REVELATION CHAPTER
21
Vs. 1 – D&C 88:18-20, 25, 26; 29:22-25-
Articles of Faith 1:10; After the thousand years of
Christ’s reign, the earth will be transformed yet again. Joseph Smith described this change: “This earth
will be rolled back into the presence of God and crowned with celestial glory”
(TPJS p. 258)
“Perhaps 1 reason there will be nor more sea is that the entirety of
the earth will have one surface, like a sea of glass and fire (D&C 130:24)”
(Parry, p. 283)
“Seas shall no longer separate islands and continents as at present.
All the land surface of the earth shall be united into one body.” D&C
133:23-24 (DNTC 3:580) No more sea. The sea has been a divider of people.
The continents are together and so are the people.
“What strikes John about the new world is that there is no more sea.
The abode of chaos, the home of the satanic beast, the old set over which the
whore held sway, has vanished. Under the force of the Lamb’s radiance, the
source of Babylon’s sea-borne luxuries and what helped feed and sustain her
corruption has boiled into oblivion. But the sea and the abyss are one and the
same. Therefore, the destruction of the sea represents the annihilation of the
primeval deep, the home of malevolence and evil. Up to this point, it has
dominated the world. As the stronghold of Satan’s supporters, its existence
mocked the hope of a complete victory and a complete sovereignty of the Lord.
It has no place in the transformed world where all things spontaneously obey
their Lord and their God.” (Draper, p. 23-24) D&C 133:23-24
Vs. 2 – New Jerusalem – Ether 13:1-10 & Moses
7:19-21; 62-64
Vs. 3 – The tabernacle
of God is with men is indicating God’s physical presence with men. D&C 88:19. We have the opportunity today
of visiting God in one of His homes.
Vs. 4 – God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes – Rev. 7:17, Neither
sorrow, pain – Contrast this with Babylon
Vs. 5 –This is the verse
where “He that sat on the throne” appears to be Jesus. See vs. 6.
Vs. 6 – What is Jesus the beginning and the
ending of? - Vs, 4
Water of life freely – Woman at
the well John 4:10-14
Vs. 7 – Inherit all things
– D&C 76:58-60; the promise of inheriting “all things” does not mean that
those who are exalted will no longer worship God; the relationship of God to
each of His exalted children is still clear; I will be his God, and he
shall be my son – 1 John 3:1-2; Rom. 8:14, 17
Vs. 8 – Lake which burneth is a metaphor for the 2nd
Death. D&C 76:31-45. See also 19:20 and 20:10 to read about other people in
the neighborhood. (Rev. 2:11)
Vs. 9 – Remember that the
bride is the Church
Vs. 10 – Ezek. 40:1-47;
48:30-35 – For a detailed description of the temple and the city.
Vs. 11 – Having the glory
of God – See D&C 88:18-20
The Jasper Stone = first on the
High Priest’s breastplate. See also 1 Peter 2:5-7
Vs. 12 – Only those who
have made and kept covenants may enter (endowment)
“Your endowment is to receive all those ordinances in the House of the
Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable
you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as
sentinels, being enable to give them the key words, the signs and tokens
pertaining to the Holy Priesthood and gain your eternal exaltation… (Brigham
Young)
The word tribes is an indication
of FAMILY- that is who will be there!
Vs. 13 – East = Joseph, Benjamin, Dan. North – Reuben , Judah
Vs. 14 – Foundation stones see Ephesians 2:19-20
Vs. 15 – The golden reed
is a measuring rod
Vs. 16 – the temple is a
perfect cube (the symbol of perfection), like the Holy of holies in Solomon’s
temple (1 Kings 6:20) The city is about
1400 miles on each side and 1400 miles high. The number of 12 times 120 perhaps
is a repetition of the emphasis on the 12 apostles and the 12 tribes. A furlong
is 607 feet.
Vs. 17 – an angelic cubit is an unknown dimension, what matters
is the number 12
Vs. 18-21 –The symbolic elements John saw that compose the
city—clear glass, precious stones, pearls, and gold—share the traits of
reflecting light; resisting decaying or tarnishing; and symbolizing purity,
beauty, and refinement. The walls of the city were made with all manner of
precious stones Precious stones often represent the Lord’s followers who have
been refined and made holy.
Vs. 22-No temple – The
whole city is a temple. All the inhabitants have already made covenants. I love this, “the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it.” We go to the temple to commune with God.
Vs. 23 – Hymn #44-"Beautiful
Zion, Built Above"
Vs. 24 – The kings of the
earth would be “us”. The other kings were destroyed in 19:19, 21 and 20:9
Vs. 25 – No need to shut
the gate. This is a safe neighborhood.
Vs. 27 – This is a great
neighborhood.
"A Saint, who is one in deed
and in truth, does not look for an immaterial heaven, but he expects a heaven
with lands, house, cities, vegetation, rivers, and animals; with thrones,
temples, palaces, kings, princes, priests, and angels, with food raiment,
musical instruments, and all of which are material. Indeed, the Saints' heaven
is a redeemed, glorified, celestial, material creating, inhabited by glorified material
beings, male and female, organized into families, embracing all the relationships
of husbands, and wives, parents and children, where sorrow, crying, pain, and
death will be no more. Or to speak still more definitely, this earth, when
glorified, is the Saints' eternal heaven. On it they expect to live, with body,
parts, and holy passions: on it they expect to move and have their being; to
eat, drink, converse, worship, sing, play on musical instruments, engage in
joyful, innocent, social amusements, visit neighboring towns and neighboring
worlds." (Pratt, "Past and
Future Existence" p. 722. Quoted in Ogden p. 345)
Revelation 22
John's vision draws to a close with symbolism &
doctrines which summarize major messages of the Book of Revelation, including
that the reward of the righteous is wonderful beyond our ability to comprehend &that
the wicked are left out of these priceless blessings. (Ridges p. 466)
Vs. 1 -
The pure and living water is a representation of the love of God. (John 4:14
& 1 Nephi 11:25) Note that they
share the same throne. Unity
Vs. 2 - Adam & Eve's posterity can
finally partake of the Tree of Life, which represents the love of God. John is
all about Love; 1 John 4:7-8. This is celestial not a seasonal kingdom. The 12
manner of fruits refers to 12 crops in succession, not 12 kinds of fruits. We
remember that this fruit is sweet above all sweet, & white above all that
is white, yea, & pure above all that is pure" (Alma 32:42). Millet. p.
61
Vs. 3 - The curse was the one given in the
garden (Gen. 3:24) They can now partake of the love of God without restriction.
Gen. 2:17; 3:16, 17, 19. Bible begins
with a curse & ends with curses being done away.
Vs. 4 - This is taking upon us His name in
the fullest. Rev. 3:12; 7:3; 13:16; 14:1. Bearing the name also suggests taking
on the characteristics of the one named. Bearing Gods’ name on one’s forehead
may also be connected to images of priesthood & temple service. (Ex.
28:36-38; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 7:15) “In
the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith
petitioned the Father ‘that thy servants may go forth from this house armed
with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them’ (D&C 109:22). He also asked for a
blessing ‘over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house’ (v. 26). And as the Lord appeared in and
accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, He declared, ‘For behold, I have
accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to
my people in mercy in this house’ (D&C 110:7). “These scriptures help us
understand that the process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that
is commenced in the waters of baptism
is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. … In the ordinances of the
holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ”
(DABednar, Ensign May 2009, 98).
Vs 5 -
And we shall reign forever and ever.
Joint heirs. Vs. 6 - The angel bears his testimony to
John and begins his summary of the vision of things which are about to start
happening. See the first verse of the Book.
Vs. 7 -
2:5, 16; 3:3, 11- without warning.
D&C 106:4-5 - Not soon, but in a quick manner; that is, with speed and
suddenness after all of the promised conditions precedent have
occurred" (DNTC 3:590)
Vs. 8-9 - John forgot what he learned back
in 19:10 (D&C 130:5)
Vs. 10 -
See Ether 3:21-22; 1 Nephi 14:25; Daniel 12:9.
Vs. 11 - When final judgment comes, we will
judged based upon what we have become. Is it too late for potential? 2 Nephi 9:16
Vs. 12 -
Isaiah 40:10 Vs. 13 - The last time He reminds us that
He is the First & the Last. This is probably not the last time that I will
remind us that when the Lord repeats Himself, it is not because He forgot that
He already s
Vs. 14 - Another Beatitude- that is 7 of 7. See
vs. 7 for #6.
Vs. 15 -
Who loves a lie? Could this verse be used to prove that dogs do NOT go to
heaven? Dogs is a traditional Jewish
designation for Gentiles.
Vs. 16 - Jesus is the root; providing food
to the plant; Mary was a direct descendent. In symbolism, stars typically refer
to individuals. Jesus is the one that shines first and brightest.
Vs. 17 -
The Spirit is the Holy Ghost. The bride is the Church members. We are to say
"come." Hymn #59
Vs. 18 - The plagues of the book are more
scary now that before we studied the book.
Vs. 19- Remember Dt. 4:2 and that John was
talking about this Book of Revelation. Not the Bible. There was no Bible for a
couple hundred years. The passage “If any man shall add unto these things” Revelation 22:18) has been often
misunderstood as a declaration that no scripture was to come forth after the
writing of the book of Revelation. Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles clarified that this
statement refers only to the book of Revelation, not to the Bible as a whole:
“One of the arguments often used in any defense of a closed canon is the New
Testament passage recorded in Revelation 22:18: ‘For I testify unto every
man that heareth the words of … this book, If any man shall add unto these
things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.’
However, there is now overwhelming consensus among virtually all biblical
scholars that this verse applies only to the book of Revelation, not the whole Bible. Those scholars of our day acknowledge
a number of New Testament ‘books’ that were almost certainly written after John’s revelation on the Isle of Patmos was
received. Included in this category are at least the books of Jude, the three
Epistles of John, and probably the entire Gospel of John itself. Perhaps there
are even more than these. “But there is a simpler answer as to why that passage
in the final book of the current New Testament cannot apply to the whole Bible.
That is because the whole Bible as we know it—one collection of texts bound in
a single volume—did not exist when that verse was written. For centuries after
John produced his writing, the individual books of the New Testament were in
circulation singly or perhaps in combinations with a few other texts but almost
never as a complete collection. Of the entire
corpus of 5,366 known Greek New Testament manuscripts, only 35 contain the
whole New Testament as we now know it, and 34 of those were compiled after A.D. 1000. (“My Words … Never Cease,” Ensign May 2008, 91–92).
Vs. 21 - A nice little blessing John leaves
on his readers. That would be us. Amen
