Attention activity

Glasses - Lenses and the principle of magnification and clarity. Use a Magnifying lens and a very small font printed sheet of paper. Demonstrate that with the magnifying glass the text becomes much easier to read. However without the magnifying glass it is almost impossible to read.
Who has every used a microscope? 
Who has ever seen extremely slow motion camera footage?

Lens Required to understand the Book of Revelation - Apocalypse - the Unveiling of what? - the triumph of Jesus Christ... 

The Word Apocalypse - means that which is uncovered - does not mean the end of the world
See Bible Dictionary - Revelation of John. - Read Paragraph's 1-2
The Theme of the book is that there will be an eventual triumph over evil.

Overview of the Book of Revelation: The Apocalypse - the unveiling of the triumph of Jesus Christ

Remember this theme as we review the Book of Revelation... 

1. His triumph over Satan before the world was - the War in Heaven

2. His triumph during the meridian of time and his atonement

3. His triumph in our own lives as we repent and are forgiven

4. His triumph when he comes again and conquers all nations and implements peace for 1000 years

5. His triumph in the END when time is over and he saves ALL that the father has put into his power

Let us dive into the Book of Revelation...

Overview of the Book of Revelation

• The Calling and Election of John and the Receipt of the revelation of Jesus Christ by him, and an angel
• The Letters to the Bishops of the seven Churches 
  • The address - greeting
  • Encouragement / Exhortation
  • Promise of the triumph of him through Jesus the Christ - and overcoming as he has overcome
• The Throne Room of God
• The triumph of Jesus Christ over all Earthly powers - and the history of the world and it's evil
• The Triumph of Jesus Christ during the Millennial reign
• The final judgment the end of time - and the completion of the work in the salvation of men

The triumph of Jesus Christ in the Redemption, and salvation of his servant John

- John Sees the Lord - his calling and election is made sure - See JST Rev 1:1-3
Rev 1:1-3: John was in vision in the Isle of Patmos - with a spirit Guide/Angel to explain to him the vision

He will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient Saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions -- Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the Saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the Firstborn.
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Three 1838-39 p.151

1 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:
2 Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3 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.

Given to him by who?  An angel... and through a visitation of Jesus Christ himself.(JST)
The book split into two sections... that which is shortly to come to pass 1-3, and that which will eventually come to pas 4-21

Rev 1:9
9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

1. He wouldn't stop teaching about about Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:9)
2. He was not able to be killed - Although dipped in boiling Oil

"How happy is its church, on which apostles poured forth all their doctrine along with their blood; where Peter endures a passion like his Lord's; where Paul wins his crown in a death like John's[the Baptist]; where the Apostle John was first plunged, unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island-exile.'" The works of Tertullian - Ancient Christian Latin writer/Apologist who lived in Carthage about 160AD - Who was he? Another Link-Catholic Dictionary

Surely although John had been banished he had also been redeemed and knew of his state before God - this he demonstrated as an example of the triumph of Jesus Christ in his own life.

The triumph of Jesus Christ in the Redemption, and salvation of the congregations

The Poetic Form of the Revelation of John

Parallelism - as shown in the Letters to the Churches
Chiasmus - as shown in the final two couplets concerning the triumph of Jesus Christ over evil before world was and in the end of nations.

Doctrine of the Nicolaitans:
According to the writings of the Early Church leaders, Nicolas taught a doctrine of compromise, implying that total separation between Christianity and the practice of occult paganism was not essential. From Early Church records, it seems apparent that this Nicolas of Antioch was so immersed in occultism, Judaism, and Christianity that he had a stomach for all of it. He had no problem intermingling these belief systems in various concoctions and saw no reason why believers couldn't continue to fellowship with those still immersed in the black magic of the Roman empire and its countless mystery pagan cults.

The Letters to the Churches - Notice the Building... and Building in the message until the FINAL Emphasis in the last letter to the Laodiceans!
Notice who is holding the Candlesticks the bearers of light, and where does he walk...

Rev 2:1-7
The Address: Ephesus 
The Encouragement/Exhortation: Apostasy in their midst - repent and return to the original works or Bishop will be removed.  But yet they do hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans! (2,5,6)
The Promise: To him that overcome I will give to eat the tree of Life in the paradise of God (7)

Rev 2:8-11 
The Address: Smyrna
The Encouragement/Exhortation: Apostasy in their midst - Jews and Hypocrysi and Pretense-  Martyrdom, persecution, and in prison even unto death
The Promise: To him that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death Alma 12:16, 32; Helaman 14:18

Rev 2:12-17 
The Address: Pergamos
The Encouragement/Exhortation: Priestcraft/Fornication - and doing the works of Balam and that of the Nicolaitans (Numbers 22:21-39 - Balam accepts money from wicked kings instead of doing as God asks)
The Promise: To him that overcome shall be given a white stone and a new name D&C 130:10-11 Where in the actual truth is revealed and not that which is portrayed as truth... 

Rev 2:18-29 
The Address: Thyatira
The Encouragement/Exhortation: Jezebel - and whoredoms and fornication and worshiping of idols, and all will be rewarded according as their works - Hold fast to that which you know to be true
The Promise: To him that overcome and do his commandments will I give power over all nations to rule as with the rod of Iron - and I will give them the morning star

Rev 3:1-5 
The Address: Sardis
The Encouragement/Exhortation: You claim to live but yet are dead - Apostasy - Be watchful and strengthen them that are about to die - remember what you have received and Hold fast to that which is true
The Promise:  To him that overcome shall be clothed in white and I will confess them pure before God

Rev 3:6-12 
The Address: Philadelphia
The Encouragement/Exhortation: You have kept my word and denied not my name - yet there are those among you who claim to be Jews but are not - Keep to the word of patience - and in the hour of temptation I will keep you...
The Promise: To him that overcome will I make a pillar in the temple of my God and he shall go no more out - and his name shall be written on him

Rev 3:13-21
The Address: Laodiceans
The Encouragement/Exhortation: You are neither cold nor hot - and so are spewed forth and are wretched and nothing
The Promise: To him that will hear my voice will I come unto and they shall overcome and sit with me in my thrown like I have done with my father's throne

How then does Jesus Christ triumph over evil in the churches?
How do congregations and leaders in the gospel help us overcome... through Jesus Christ? 

The Throne Room of God and that which is to Eventually occur 4-21

The Prophecies of future events... based upon the plan, order and design of God he being the king and master of the universe.
Thus John sees the throne room of God wherein all of this is determined and known. 

The King on his throne
Rev 4:1-3 I saw a throne - and a person on that throne - He was to look upon like jasper and sardine stone. There was an aura of green light about the throne, described as a rainbow.
Jasper/Sardine are brown in color.  The person on the throne was dark skinned and not like lightning as one would expect of a resurrected being...

The 24 seats surrounding the throne
Rev 4:4 Around the throne were 24 seats, and elders sitting on these seats, clothed in white with crowns of gold upon their heads.
These are elders from the churches - who were faithful but dead D&C 77:5 They are kings and Priests who will reign on earth  Rev 5:9-10 They are just men made perfect through atonement of Christ Heb 12:22-23, D&C 76:55-56,69

The 7 spirits/servants of God in front of his throne
Rev 4:5 Out of the throne proceeded lightning/thunder/voices, In front of the the throne were seven spirits/servants of God
These are the Arch Angels of God - Leaders of God with specific Callings/Stewardships on earth and in heaven. Nobel and Great Men, Leaders, Prophets now angels in heaven. (We only know who two of them are as of yet Noah, and Adam)
Rev 8:2 Seven Angels before God given trumps to sound Michael will sound trump: (D&C 29.26)

The Sea of Glass upon which was the throne room
Rev 4:6-9 Before the throne was a sea of Glass - and 4 beasts The sea of Glass is Celestial Matter - Works as a Urim and Thummim D&C 130:7-9 Beasts are real beasts - represent classes of beings in heaven - D&C 77:1-4 They move/act and praise god as well as the angels/men​

The Narration of the Economy of God begins... The Poems begin... 

There is a Book in the Hand of God sealed with 7 seals... 
Rev 5:1-3 John sees a book sealed with 7 seals in the right hand of God.  No man can open the book.
Rev 5:4-7 John weeps becaus no one can open the book...
The revealing of the economy of God to man D&C 77:6

Remember that the Book of Revelation is written in Hebraic Poetic Form - thus there may and is duplication of thought and idea, culminating in the CENTER of the couplet the main meaning of the text...  
Thus there may be duplications that are not specifically chronological but rather the formation of the parallelism that provides meaning to it.

The opening of the seals couplet...
6:1–2 Seal 1  - Adam and the beginning (Stone)
       6:3–4 Seal 2 - Noah and destruction (Bronze)
               6:5–6  Seal 3 - Plague, and Judgment  - Law of Moses, Exodus (Law)
                         6:7–8  Seal 4 - ushering in of the coming of Jesus Christ (Iron)
               6:9–11 Seal 5 - Martyrs slain for testimony of Jesus (Industrial)
        6:12-17 Seal 6 - Restoration and Preparation for second coming (Cognitive)
8:1-2  Seal 7 - Second coming of Jesus Christ- Milennium 

Looking at these time frames - roughly...

Seal 7 AD 2000-3000
Rev 8:1-2 - the Opening of the 7th seal...

The triumph of Jesus Christ and the comparison of the war as it has continued for the souls of men from the beginning even the triumph and casting out of Satan. 

Seven Angels- Trumpets Rev 8:7, 8:8 8:10 8:12 9:1 9:13 10:5-6
    9 - Bottomless Pit - Darkness Rev 9:2-3, 4 angels of death, army D&C 77:13 (After 7Seal)
        10 - Mighty Angel - Time No Longer - 7 thunders - little book - calling of John
            11:3-12 - Two Prophets in Jerusalem - Authority from God - Miracles, power in mouth - they die
                12:7-10 -War in Heaven - Christ Prevails - Devil Cast out -Now is the Salvation of Our God
            13:1,11 - Two Beasts(Countries) - Arise from sea/earth - Given Power by Devil - Miracles, power in mouth 
        14 - The Lamb Stands on Mount Zion - 5 angels of light -  patience of saints
    15 - Celestial Glory - Sea of glass/fire - saints & kings, Temple of God
Seven Angels - Vials 16:2-3 16:3 16:4 16:8 16:10 16:12 16:17