The 2nd part of the book, chs. 4-22, records John's apocalyptic vision of the history of the earth. Ch. 4&5 are an introduction to the scenes of earth's future and ultimate destiny. chs. 6-20 describe past & future history through important symbols involving the number 7; 7 seals, trumpets, vials & so forth. Chs. 21 & 22 describe the celestialized earth.
John's Revelation 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 firs soul was placed on the earth, God orchestrated the whole of earthly existence.
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" (Draper p. 246-248)quoted in (Ogden p. 323)
Chapters 4 and 5 begin what appears to be a pattern. Every time the vision is about to turn to a description of plagues, destruction, war, or turmoil, that description is prefaced with a portrayal of what the righteous will attain, or order to give them hope and remind them of what can be theirs. (Clyde J. Williams)
Vs. 1 – After this= A new scene in the Revelation
A door was opened into (JST) heaven. The Greek word thura (door), as use here, suggests a double or folding door such as the entry to a Roman manor or Jewish Great house. (Draper) Joseph Smith taught "could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject." (TPJS p. 324)
Come up hither – To the Holy of Holies or to the throne room in heaven. Why?-Isaiah 48:4-5
Vs. 2 – “One sat on the throne.” This phrase, or one close to it, occurs 12 times in the Book of Revelation. It almost always seems to have reference to the Father. Note from D&C 137:3 that both the Father and the Son sit on the throne and in 132:49 there is a throne being prepared for Joseph Smith and all the exalted. (132:19)
Vs. 3 – Jasper and Sardine stones are the first & last stones on the High Priest’s breastplate. Jesus is the 1st and the last. Jasper stones are mostly green, a sign of life. Red is symbolic of the blood of the lamb.
Rainbow – See the BD definition of Rainbow, also Ezek. 1:26-28
"It is interesting, though, that the throne of judgment is surrounded by a rainbow. For the ancients, this symbol is rich in meaning. It harks back to the original rainbow that God placed in the sky after the Flood-a time when God's judgment came upon the earth because of its wickedness. The rainbow, however, was the symbol not of God's judgment bur rather of his mercy, in promise that he would never flood the earth again. In a similar manner, the Lord seeks to reassure John and his audience that although his judgments must come upon the earth and its inhabitants, the Saints can take comfort in the fact that God's great mercy will temper the demands of Justice. (Gaye Strathearn, Revelation: John's Message of Comfort and Hope" in "The Testimony of John the Beloved" 27th Sperry Symp. p. 288-89)
Emerald is the 4th stone on the breastplate- a symbol for the tribe of Judah
Vs. 4 – Note that the JST places the 24 seats (see foot note =thrones) in midst of the temple throne. The Gk word used for the seats is the same word used for God's throne. (thronos)
This is the first time that we have the opportunity to use D&C 77
24 elders = D&C 77:5
BEASTS
In this verse and elsewhere, John speaks of two types of beasts in Revelation: he envisions actual living creatures (Greek zoon) that exist in heaven (4:6-9); 5:6-14); 6:1-7: 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4), and he speaks of other beasts (Greek therion), referring both to earthly beasts as well as to symbolic or fantastic beasts (6:8; 11:7; 13:1-18; 14:9, 11; 15:2; 16:2, 10, 13; 17:1-18; 19:19-20; 20:4, 10). The word beast used in this passage could more accurately be translated “living creature,” In fact, the choice of the KJV translators to use the word best is particularly unfortunate, since these creatures are living, dynamic beings filled with intelligence and glory.
Joseph Smith suggested that the four beasts “lived on another planet than ours. (Ehat & Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, p. 171) The four beasts in this passage in Revelation are actual beasts that exist in heaven. “John saw the actual beast in heaven, showing to John that beasts did actually exist there....
“John saw curious looking beasts in heaven; he saw every creature that was in heaven,-all the beasts, fowls and fish in heaven,-actually there, giving glory to God....
“I suppose John saw beings there of a thousand forms, that had been saved from ten thousand times ten thousand earths like this,-strange beasts of which we have no conception: all might be seen in heaven. The grand secret was to show John what there was in heaven. John learned that God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them.”(HC 5:343-44) (Understanding the Book of Revelation, p. 61)
Vs. 5 Lightings and Thunderings =Power of God - Ex. 19:16 & Mosiah 27:18. Anciently lamps were small ceramic bowls filled with oil and a wick
Vs. 6 – Sea of glass – See D&C 77:1; 130:6-11
4 Beasts – See D&C 77:2 & 3
Eyes before and behind – See D&C 77:4
Vs. 7 –
FOUR BEASTS
| BEAST | CHARAC-TERISTIC | TRIBAL REPRESENTATION | | ORDER |
| LION | NOBLEST | | EAST | WILD |
| OX (CALF) | STRONGEST | EPHRAIM | WEST | DOMESTIC |
| MAN | WISEST | REUBEN | SOUTH | MANKIND |
| EAGLE | SWIFTEST | DAN | NORTH | FOWL |
Vs. 8 – “In the book of Revelation, John speaks of a particular set of “beasts” in the presence of God singing praises to him (see Rev. 4:8). John speaks of them as having many eyes (representing knowledge, perhaps omniscience) and wings (power to move and act). It is curious that John highlights these heavenly creatures as having six wings. It is generally understood that in his apocalypse, John always uses numbers with intent. Thus, the question must be asked, why do these angels in the presence of God have six wings? The answer is unclear in the text. However, the number six is a standard symbol for incompleteness or some deficit. Knowing that these beings are in the presence of God and possess the knowledge that they do, we cannot see the employment of the number six here as a negative symbol. It may simply be a representation of their interim state as celestial heirs awaiting resurrection, which may explain the sense in which they are “incomplete.” (Gaskill, p. 58) (An interesting event in Church History occurs in connection with these beasts and Rev. 5:8 is recorded in TPJS p. 288-9)
Vs. 10 – Cast their crowns before the throne – An acknowledgement of their love, dependence, humility, and that their authority comes from HE who sits upon the throne.
Vs. 11 – thou art worthy – “fully qualified”
See D&C 88:19-20 for the reason that the earth was created.
To meet space limitations in selecting JST passages for the LDS edition of the KJV of the bible, the following guidelines were used:
1. Selections must be doctrinally significant.
2. Selections must contribute something not readily apparent in the other standard works, thereby avoiding duplication and saving space for unique JST contributions.
3. Priority should be given to passages clarifying the mission of Jesus Christ, the nature of God, the nature of man, the Abrahamic covenant, the priesthood, the antiquity of the gospel, and the latter-day Restoration.
4. Excerpts up to 8 lines in length should be placed in the footnotes, and longer items should appear in a special appendix. ("I Have a Question", Ensign, June, 1992, p.29)
