Revelation 14

"Chapter fourteen serves as yet another interlude. It presents a message of hope and encouragement just before vivid descriptions of destruction. Here it is sandwiched between the great persecutions carried on by the two beasts and the judgment of God upon both them and the world they have created." (Richard D. Draper, Opening the Seven Seals: The Visions of John the Revelator [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 154.)

 

Section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants parallels in many ways chapter 14 of Revelation. However, it is more descriptive, comprehensive, and easier to understand. If the reader is confused by this chapter, try reading D&C 133 first.

 

"Modern revelation clarifies further that Mount Zion 'shall be the city of New Jerusalem' (D&C 84:2; 133:18, 56). When the Lord stands on Mount Zion in the latter days, it appears he will be standing at the Mount Zion called New Jerusalem, which will be centered in Jackson County, Missouri." (Donald W. Parry and Jay A. Parry, Understanding the Book of Revelation [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 179.)

 

Q. What are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty-four thousand, out of all the tribes of Israel-twelve thousand out of every tribe?
A. We are to understand that those who are sealed are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn. (D&C 77:11)

 

This certainly is a great honor to be one of the 144 thousand who are specially called by the power of "the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth," to bring souls unto Christ. John the Apostle had the great desire to bring souls to Christ. Three of the Nephite disciples likewise sought this great honor and it was granted to them. It is one of the noblest desires that a man can have. It will be a wonderful blessing to those who are called in this great group. (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:302.)

 

They are not the entire army of the Lord, but might well be termed the flower of that army, the body-guard of the great Captain of Salvation. (Gospel Themes [Salt Lake City: n.p., 1914], 150.)

 

"In 13:16-17, we saw that the people of the world had the name of the beast written on their foreheads. Here, the righteous have the Father's name written on their foreheads. We are marked by the name of him to whom we give our true loyalty. The reception of the Father's name is a fulfillment of the promise made to the valiant in 3:12, which records that the righteous also have written on them the name of God's holy city, New Jerusalem, as well as the new name of Christ." (Donald W. Parry and Jay A. Parry, Understanding the Book of Revelation [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 179.)

 

Jehovah's servants are marked with his Father's name. Such was the symbolism of the temple clothing of Aaron. Upon his head he wore a mitre with a gold plate engraven with "Holiness to the Lord... it shall be always upon his forehead, that they (the children of Israel) may be accepted before the LORD. (Ex. 28:36-38) Thus, the mark in the forehead is a sign that the servant is acceptable to the Lord-that he belongs to the Father and the Son. These holy men only have the Father's name engraven on their foreheads because the Savior first had their names engraven on his palms, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." (Isa 49:16)

 

As John the Revelator said:

 

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (Rev. 22:3-4)

 

"His name in their foreheads," undoubtedly means "Gods" on the front of their crowns; for, when all things are created new, in the celestial kingdom, the servants of God, the innumerable multitude, are crowned, and are perfect men and women in the Lord, one in glory, one in knowledge, and one in image: they are like Christ, and he is like God: then, O, then, they are all "living Gods," having passed from death unto life, and possessing the power of eternal lives! (The Gospel Kingdom: Selections from the Writings and Discourses of John Taylor, selected, arranged, and edited, with an introduction by G. Homer Durham [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era, 1941], 29.)

 

If one excludes the psalms, there are not too many songs recorded in the scriptures. Section 84 specifically refers to a song to be sung in Zion in the Millennium. The D&C song must be different than the song which John heard sung before the throne. First, the D&C song is sung by all who are left after the plagues have destroyed the wicked, "even from the least unto the greatest, and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye, and shall lift up their voice, and with the voice together sing this new song." (D&C 84:98) Certainly, the number singing this song will be greater than 144,000 and the lyrics have already been written (D&C 84:99). The song John heard no one else knows, "no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand." See also Rev. 5:9.

 

In the Millennium there will be more songs to sing and correspondingly more things to sing about.

 

In the D&C, the Prophet explains that these 144,000 are high priests. (D&C 77:11) There are not too many high priests in the church who are virgins in the sense that they have never engaged in sexual activity. What does this mean?

 

"They are virgins in having refrained from entering into any unlawful sexual intercourse. They are also virgins in having remained true to Christ as their Bridegroom (Rev. 19:7; 21:9; see also Jer. 2:1-4)-in having refrained from entering into spiritual adultery (Ezek. 16; Hosea 1-3). The Lord has often referred to his true people as a virgin (2 Kgs. 19:21; Jer. 18:13; Lam. 2:13; Amos 5:2; 2 Cor. 11:2). These 'virgins' are contrasted with the wicked who worship the beast in Rev. 13:1Rev. 13 and who join in consort with the 'mother of harlots' that is Babylon (17:5)." (Donald W. Parry and Jay A. Parry, Understanding the Book of Revelation [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1998], 181.)

 

John speaks of this group as having already been redeemed, as "the firstfruits" of God and the Lamb. This means that they are already resurrected for "the resurrection of the dead is the redemption of the soul" (D&C 88:16). Furthermore, those who are raised to a celestial resurrection in the morning of the first resurrection are called "the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first" (D&C 88:98). "These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people. These are they who have part in the first resurrection... These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all." (D&C 76: 63-66) They are made like unto their Maker, "And he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion" (D&C 76:95)

 

The Doctrine and Covenants also expounds on these who have been redeemed from among men.

 

And the graves of the saints shall be opened; and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem; and they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever. (D&C 133:52-56)

 

The basic structure of the [John's] vision is chronological...Not everything fits quite so neatly into this chronological line, however. For example, the war in heaven, which took place before the earth was formed, is shown among the events of the seventh seal. (See Rev. 12:7-9.) Also among the events of the seventh seal is a passage that Latter-day Saints have interpreted to refer to the restoration of the gospel, which actually took place in the sixth seal. (See Rev. 14:6-7.) How do we explain these seeming anachronisms?

 

As one studies the book, it becomes clear that there are places in the chronological flow where the Lord pauses to teach us important information before moving on. A teacher may do this as he moves through a lecture, pausing in his logical development to say, "Now, before we go further, I need to make sure you understand something." Such teaching interludes seem to apply to John's vision. ("Seeing the Book of Revelation As a Book of Revelation," Ensign, Dec. 1987, 52)

 

That angel has come. His name is Moroni. His is a voice speaking from the dust, bringing another witness of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

We have not as yet carried the gospel to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. But we have made great strides. We have gone wherever we are permitted to go. God is at the helm and doors will be opened by His power according to His divine will. Of that I am confident. Of that I am certain.

 

I cannot understand those of small vision, who regard this work as limited and provincial. They have no expanding view of it. As certainly as there is an Almighty Father in Heaven, as surely as there is His Son, our Divine Redeemer, so certainly is this work destined to reach out to people everywhere. ("Stay the Course-Keep the Faith," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 70-71)

 

Moroni fulfilled two biblical prophecies in coming to Joseph Smith: the fourteenth chapter of Revelation and the twenty-ninth chapter of Isaiah. He did come to earth as an angel. He did deliver to Joseph Smith the golden record which had been prepared under the direction of Almighty God. It is a new witness for the Lord Jesus Christ; it declares, as does the Bible, that Jesus of Nazareth indeed is the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. That book is available to all mankind. A million copies are published each year, in more than a score of languages.

 

So, again, we testify that the Book of Mormon is true. It is the word of Almighty God, restored in this day by angelic ministry and by the direction of God himself. We testify that Moroni came as an angel on September 21 , 1823, revealing his ancient record and that he did so as a servant of Jesus Christ. ("The Angel Moroni Came!" Ensign, Nov. 1983, 31)

 

We testify to all the world that heavenly ministers have already appeared in our age, bringing authority from heaven and restoring truths lost through corrupted teachings and practices. God has spoken anew and continues to provide guidance for all his children through a living prophet today. We declare that he, as promised, is with his servants always and directs the affairs of his Church throughout the world. As in times past, revelation directs missionary labors, the building of temples, the calling of priesthood officers, and warns against the evils of society that may deny salvation to our Father's children. ("No Man Shall Add to or Take Away," Ensign, May 1981, 65)

 

Now John did not only see that the angel would bring the everlasting gospel, but he would call men back to the worship of the true and the living God "that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:7.) And if you will just stop to think, at the time that Joseph Smith had that marvelous vision of the Father and the Son, he saw that they were two glorified personages, that they were not three in one, without body, parts, or passions. There wasn't a church in the world at that time, so far as we know, that was worshiping the true and the living God; so when the angel was to come with the everlasting gospel, he was also to bring men back to the worship of the true and living God who made the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

 

In fact, at that time the whole Christian world believed in a God without body, parts, or passions. That means he had no eyes; he couldn't see. He had no ears; he couldn't hear. He had no voice; he couldn't speak. How could they believe in such a god as that? ("He Has Sent His Messenger to Prepare the Way," Ensign, July 1973, 78)

 

Beginning with the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation, men once again would be called upon to worship and serve their Creator rather than the false concepts of Deity that prevail in the world. ("The Most Important Knowledge," Ensign, May 1971, 3)

 

Nowhere else do we read that the wicked are punished in the presence of the holy angels. How this will be fulfilled may elude us, but the symbolism does not. How many prophets and righteous men have suffered public execution? How many saints have been burned at the stake or publicly flogged? How many prophets have been stoned in view of the consenting crowd?

 

How can justice be just unless the wicked similarly suffer a public punishment? The wicked looked on as the prophets were persecuted, so the angels will watch as the wicked are punished. Such is the justice of God. Here, indeed, "is the patience of the saints." (v. 12)

 

Babylon shall fall after the gospel has been restored, and those in Babylon shall suffer the fires of eternal torment, the burning anguish of cloudy and seared consciences, in that hell which is prepared for the wicked. Why? Their fate befalls them because they worshipped-not the Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Spirit-but the beast and his image. They sacrificed at evil altars. Theirs was a worldly way of life. They did not overcome the world, and put off the natural man, and become saints through the atonement of Christ the Lord. They dwelt in Babylon in the day of her fall, in the day when the sword of vengeance fell upon her.

 

When will Babylon fall? We have already set forth that which is known about the seven last plagues and shown that they will take place in the beginning of the seventh thousand years. (The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1982], 436.)

 

One Sunday School teacher felt as if her contribution was neither useful or appreciated. The following response was printed in the 1921 Improvement Era:

 

"You say you have put a lot into the Church and got so little out of it? Well, it is on this point that you have made a great mistake, like many others who have been placed in the same position as yourself. To work for reward is a good principle in this life; it is an incentive to do those things that in ordinary circumstances would be burdensome. But the reward which we receive at the hands of men is only superficial; only lasts for a certain time. In this life, men receive their good things, and 'they preach for hire, divine for money, and judge for reward,' and they stand at the street-corners to be seen of men. Verily, they have their reward. The path of duty is the path of safety, but sometimes the path is very hard and irksome.

 

"...The rewards of men are seen, but the reward that comes from God is sometimes unseen to us, here in the flesh. We have to run the race with patience. The race is not to the swift but to those who endure to the end. Here is the patience of the Saints made manifest. We should not get impatient if we do not see the immediate fruits of our efforts, for Paul may plant, Appollos may water, but it is God that gives the increase. And now, Sister Garratt, take my advice; keep to your Sabbath School class, and teach the children the plain truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and in future years they will rise up and call you blessed. And if you are faithful, your reward will be given you." (The Reward Though Unseen Is Sure by George Henry Norman, Improvement Era, 1921, Vol. Xxv. November, 1921 No. 1)

 

(The context of this quote is that the saints had suffered persecution related to their practice of polygamy.) We have felt great satisfaction in witnessing the dignity and courage which the Saints have exhibited through the trials of the past three years. Their conduct has been admirable. They have displayed great qualities. The forbearance, patience and fortitude which they have exhibited are proofs that God has been with them. Outrages which would have goaded any other people into acts of violence have been of frequent occurrence. In other communities men and women would be desperate under such treatment. But the Lord has given His people power to control themselves and peace has been maintained. Riots and bloodshed have been avoided, and even under strong provocation, when blood was shed, the community restrained itself. Prejudice may prevent our nation and its rulers from acknowledging, at the present, how noble the demeanor of the people has been under these trying circumstances, and with the strong provocations which they have had to indulge in outbreaks; yet the time will come when all this will receive its proper recognition and due credit will be accorded the Latter-day Saints for their magnanimity and self-control throughout this entire persecution. (October 10, 1887, James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 3: 137.)

 

Death is merely a sleep to the body, and all the fear I have concerning it... arises from my traditions. I was taught in my youth that after death I had to go directly into the bowels of hell, and go down, down, down, because there is no bottom to it. I am not troubled about any such thing as that, for I never expect to see any worse hell than I have seen in this world. And those who do not the works of righteousness, and are not worthy to be gathered with the spirits of the Saints, [who] will go into precisely such society in the world of spirits, as they are now in. (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 3: 161.)

 

If we say that early death is a calamity, disaster, or tragedy, would it not be saying that mortality is preferable to earlier entrance into the spirit world and to eventual salvation and exaltation? If mortality be the perfect state, then death would be a frustration, but the gospel teaches us there is no tragedy in death, but only in sin. ". . . blessed are the dead that die in the Lord. . . ." (D&C 63:49.)

 

We know so little. Our judgment is so limited. We judge the Lord's ways from our own narrow view. (Faith Precedes the Miracle [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972], 101.)

 

Death is part of life. It is an essential element of God's plan of progression and happiness for his beloved sons and daughters. Death is the gateway to immortality and eternal life. (The Gateway We Call Death [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1995], 21.)

 

Blessed are those who have received the Priesthood of the Son of God, and have honored it in their lives. Those who have honored their calling and Priesthood to the end die in the Lord, and their works do follow them. Our brother (speaking at the funeral of a brother Daniel Spencer) has lived faithful during his life, and has gone to his rest. We do not mourn as others do. We can truly say that we have a hope-a knowledge. The way of life and salvation has been revealed to us, giving us knowledge of the present and future. We rejoice. Shall we rejoice that we have the opportunity of paying the last respects due to this lifeless clay, which a few days ago was alive and active, full of spirit, attending the High Council, giving decisions full of knowledge? Yes, we will rejoice. It is a matter of rejoicing more than the day of his birth. It is true it is grievous to part with our friends. We are creatures of passion, of sympathy, of love, and it is painful for us to part with our friends. We would keep them in the mortal house, though they should suffer pain. Are we not selfish in this? Should we not rather rejoice at the departure of those whose lives have been devoted to doing good, to a good old age? (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 13: 75 - 76.)

 

You see then from this what is to follow the coming of that Angel with the Gospel. The one representing the Son of man is to thrust in his sickle and reap the earth, then the Angels are sent forth to thrust in their sickles and also to reap. These Angels are to gather the clusters of the vine of the earth into one place that they may be punished and the judgment which will overtake them who are thus gathered together will be so severe as to cause the blood that is shed to reach to the horses' bridles. That is called the winepress of the Lord. Would you like to know where that spot is, and why the people are gathered there? The Lord will suffer three unclean spirits, John tells us in another place, to go forth about that time, spirits of devils working miracles, and they shall gather together the kings and great men of the earth and their armies to a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon, the Lord calls it a great wine press. Where is this Armageddon? It is a little east of the old city of Jerusalem.

 

In order to show you that that is the wine press where the Lord will pour out these judgments, let me call your attention to the third chapter of the prophecies of Joel, where this same thing is alluded to, the valley of Jehoshaphat mentioned by Joel, and the valley of Armageddon spoken of by John, being very near together, in the same neighborhood. Joel says-

 

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations and parted my land. (Joel 3:1-2)

 

In the 9th verse he says-

 

JAssemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. (Joel 3:9-11)

 

The Lord will come with all his Saints in the clouds of heaven just about the time this army gets into the valley of Jehoshaphat.

 

Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about. (Joel 3:12)

 

"Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe"-the same harvest mentioned in the 14th chapter of John.

 

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:13-14)

(Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 15: 337.)