When I started out writing my thoughts about Revelation, I did not intend it to be in twelve parts. But it seems appropriate. :-)
Chapter 22 starts with the vision of the crystal clear waters, pure and clean, the waters of life, which proceed from the throne of God. This is very much the same as the waters mentioned in Ezekiel 47. There, Ezekiel is shown the waters that would come forth from the temple in Jerusalem and heal the Dead Sea. My favorite phrase in that chapter related to the water is "waters to swim in." God's love and mercy are like that. His love and truth and goodness are so full, so healing, so real that they literally and figuratively buoy us up. I wish to swim in the waters of His love forever.
On the banks of the river is the tree of life, with twelve varieties of fruits which come on each month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Verse four is interesting. First off, we learn that we can become worthy to see the face of God. This seems to contradict other verses I've read elsewhere in the New Testament, which indicate that no one can see God. We also learn that God has a face which may be seen. I suppose that, like much of the rest of this chapter, this may be a symbolic thing. But I personally prefer the idea that God is accessible to those who will do what it takes to be like Him, to seek him out, and to make themselves worthy of such a supernal gift. This is the promise in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Verse ten includes the mandate that John NOT seal up these things. This is different than what he's told others - that is, that they MUST seal up these things. The Brother of Jared saw these things, as did Nephi and Moroni. Yet they were commanded to seal them up so that they could not be given to the world until the world was ready. Joseph Smith noted that two-thirds of the plates he received were sealed (literally). Since the Book of Mormon is about 500 pages long, that would indicate that there are another 1000 pages yet to be had. All of which expounds on and (hopefully) elucidates this book of Revelation. It would sure help to have all of that now... We could prepare better for what's coming.
On the other hand, perhaps we have all we need anyway. Perhaps that's looking beyond the mark. The mark we must strive for is actually right in front of us, simple, accessible, and free. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And since we don't know the day of our ultimate final judgement - our deaths - we would do well to be prepared each and every day for that judgement. It could very well be today.
The Book of Revelation ends with the couple of verses that many in the Christian world use to disparage the Book of Mormon. In particular, verse 18 is cited to note that any who add to the words of this book are subject to the plagues that are mentioned in the book. This is used to eliminate any and all claim of additional insight or revelation that ought to be canonized. Thus, the heavens are closed. Or are they?
Deuteronomy 4:2 says very much the same thing. So is the Pentateuch the final word? Or does the New Testament count as well?
The (presumed) same author of this book also wrote the Gospel of John, where the last verse states that if all the works of Jesus were known and written the world itself could not contain all the books that should be written. Seems a little incongruous on one hand to say that we shouldn't add any more to the book, but then to also assert that there is the potential for other knowledge - an infinite amount of knowledge that could be gained....
Further, to use this verse in reference to the Bible as a whole is spurious. The Bible was not compiled into one book until much later. Thus, John could have not had the Bible as we have it in mind when he wrote that no one should add to the words of this book. There was no Bible. This could not have been the "book" he was writing about.
It is also unclear which was written first - the Revelation or the Gospel of John. Interesting to consider that the Revelation may have been written first (as most scholars agree) (although many scholars also doubt the authorship of any of the books attributed to John) (and the rest of the Bible...). Also interesting is the idea that this concept of closing down the access to revelation is something that is applied by man, not by God. God is unchanging and unchangeable - it's one of His most essential characteristics. Since He has spoken to man before, it would stand to reason He would do so then and would continue to desire to do so.
If He does not speak, perhaps it's not a lack of His desire but of our worthiness.
So that's it. Revelation is now done, as is my study of the New Testament. Tomorrow I'll start on Genesis. I won't write as expository on that as I have about Revelation unless I hear from someone that they've particularly enjoyed this... And since the number of readers of this blog are pretty slim, I doubt I'll hear from anyone anyway! HA!
Chapter 22 starts with the vision of the crystal clear waters, pure and clean, the waters of life, which proceed from the throne of God. This is very much the same as the waters mentioned in Ezekiel 47. There, Ezekiel is shown the waters that would come forth from the temple in Jerusalem and heal the Dead Sea. My favorite phrase in that chapter related to the water is "waters to swim in." God's love and mercy are like that. His love and truth and goodness are so full, so healing, so real that they literally and figuratively buoy us up. I wish to swim in the waters of His love forever.
On the banks of the river is the tree of life, with twelve varieties of fruits which come on each month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
Verse four is interesting. First off, we learn that we can become worthy to see the face of God. This seems to contradict other verses I've read elsewhere in the New Testament, which indicate that no one can see God. We also learn that God has a face which may be seen. I suppose that, like much of the rest of this chapter, this may be a symbolic thing. But I personally prefer the idea that God is accessible to those who will do what it takes to be like Him, to seek him out, and to make themselves worthy of such a supernal gift. This is the promise in the Doctrine and Covenants.
Verse ten includes the mandate that John NOT seal up these things. This is different than what he's told others - that is, that they MUST seal up these things. The Brother of Jared saw these things, as did Nephi and Moroni. Yet they were commanded to seal them up so that they could not be given to the world until the world was ready. Joseph Smith noted that two-thirds of the plates he received were sealed (literally). Since the Book of Mormon is about 500 pages long, that would indicate that there are another 1000 pages yet to be had. All of which expounds on and (hopefully) elucidates this book of Revelation. It would sure help to have all of that now... We could prepare better for what's coming.
On the other hand, perhaps we have all we need anyway. Perhaps that's looking beyond the mark. The mark we must strive for is actually right in front of us, simple, accessible, and free. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ. And since we don't know the day of our ultimate final judgement - our deaths - we would do well to be prepared each and every day for that judgement. It could very well be today.
The Book of Revelation ends with the couple of verses that many in the Christian world use to disparage the Book of Mormon. In particular, verse 18 is cited to note that any who add to the words of this book are subject to the plagues that are mentioned in the book. This is used to eliminate any and all claim of additional insight or revelation that ought to be canonized. Thus, the heavens are closed. Or are they?
Deuteronomy 4:2 says very much the same thing. So is the Pentateuch the final word? Or does the New Testament count as well?
The (presumed) same author of this book also wrote the Gospel of John, where the last verse states that if all the works of Jesus were known and written the world itself could not contain all the books that should be written. Seems a little incongruous on one hand to say that we shouldn't add any more to the book, but then to also assert that there is the potential for other knowledge - an infinite amount of knowledge that could be gained....
Further, to use this verse in reference to the Bible as a whole is spurious. The Bible was not compiled into one book until much later. Thus, John could have not had the Bible as we have it in mind when he wrote that no one should add to the words of this book. There was no Bible. This could not have been the "book" he was writing about.
It is also unclear which was written first - the Revelation or the Gospel of John. Interesting to consider that the Revelation may have been written first (as most scholars agree) (although many scholars also doubt the authorship of any of the books attributed to John) (and the rest of the Bible...). Also interesting is the idea that this concept of closing down the access to revelation is something that is applied by man, not by God. God is unchanging and unchangeable - it's one of His most essential characteristics. Since He has spoken to man before, it would stand to reason He would do so then and would continue to desire to do so.
If He does not speak, perhaps it's not a lack of His desire but of our worthiness.
So that's it. Revelation is now done, as is my study of the New Testament. Tomorrow I'll start on Genesis. I won't write as expository on that as I have about Revelation unless I hear from someone that they've particularly enjoyed this... And since the number of readers of this blog are pretty slim, I doubt I'll hear from anyone anyway! HA!
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