Lesson 46: He will dwell with them and they shall be his people - Rev 4-6
New Testament Student Manual - Rev 4-11
Last weeek we discussed the beginning of the book of revelation. It is a book writen by John while he was in the spirit on Sunday on the isle of Patmos. He heard a voice like a trump and saw a vision of Jesus Christ, his relationship to his servants(Bishops) of his churches. Jesus told him to write what he saw and put it in a book and send this book to each of the seven churches. After writing the words of Jesus that he was to tell these bishops the vision changes.
He sees a door open up in heaven - A voice calls him from heaven to come up into the door. He was "In the spirit" and went into heaven where he saw as it were the Throne Rom of God and describes it to us.
There are three main parts to the next part of his vision.
New Testament Student Manual - Rev 4-11
Introduction:
Last weeek we discussed the beginning of the book of revelation. It is a book writen by John while he was in the spirit on Sunday on the isle of Patmos. He heard a voice like a trump and saw a vision of Jesus Christ, his relationship to his servants(Bishops) of his churches. Jesus told him to write what he saw and put it in a book and send this book to each of the seven churches. After writing the words of Jesus that he was to tell these bishops the vision changes.
He sees a door open up in heaven - A voice calls him from heaven to come up into the door. He was "In the spirit" and went into heaven where he saw as it were the Throne Rom of God and describes it to us.
There are three main parts to the next part of his vision.
Vision of the Throne Room of God
The Opening of the Seals of the Book of the Economy of God
Description of the Opening of the 7th Seal of God
- Preparatory to the coming of the Son to earth.
The Events in the Throne Room contained in 4-6
John was taken up to heaven and describes to us the events that take place there. He was shown of things that will shortly come to pass. It is a narative of events that will take place in heaven chronicalling the opening of the seals and the revealing of the economy of God and the ushering in of the 7th seal wherein Jesus will complete his work.
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.Interestingly Jasper/Sardine
- are brown/tan in color. The person on the throne was dark skinned and not white as would be expected.Rev 4:4 Around the throne were 24 seats, and elders sitting on these seats, cloathed in white with crowns of gold upon their heads.
These are elders from the churches - who were faithful but dead
D&C 77:5They are kings and Priests who will reign on earth
Rev 5:9-10They are just men made perfect through atonement of Christ
Heb 12:22-23, D&C 76:55-56,69Rev 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)Seven Archangels of Jewish Tradition
See the following: Jewish Virtual LibraryGabriel (Noah), Michael (Adam, Bible Dictionary, D&C 107:54, D&C 88:112,114), Raphael, Uriel, Raquel, Remiel and Saraquel - D&C 128:20-21
From Apocryphal Writings and Scripture (1 Enoch 20:1-8, Tobit 12:15, 2 Edras 4:1, Dan 10:13, Dan 8:16, Luke 1:19)
Rev 4:5 Seven Lamps - Which are the Seven Angels before the Throne of God
Rev 8:2 Seven Angels before God given trumps to sound Michael will sound trump: (D&C 29.26)
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 130:7-9Beasts are real beasts - represent
classes of beings in heaven
- D&C 77:1-4They move/act and praise god as well as the angels/men
Rev 4:10-11 The 24 elders fall down and cast their crowns at Gods feet
The Opening of the Book -
The revealing of the economy of God to man D&C 77:6Rev 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...
Why is he so sad about no one opening the book? Its an interesting question...
Twelve horns:
Symbols of Power (See footnote 6b 12 not seven)Twelve Eyes: Twelve servants of God sent to all the earth. Apostles?
Rev 5:8-13 The Lamb of God takes and is worthy to open the book.
All people in heave and earth worship God and the Lamb who has redeemed them
This will Occur at the End of the Melenium as shown in
D&C 88:106-110
The Opening of the Seals of the Economy of God
Remember each seal represents a 1000 years or one day to God, as each seal is opened a loud hissing/thundering noise was heard and then a vision or representation of the events of that 1000 years was spread before John. You will notice that no one actually reads the book at all
... its a book you don't read but see.How then do we know the dates matching up to the Seals?
The problem is determining the date of creation backwards through history and the records of the Jews. There are two basic theories about what this date should be. We also have Modern day revelation that provides some insight on the matter. See the following:
See Lectures on Faith #1, Hebrew Calendar, Error in Hebrew Calendar D&C 20:1
Based upon this information Adam's fall occured either: BC 4004, BC 3920 Section 20 makes it seem like its been close to the 4004 BC dating... but we don't know if that was merely a repeating of the date as per current common knowledge rather than revelation... so... we may/may not have the proper dates here.
Seal 1 BC 4000-3000 or 3920-2920
Rev. 6:1–2 White Horse: Rider had bow, White Crown - went forth conquering
Stone Age:
Possibly Enoch? See Moses 7:13-17Seal 2 BC 3000-2000 or 2920-1920
Rev. 6:3–4 Red Horse: Rider take peace from earth - Kill one another - great sword
Seal 3 BC 2000-1000 or 1920-920
Rev. 6:5–6 Black Horse: Rider had balances - measure of wheat penny, 3 measures of barley penny - do not hurt the oil and the wine.
This is the Time of:
Abraham, Joseph, Jacob, Isaac, Moses, JoshuaSeal 4 BC 1000-0 or 920-80 AD
Rev. 6:7–8 Pale Horse: Rider's name was death, hell followed with him 1/4th of earth to kill with sword, hunger and beasts of earth
This is the Time of:
Saul, David, Jeraboam, Rehoboam, Nahum, Habakuk, Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Daniel, EzekielWar:
Conquests of Jerusalem, Captivity of Israel, Greece, Rome, Persia, Assyria, Egypt, Babylonian Empire, constant time of war famine plagueAge of Steel:
Seal 5 AD 0-1000 or 80-1080 AD
Rev. 6:9–11 Under Altar souls of martyr's slain for the testimony of Jesus Christ. How long shall thou not avenge us? White robes given unto all of them, rest until all who should be killed are. Then they are given white robes - exhaltation symbol?
This is the Time of
: First 12 Apostles, Stephen, Martyr's slain during start of ApostacyTowards end of seal: Crusades, Islamic Jihad, - many massacres in religion name
Jerusalem during first Crusades - Crusades Timeline 1095-1300 AD
Massive Volcanic Eruption 536 AD - year without summer, Dust Veil of 536 Global Drought, Famine,Summertime Snow in China,
Bubonic Plague 70-80% of population in some places
Massive Volcanic Eruption 536 AD - year without summer, Dust Veil of 536 Global Drought, Famine,Summertime Snow in China,
Bubonic Plague 70-80% of population in some places
Seal 6 AD 1000-2000 or 1080-2080 - A summary of events not a chronology of when...
Rev 6:12-17 During the 6th seal - A Great Earthquake, Sun black, Moon blood, Stars fall from heaven, Heaven departs as a scroll, Kings of Earth hide themselves Who shall stand? Joel 2:10, 30–31;Haggai 2:6–7; D&C 29:14; 43:25;88:87–91
This is the Time of:
Joseph Smith, Modern day ProphetsRestoration, Great advances in Knowledge, Massive changes in earth, Signs in Heavens
How have we been doing? What do you think of the governing of the earth by people?
Why does God invade?
Opening of the 7th Seal - Our day
Rev 7:1-3 John rises from the east cries to the four angels who are given power to hurt the earth and see.
John is Elias - come to restore all things - He is the Angel spoken of in Rev 7:2 rising in the east - D&C 77:9,14
As one of the original Twelve Apostles, John has shared his witness of the Lord’s divinity through many long centuries of time. He was with Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and was still serving at the end of the first century A.D. In this dispensation, as a translated being, he continues his work with the tribes of Israel in preparation for the Lord’s second coming.
As one of the original Twelve Apostles, John has shared his witness of the Lord’s divinity through many long centuries of time. He was with Jesus at the beginning of His ministry and was still serving at the end of the first century A.D. In this dispensation, as a translated being, he continues his work with the tribes of Israel in preparation for the Lord’s second coming.
Who are these angels of destruction? we don't know
The Sealing of the 144,000
Rev 7:4-9 The sealing of 12,000 High Priests from each of the tribes of Israel - sent forth to all the nations with Gospel
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the sealing of the faithful in their foreheads “signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling and election sure” (in History of the Church, 5:530).
In Our Next Two Lessons We will be going over the Specific Signs of the Times - the Scriptures that provide clues as to an ordering of events if not a specific time for when these things will shortly come to pass. We will also be discussing which Signs have been completed, which have not, and a guestimation of when they may come to pass. This is a basic ordering... but no real timeline is possible, in some cases the events may be out of order because of the limited information available.