Making Sense of the Book of Revelation by Robert L. Millet

Author:Robert L. Millet [Millet, Robert L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Scripture Reference, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2011-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

10

Epilogue (22:6–21)

Overcome with awe as he considers the majesty, might, power, and glory of the Almighty, John falls down at the feet of the angel in a worshipful attitude. The angel quickly responds, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God” (vv. 8–9). John is then instructed not to seal the Revelation (see v. 10), for it is God’s will that it be made known to those willing to ponder it prayerfully.

Then comes our Lord’s testimony: “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (v. 16; see also Matthew 22:42–45). Jesus is the root of David in that he is the Lord Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who revealed himself to David. He is the offspring of David in the sense that when he came to earth as the Mortal Messiah—when he condescended to take a mortal tabernacle—he was born as a son of Mary, a descendant of Judah through David’s kingly lineage. He is the bright and morning star in that he brings darkness to an end. After a long season of sorrow, he brings joy in the morning. “He is the light and the life of the world” (Mosiah 16:9; Alma 38:9; see also 3 Nephi 11:11).

A closing expression by John attests to the importance of the Apocalypse: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (vv. 18–19; emphasis added). This clearly refers to someone tampering with the Apocalypse, the book of Revelation, just like the similar warning uttered by Moses against those who might add to or take away from his teachings in the fifth book of the Pentateuch (see Deuteronomy 4:2). God can and does choose to add to his divine word, and thanks be to him for it. He has given us the Holy Bible, and we rejoice in this sublime scriptural gem. But we dare not be arrogant or inappropriate in telling the Almighty what he can and cannot do by drawing a line in the sand and stating to our Father, “Thus far and no more.” The words of Jesus Christ himself declare: “Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? . . . Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written” (2 Nephi 29:8, 10).

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