Revelation 4

Chapter 4 represents a transition-a transition from the Lord speaking to the seven churches in Asia to a revelation of the end of the world. John goes from hearing the word of the Lord, to seeing Him on his throne surrounded by 24 righteous elders. He goes from temple imagery, to heavenly imagery. He goes from the present to the future.

 

The escorting angel invites John to pass through the door in heaven that he may be shown "things which must be hereafter." With the exception of the first verses of chapter 6, which speak of the first 5 seals, the rest of the Revelation has to do with future events. Joseph Smith said, "The things which John saw had no allusion to the scenes of the days of Adam, Enoch, Abraham, or Jesus, only so far as is plainly represented by John, and clearly set forth by him. John saw that only which was lying in futurity and which was shortly to come to pass." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 289)

 

John was foreordained to reveal these events (1 Ne 14:24-28). The script had already been written. John's job was to describe these events in the language of the Spirit such that only those with the spirit of prophecy could understand. Orson F. Whitney said, "concerning 'the book which John saw,' the Prophet says in effect that it represents the real history of the world-what the eye of God has seen, what the recording angel has written." (Gospel Themes [Salt Lake City: n.p., 1914], 92.)

 

The entire vision from beginning to end takes 317 verses, and yet John spends only eleven verses (or about 3.5 percent) on the first five thousand years of history, which is about 71 percent of the earth's total seven thousand years of recorded history. Without a doubt, the vast majority of the vision focuses on things "which must be hereafter." (Rev. 4:1.) Furthermore, on closer examination, we see that the focus is even more limited than that. The account of the opening of the seventh seal begins in Revelation 8:1, and yet the account of the Second Coming and the Millennium do not occur until chapters 19 and 20! The Millennium itself is treated in only seven verses. (See Rev. 20:1-7.) By far the largest portion of the book describes the events that immediately precede the Second Coming of the Savior. (See also D&C 77:13.) ("Seeing the Book of Revelation As a Book of Revelation," Ensign, Dec. 1987, 52)

 

Now, I make this declaration, that those things which John saw in heaven had no allusion to anything that had been on the earth previous to that time, because they were the representation of "things which must shortly come to pass," and not of what has already transpired. John saw beasts that had to do with things on the earth, but not in past ages... The revelations do not give us to understand anything of the past in relation to the kingdom of God. What John saw and speaks of were things which he saw in heaven; those which Daniel saw were on and pertaining to the earth. (Discourses of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Alma P. Burton [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977], 248.)

 

John's vision of God's throne is very similar to Ezekiel's vision contained in Ezekiel 1. What they see is perhaps not what we expect. Joseph Smith said, "Could we read and comprehend all that has been written from the days of Adam, on the relation of man to God and angels in a future state, we should know very little about it... Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject." (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6: 50.)

 

What did Ezekiel and John learn during their five-minute gaze into heaven? Did the throne of God look as they expected it? Not really. There was more glory, more color, and more colorful beasts than either could have imagined. The images were not earthly, but heavenly. Ezekiel described:

 

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. (Ezek. 1:26-28)

 

If you were an artist and tried to represent God sitting upon his throne in glory, how would you represent Him? Most latter-day saints probably expect God to be in white robes, with the throne made of gold. Yet, both John and Ezekiel describe much more color. The colors are represented by precious gems. John described glory of the Lord as jasper green and the deep orange-red color of sardine stone. Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord as the "colour of amber" and the "appearance of fire" sitting upon a sapphire blue throne. Ezekiel said the glory emanating from the throne was in the shape of a rainbow; John tells us the rainbow was emerald green in color. "John does not give us a prismatic bow; it shimmers of but one hue, green, suggesting that life overarches all God is and all He does." (Richard D. Draper, Opening the Seven Seals: The Visions of John the Revelator [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1991], 45.)

 

All four precious gems mentioned by these prophets were contained in the breastplate which the High Priest wore in ancient days. Sardius, emerald, sapphire, and jasper were four of the twelve precious gems inset into the breastplate (Ex. 28:17-20). Anciently, the breastplate was to be used with the Urim and Thummim. The heavenly representation of the Urim and Thummim is the "sea of glass like unto crystal" which was before the throne (Rev. 4:6, D&C 130:7-9). Thus, anciently, when a seer wore the breastplate and used the Urim and Thummim, the colors of God's throne sat upon his breast as he looked into the Urim and Thummim, like the sea of glass before the throne, "where all things...are manifest, past, present, and future." (D&C 130:7)

 

"In the midst of," or "round about," what does it matter? Why would the Prophet make this change? What is the significance?

 

If you are invited to heaven and you're placed in a seat to worship Him who sits on the throne, it makes a big difference. If you are placed "round about" the throne, you are a spectator. You praise the Lord as an angel. If you are placed "in the midst of" the throne, it means that you are reigning with the King of Kings. You are not a spectator; you are ruling with Him. You are a recipient of the promise that was given to the churches, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne," (Rev. 3:21) "and... I will give him power over many kingdoms." (JST Rev. 2:26)

 

Fortunately, the interpretation of this verse is given by the Prophet Joseph Smith. Section 77 of the Doctrine and Covenants is an explanation of the key elements of Revelation chapters 4 and 5. The revelation is given in a question and answer format.

 

We might ask, "who is asking the questions? Who is giving the answers?" Perhaps some have wondered if a curious saint posed these questions to the Prophet and he gave the answers. However, the historical context is that the Prophet is "translating" the New Testament. Therefore, we can correctly assume that Joseph is asking the Lord for the interpretation of different elements of the Book of Revelation. The questions come from Joseph and the answers come from the Lord. This explains why only a few questions are asked. By the spirit of prophecy, Joseph Smith already understood most of the revelation. He only needed help with a few key concepts. Certainly, there would be many more questions if someone less inspired were inquiring.

 

Q. What are we to understand by the four and twenty elders, spoken of by John?
A. We are to understand that these elders whom John saw, were elders who had been faithful in the work of the ministry and were dead; who belonged to the seven churches, and were then in the paradise of God. (D&C 77:5)

 

It is worthy of note that these [righteous] persons who are sitting with God on his throne are elders: not seventies, not high priests, not patriarchs, not apostles, but elders-than which there is no more important priesthood in God's earthly kingdom. Indeed, every elder who magnifies his calling as an elder has the immutable promise of the Father, guaranteed by his personal oath, that he shall gain all that the Father hath, which is eternal life, which is godhood, which is to sit with him on his throne. (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 3: 466.)

 

How can mortal prophets find language to unveil to the view of their fellow mortals the splendor and transcendent beauty of that eternal world of celestial might and glory? They speak of rainbows and jewels, of circling flames of fires, of burning coals of fire with lightning flashing forth therefrom; they tell of thunders and voices, of the sound of the rushing of many waters, and of majestic displays of might and beauty-all in an attempt to record in mortal words that which can be seen and known only by the power of the Spirit. (Ezek. 1:1; Isa. 6.) But the Lord be praised that they have made such attempts so that those who have not seen and heard may gain some meager knowledge of those things hidden behind the windows of heaven. (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-1973], 3: 466.)

 

A. It is the earth, in its sanctified, immortal, and eternal state. (D&C 77:1)

 

This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ's. (D&C 130:6-9)

 

This earth will become a celestial body-be like a sea of glass, or like a Urim and Thummim; and when you wish to know anything, you can look in this earth and see all the eternities of God. (Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints' Book Depot, 1854-1886], 8: 200.)

 

What a glorious condition will be brought to pass, when we, if we are worthy to obtain the celestial kingdom, may look into the earth and see the past, the present and the future, and know that what we see will not change, for it is gnolaum, or eternal. What a glorious time it will be when, if we are worthy, we will have revealed to us all things pertaining to lesser orders of worlds; yes even things of other celestial bodies greater than our earth.

 

In that day we shall discover that the vastness of the universe can be traversed. New conditions will be revealed to us. By Urim and Thummim, the revelations of the great empire of God, as it fills the immensity of space, will be revealed and we shall be a part of it, knowing as we are known. Without question we will have communication with our fellow beings-the children of God throughout all space. Is this impossible? It is not impossible with God. He knows all things, for "all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things," and this by celestial law? By his infinite power and wisdom our Father governs in the universe; this he can not do unless he is familiar with it. We too shall become like him, possessors of this great knowledge, so that the vastness of the universe will not stand in the way of our becoming acquainted with the children of God in the various parts of this vast empire. (The Way to Perfection [Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1949], 354.)

 

The subject I intend to speak upon this morning is one that I have seldom touched upon since I commenced my ministry in the Church. It is a subject of great speculation, as well amongst the elders of this Church, as among the divines of the day: it is in relation to the beasts spoken of by John the Revelator. I have seldom spoken from the revelations; but as my subject is a constant source of speculation amongst the elders, causing a division of sentiment and opinion in relation to it, I now do it in order that division and differences of opinion may be done away with, and not that correct knowledge on the subject is so much needed at the present time.

 

It is not very essential for the elders to have knowledge in relation to the meaning of beasts, and heads and horns, and other figures made use of in the revelations; still, it may be necessary, to prevent contention and division and do away with suspense. If we get puffed up by thinking that we have much knowledge, we are apt to get a contentious spirit, and correct knowledge is necessary to cast out that spirit...

 

I should not have called up the subject had it not been for this circumstance. Elder Pelatiah Brown, one of the wisest old heads we have among us, and whom I now see before me, has been preaching concerning the beast which was full of eyes before and behind; and for this he was hauled up for trial before the High Council...

 

The High Council undertook to censure and correct Elder Brown, because of his teachings in relation to the beasts. Whether they actually corrected him or not, I am a little doubtful, but don't care. Father Brown came to me to know what he should do about it. The subject particularly referred to was the four beasts and four-and-twenty elders mentioned in "Rev. 5:8" - And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints."

 

Father Brown has been to work and confounded all Christendom by making out that the four beasts represented the different kingdoms of God on the earth. The wise men of the day could not do anything with him, and why should we find fault? Anything to whip sectarianism, to put down priestcraft, and bring the human family to a knowledge of the truth. A club is better than no weapon for a poor man to fight with.

 

Father Brown did whip sectarianism, and so far so good; but I could not help laughing at the idea of God making use of the figure of a beast to represent His kingdom on the earth, consisting of men, when He could as well have used a far more noble and consistent figure. What! the Lord made use of the figure of a creature of the brute creation to represent that which is much more noble, glorious, and important-the glories and majesty of His kingdom? By taking a lesser figure to represent a greater, you missed it that time, old gentleman; but the sectarians did not know enough to detect you.

 

When God made use of the figure of a beast in visions to the prophets He did it to represent those kingdoms which had degenerated and become corrupt, savage and beast-like in their dispositions, even the degenerate kingdoms of the wicked world; but He never made use of the figure of a beast nor any of the brute kind to represent His kingdom.

 

Daniel says (ch. 7, v. 16) when he saw the vision of the four beasts, "I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this," the angel interpreted the vision to Daniel; but we find, by the interpretation that the figures of beasts had no allusion to the kingdom of God. You there see that the beasts are spoken of to represent the kingdoms of the world, the inhabitants whereof were beastly and abominable characters; they were murderers, corrupt, carnivorous, and brutal in their dispositions. The lion, the bear, the leopard, and the ten-horned beast represented the kingdoms of the world, says Daniel; for I refer to the prophets to qualify my observations which I make, so that the young elders who know so much, may not rise up like a flock of hornets and sting me. I want to keep out of such a wasp-nest.

 

There is a grand difference and distinction between the visions and figures spoken of by the ancient prophets, and those spoken of in the revelations of John. The things which John saw had no allusion to the scenes of the days of Adam, Enoch, Abraham or Jesus, only so far as is plainly represented by John, and clearly set forth by him. John saw that only which was lying in futurity and which was shortly to come to pass...

 

What John saw and speaks of were things which he saw in heaven; those which Daniel saw were on and pertaining to the earth. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 287-290)

 

The prophets do not declare that they saw a beast or beasts, but that they saw the image or figure of a beast. Daniel did not see an actual bear or a lion, but the images or figures of those beasts. The translation should have been rendered "image" instead of "beast," in every instance where beasts are mentioned by the prophets. But John saw the actual beast in heaven, showing to John that beasts did actually exist there, and not to represent figures of things on the earth. When the prophets speak of seeing beasts in their visions, they mean that they saw the images, they being types to represent certain things. At the same time they received the interpretation as to what those images or types were designed to represent.

 

I make this broad declaration, that whenever God gives a vision of an image, or beast, or figure of any kind, He always holds Himself responsible to give a revelation or interpretation of the meaning thereof, otherwise we are not responsible or accountable for our belief in it. Don't be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject.

 

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. How do you prove it? (See Rev. 5:13.) "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

 

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.

 

Says one, "I cannot believe in the salvation of beasts." Any man who would tell you that this could not be, would tell you that the revelations are not true. John heard the words of the beasts giving glory to God, and understood them. God who made the beasts could understand every language spoken by them. The four beasts were four of the most noble animals that had filled the measure of their creation, and had been saved from other worlds, because they were perfect: they were like angels in their sphere. We are not told where they came from, and I do not know; but they were seen and heard by John praising and glorifying God...

 

Again, there is no revelation to prove that things do not exist in heaven as I have set forth, nor yet to show that the beasts meant anything but beasts; and we never can comprehend the things of God and of heaven, but by revelation. We may spiritualize and express opinions to all eternity; but that is no authority. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 291-292)

 

Joseph Smith gave us a lot of information about these beasts and their significance:

 

Q. Are the four beasts limited to individual beasts, or do they represent classes or orders?
A. They are limited to four individual beasts, which were shown to John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity. (D&C 77:2-3)

 

Paul understood that in the resurrection, there would be different classes of creatures to be resurrected. He said, "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds." (1 Cor. 15:39) The same principle is here taught by John. He sees four individual beasts each representing their class of beings. The lion, the eagle, etc. are the most noble and glorious of their class of beings and are therefore representative.

 

Ezekiel also described four beasts. Each had faces of different creatures: man, lion, ox, and eagle (Ezek. 1:10).  D&C 77:3 speaks of a class of beings we are all familiar with, "creeping things," but who wants spiders and lizards in their celestial abode?  Ezekiel and Revelation are consistent that the four classes are beasts that in mortality are carnivores and herbivores represented by the lion and the ox or calf. 

 

We are to understand that there will be beasts of various kinds, after the resurrection, in each of the kingdoms, telestial, terrestrial and celestial. It would be a very strange thing for any of the kingdoms to be devoid of animal and plant life. These kingdoms will be very beautiful in their immortal state. Even the telestial will surpass the comprehension of mortal man. (Church History and Modern Revelation, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1946-1949], 2: 68.)

 

Q. What are we to understand by the eyes and wings, which the beasts had?
A. Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that is, they are full of knowledge; and their wings are a representation of power, to move, to act, etc. (D&C 77:4)

 

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. How do you prove it? (See Rev. 5:13.) "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

 

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.

 

...John heard the words of the beasts giving glory to God, and understood them. God who made the beasts could understand every language spoken by them. The four beasts were four of the most noble animals that had filled the measure of their creation, and had been saved from other worlds, because they were perfect: they were like angels in their sphere. We are not told where they came from, and I do not know; but they were seen and heard by John praising and glorifying God. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected and arranged by Joseph Fielding Smith [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976], 291-292)