revelation 5:1).

7 Q. What are we to understand by the seven seals with which it was sealed? A. We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand years, and so on until the seventh.

verse 7 “the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years” Even though a seal is a bit of wax or clay, imprinted with an identifying mark, which keeps a scroll tightly rolled up, here Joseph equates the scroll with its seal and explains that “the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years . . .”

For ancient Jews, the number seven symbolized perfection or completeness. Since the seven scrolls or seven seals represent the comprehensive plan of God (see verse 6), the sequential opening of the seven seals likely represents the full unfolding or implementation of the divine plan for this earth from beginning to end. With the opening of the seventh seal, God’s plan for the temporal earth will reach its final stage in a glorious Millennium.

8 Q. What are we to understand by the four angels, spoken of in the 7th chapter and 1st verse of Revelation? A. We are to understand that they are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy; these are they who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness.

verse 8 See the commentary for Revelation 7:1.

9 Q. What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelation 7th chapter and 2nd verse? A. We are to understand that the angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting gospel, saying: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And, if you will receive it, this is Elias which was to come to gather together the tribes of Israel and restore all things.

verse 9 “the angel ascending from the east” See the commentary for Revelation 7:2. ”sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads” See the commentary for “seal of the living God” in Revelation 7:2, above.

”this is Elias” Again, see the commentary for Revelation 7:2. There have been many Eliases or those called to do restorative work in this final dispensation, but in this particular verse Elias seems to be none other than Jesus Christ himself. In the context of the earth’s existence in the first six thousand years, restoring all things perhaps means restoring the fulness of the gospel and the keys of the priesthood to a telestial world, and the several Eliases listed in the commentary for Revelation 7:2 have done this. However, in the context of the seventh thousand years, restoring all things includes restoring the earth itself to a terrestrial state and bringing to pass the redemption and resurrection of the dead. This is the might work of only one Elias, Jesus Christ himself. He will, at his second coming, be the great and final Elias or restorer. It is Jesus Christ himself who ultimately will restore all things and who will finally gather all of Israel together “as a hen gatherereth her chickens” (3 Nephi 10:4- 6).

10 Q. What time are the things spoken of in this chapter to be accomplished? A. They are to be accomplished in the sixth thousand years, or the opening of the sixth seal.

verse 10 “in the sixth thousand years” The work of spreading the gospel throughout the world to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people is the work of the latter-day Church. We now live in the sixth-time period, or day, or thousand years – the period of time immediately before the glorious Millennium, which is the seventh-time period or the sabbath day of the earth’s temporal existence.

11 Q. What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel — twelve thousand out of every tribe? A. We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn.

verse 11 “twelve thousand out of every tribe” See the commentary for Revelation 7:4-8 above (it is found prior to verse 4).

”the church of the Firstborn” See the commentary for D&C 76:54.

12 Q. What are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of Revelation? A. We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years — the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.

verse 12 “sounding of the trumpets” See the commentary for Revelation 8:1-2. After the opening of the seventh seal in his Revelation, John saw a series of seven angels, who sounded their seven trumpets one after the other in a symbolic series. This verse informs us that the events symbolized by the seven trumpets are mighty works that Jesus Christ will perform after the beginning of the Millennium (after the opening of the seventh seal) but before his second coming (see verse 13) – works of judgment, redemption, and resurrection. These works, on the seventh day of the earth’s temporal existence, will be part of sanctifying the earth and raising it to a paradisiacal glory, just as Christ sanctified the earth and gave it the glory of paradise, or Eden, once before – on the seventh day of it creation. This is the same series of trumpet blasts described in D&C 88:96-106. The seventh trumpet announces the completion of all preparations and the coming of the glorious Christ himself to the earth (see Exodus 19:16-20), where the descent of Jehovah, or Christ, to the earth was also marked by the sounding of a trumpet).

”on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth” This phrase can be confusing and should not be interpreted as meaning that the Lord created man on the seventh day. Man was created (the physical creation) on the sixth day of creation. The creation of Adam on the seventh day would require rejecting the specific testimony of Genesis 1:31; Moses 2:31; and Abraham 4:31 that Adam was created on the sixth day or time, and the latter two sources were translated by the prophet Joseph Smith.

13 Q. When are the things to be accomplished, which are written in the 9th chapter of Revelation? A. They are to be accomplished after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of Christ.

verse 13 “after the opening of the seven seal, before the coming of Christ” Note that the seventh period of the earth’s existence will start before the second coming of Christ and that there will be a space of time “after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of Christ.” The two events are not simultaneous, nor does the opening of the seventh seal initiate the Millennium. According to John’s Revelation, there was silence in heaven for the space of half an hour after the opening of the seventh seal before the events symbolized by the seven trumpets – the final preparations for the coming of Christ – began to take place. If we interpret literally the formula of one day with God being a thousand years with man, which is by no means certain that we must so interpret, a half hour would amount to a little less than twenty-one years separating the opening of the seventh seal and the beginning of the seven trumpets. No indication is given of how much additional time the events associated with the seven trumpets will take, although it seems that all will be completed in less than one generation (see JST Matthew 1:34).

14 Q. What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation? A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things.

verse 14 “the little book” In his vision John saw an angel holding a little book or scroll. John was instructed to take the book and eat it. When he did so, according to the book of Revelation, he found that it was delicious but that it upset his stomach. The experience of John in this regard is an almost exact repetition of the experience of Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 2:9 through 3:4).

”it was a mission” The interpretation offered here is supported by the similar experience of Ezekiel, who with the same visionary imagery was also called on a mission to preach and minister to the house of Israel. John the Beloved Apostle is here identified as one who will assist in the restoration and gathering of Israel in the latter days. Note that John did not die, but was translated (D&C 7) – making him available to minister to the earth directly in this final dispensation. See also the commentary for Revelation 10:2, 8, 9, 10.

15 Q. What is to be understood by the two witnesses, in the eleventh chapter of Revelation? A. They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have built the city of Jerusalem in the land of their fathers.

verse 15 “the two witnesses” In Greek the words for witness and martyr are the same. This is appropriate, since being one often leads to becoming the other. John saw in his vision two servants of the Lord who testify of the truth and who suffer martyrdom for it. These two witnesses have the power to shut the heavens and to smite the earth with plagues. These witnesses will not be casual elders who just happen to be in Jerusalem when was breaks out; they will likely be General Authorities of the Church – prophets specifically called on this mission to the Jewish nation (compare Zechariah 4:12-14; Revelation 11:1-4). See also the introductory commentary for Revelation 11 and the commentary for Revelation 11:1-4.

”to the Jewish nation in the last days” It is intriguing that at the time Joseph Smith wrote this revelation, there was no Jewish nation upon the face of the earth. The existence of the nation of Israel in the Holy Land since 1948 constitutes just one more prophecy of Joseph Smith that has come to pass since the Restoration.