Revelations 1-5, 6-14, 15-22 - Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome!

It is coming close to the end of the year! I thought about doing a deep dive of Revelations but

1. There are already many deep dives

2. Besides my own diligent reflections, there is nothing I have especially poignant to offer readers

3. There is not a lot of time anyway

My brother has been teaching some seminary classes. He asked earlier from me and the rest of the family if we have any insights to give. I realized some things that I would like to share here. Revelation, as is done in Come Follow Me, can be nicely divided into 3 parts: the sanctification, the tribulation, and the final reward and feast of the Lamb (open to aliterary '-ation' conversion of that last one).

1. Rev 1-5 the Sanctification. 

This is what everybody including me misses. God is showing us we should not be touching any other part of the book until we have got our hearts in the right place. We always skip this because we want the signs, and the supper, and we don't do what is necessary to get there. Here are my thoughts.

The first chapters are a sanctifying test for the reader, a reminder of the spiritual preparation required before trying to understand the rest of the revelation. If you can't get your heart in the right place, there is no point to trying to understand the rest because it is and always was meant to first and foremost invite all to come to Christ and secondly to fortify the saints against the powers of darkness arrayed against them.

Ch1. Christ has all power and order and has organized things in preparation of the apocalypse.

Ch. 2 and 3 are warnings of snares and entrapments to abandon. Each church demonstrates a pit we can fall into. We are to avoid those. 3:19-20 is the culmination and invitation

Ch. 4 you need to understand symbolism by revelation. You could talk of the principles of doing so. I have some inklings of some of the symbolism.

Ch. 5 is the redemptive work of the earth in a nutshell. Or rather its a representation of Christ opening the way for the plan to go forward without leading to destruction of the soul. It's a promise that Christ has opened the way for the redemption to take place during all periods of the earth and as John gets into the seventh seal, its a reminder that Christ has power to save even in the midst of darkness.

2. Rev 6-14 the tribulation

What follows is descriptions of apocalyptic horrors that are more ore less terrifying. There are many commentaries on what each of these mean. It is a difficult struggle to understand, as it feels as if all commentaries are still missing the big picture. It is so much different from the frame of the average individual in their life as to be rather incomprehensible if they do not change their frame. This should make us most eager to repent and most open to change how we think. here are some thoughts.

1. In many ways, it is going to be so much worse than what you could possible imagine. I know, cheery thought, but I don't write this blog as a men-pleaser, I write it as an explorer wrestling with the scriptures. Sorry, but unless you have experienced the true horrors that happened in world history, OR unless you sanctified yourself so you can see this through God's eyes, you neither have the psychological, spiritual, or physiological faculties to have a prayer of understanding what is to come. :). Cheers.

2. In some ways it is going to be so much better than what you thought would happen. This may be hard to believe but realize that God's hand will be plainly manifest during this time, though so many of His children will not open their eyes to see it. These are the last preparations of the Second Coming of Christ. The Supper of the Lamb will be just around the corner. The divide will be happening because heaven will be coming to earth and so the mixing and grayness will separate out into black and white, life and death. For 6 millenia, the kings of the earth have reigned with blood and horror. The bad guys have gotten away with murder and gain and oppression and finally the endless cycle of horror will end. probably with a bang. Cheers.

3. There is a constant argument of what is more symbolic and what is more literal. is the half hour a half hour or is it a half hour of the 1000 year day or is it a half hour of jewish symbolism meaning a spiritual change? are there 10 rulers for the 10 horns? are they 10 to show power? are they 10 laws or groups? My feeling on all this is that the symbols will be literal enough that you can literally match them to events, times, and places, but that they will be attached in a suprising manner, many times they will have multiple meanings and attachments with 1 prime attachment, and that most of the interpretations today are off track. 

4. Finally, I believe we are living in the days prophesied. Most of the bad stuff has not happened yet. But the signs are manifest for those who are open and seek. The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored on the earth again. The latter-day work of gathering is marching forth. The signs in the heavens and the organizations of the earth are playing out the drama that John saw. I know that for millenia, people have thought the end times were coming. So statistically, I should be classified with all the others who were wrong. Here's the thing though - If I have a thousand green jelly beans and 1 red jelly bean that I don't know about, and I pick up my first hundred and they are all green, it is statistically consistent to classify all the jelly beans as green in the bowl. But one day that red jelly bean will come. So generally you can doubt about every end time prophecy and most of the time you will be correct. But one time, it will show up and the one time it matters, if you don't open your eyes, then you will be wrong. Keep your eyes open. Don't go down dangerous paths. But be always watchful and ready to have your world turned upside down. He is coming. And if you look carefully you will see the signs happening today.

3. Rev 15-22 the final reward and feast of the Lamb

This is the final feast of the Bridegroom, the marriage, and the Second Coming. Once again, you don't get to understand this until you have sanctified yourself. For most (all?) of us, this means we have gone under great tribulation. Keep in mind that some of these events come at the end of the Millenium, not at the beginning of the millenium. It is also worth it to read Moroni 10 at the same time as Revelations 22 because the spirit and invitation are very similar. I would like to close with some of the the final words of the book:

17 And the Spirit and the bride say, ^aCome. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the ^bwater of life freely.

20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I ^acome quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.