John 11-12

Revelation 11-12 Study Guide – to be discussed March 24
Day 1: Read Revelation 11:1-4, Ezekiel 40:2-5, 43:7-10, D&C 77:15
1. Read Ezekiel 40:2-5 and 43:7-10 with Revelation 11:1-2. Why do you think John was asked to measure the temple and the altar?


2. Using an average of 30 days per month, how many days are in 42 months? About how many years would 42 months be?


3. Read D&C 77:15. Who are the two witnesses described in Revelation 11:3-12? What does sackcloth indicate? Why do you think they are described as both “olive trees” and “candlesticks”?


Day 2: Read Revelation 11:5-10
4. What kind of power do the two witnesses have, as described in Revelation 11:5-6?


5. When will the two witnesses be killed (after what)?


6. What kind of people would be so offended by prophets that they would party over their dead bodies?


Day 3: Read Revelation 11:11-14, Acts 1:9-11
7. List similarities between the death of the two prophets and the death and resurrection of the Savior.


8. Why do you think the witnesses who saw the two prophets rise from the dead were afraid?


9. What did those who were spared death in the earthquake do?


Day 4: Read Revelation 11:15-19 (with footnote 18b), Bible Dictionary entry "Ark of the Covenant"
10. When Jesus returns to rule personally on the earth, how long will his reign last?


11. What is the reward for the servants, prophets and saints who fear God and endure to the end?


12. What did John see and hear as the vision of the heavenly temple was opened to him? Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Ark of the Covenant.” What did the ark represent?



Day 5: Read Revelation 12:1-5 (with footnote 1a), JST Revelation 12:1-5, D&C 29:36-38, JST Revelation 12:7
[Note: This is the most revised chapter in Revelation by the prophet Joseph Smith in the JST.]
13. What changes to the text of Revelation 12:1-5 are given in the JST? How does the phrase, which is added to Revelation 12:1, help with understanding?


14. Read JST Revelation 12:7. What do the woman and her child represent?*



15. Read D&C 29:36-38. Who or what does the red dragon represent? Why do you think the dragon wants to devour the man-child as soon as he is born?


BONUS: From your knowledge of the New Testament, how did Satan attempt to devour the infant church in the first century AD? How did he try to devour the restored church in this dispensation? How was the child protected?


Day 6: Read Revelation 12:6-11, JST Revelation 12:5-8, D&C 33:5-6
16. How was the woman protected? How does the JST change the last word in Revelation 12:6? Where did Satan and his angels go when they were cast out of heaven?


17. Read D&C 33:5-6. From where did the Lord call forth his church in the latter days?


18. By what two things did the righteous overcome the accuser? How can we use these same two things on a personal basis in order to overcome Satan?



Day 7: Read Revelation 12:12-17, Jacob 5:34-35, 59-61, 75-76, Daniel 7:21-25
19. In an unassisted fight between a woman and a red, seven-headed dragon, whom would you expect to win? What was the woman given in order to escape?


20. Read Jacob 5:34-35, 59-61, 75-76. How did the Lord nourish the woman in the wilderness – or the Church even in apostasy?


21. Who or what helped the woman escape the attack of the serpent? Read Daniel 7:21-25. What is one of the ways Satan wars against the Church?



*From the Institute Manual: “Though at first it may seem confusing to speak of the Church and the kingdom as separate entities, the one giving birth to the other, this in fact is the condition to exist in the Millennium. The Church is a spiritual organization governed by priesthood and revelation. Only those who have covenanted with Christ in the waters of baptism hold membership therein. The kingdom of God is a product of the Church. It is a political organization in which all men who live in the millennial era will belong.
“After Christ comes, all the peoples of the earth will be subject to him, but there will be multitudes of people on the face of the earth who will not be members of the Church; yet all will have to be obedient to the laws of the kingdom of God, for it will have dominion upon the whole face of the earth. These people will be subject to the political government, even though they are not members of the ecclesiastical kingdom which is the Church.
“This government which embraces all the peoples of the earth, both in and out of the Church, is also sometimes spoken of as the kingdom of God, because the people are subject to the kingdom of God which Christ will set up; but they have their agency and thousands will not be members of the Church until they are converted; yet at the same time they will be subject to the theocratic rule.” (Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:229.)

Revelation 9-10

Revelation 9-10 Study Guide – to be discussed March 17
Day 1: Read Revelation 9:1-4 (with footnote 1a), Isaiah 14:12-15, Bible Dictionary entry “Locusts”
1. Read Isaiah 14:12-15. Who is the “fallen star” of Revelation 9:1? (See also Luke 10:18.) What does he open? What is the result?


2. Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Locusts.” List characteristics of locusts. What do they usually eat?


3. What were the locusts commanded to do in Revelation 9:4?


Day 2: Read Revelation 9:5-11, Bible Dictionary entries “Abaddon” and “Apollyon”
4. Why do you think the locusts were instructed not to kill the wicked, but to torment them? [Note: “Five months” = “a long time.”]


5. List characteristics of the locusts described in Revelation 9:7-10. What is your overall impression of this plague?*


6. Read Bible Dictionary entries, “Abaddon” and “Apollyon.” What is meant by these names?


Day 3: Read Revelation 9:12-16 (with footnote 14a), Review Revelation 7:1
7. Where did the voice come from after the sixth angel sounded? What is the significance of the voice emanating from this location? [Note: From the Bible Dictionary entry, “Altar,” Regarding the altar of sacrifice: “At the four corners were four horns; on these, the loftiest points of the altar, the blood of the sin offerings was put, that the atonement be brought nearer to God. At times these horns were also a place of refuge for fugitives (1 Kgs. 1:50; 2:28)…. In the Holy Place, before the veil and the mercy seat (Ex. 30:6) was the Altar of Incense, similar in construction to the Altar of Burnt Offering, but smaller and overlaid with gold. On it incense was burned morning and evening (no animal sacrifices); and on its horns once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the blood of the sin offering was put.”]


8. Review Revelation 7:1. Are the four angels in Revelation 9:14 the same as the angels in Revelation 7:1? Why or why not? (Hint: After “the great river Euphrates” at the end of Rev. 9:14, the JST adds “in the bottomless pit”.)


9. How many horsemen were prepared to attack?


Day 4: Read Revelation 9:17-21, Bible Dictionary entry “Brimstone”
10. How were the horsemen armed? Where was their power?


11. Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Brimstone.” Of what is brimstone symbolic? Are the armies of locust and horsemen sent by God or just allowed by God?


12. After numerous plagues, why were the survivors unrepentant? List the sins of the unrepentant. (See also Exodus 10:12-20, with footnote 20a.)


Day 5: Read Revelation 10:1-4, Review Revelation 1:14-15 and 4:3, D&C 77:14
13. Describe the “mighty angel” from Revelation 10:1-3. What elements are similar to the descriptions of the Lord in Revelation 1:14-15 and the Father in Revelation 4:3?


14. Read D&C 77:14. What does the “little book” in Revelation 10:2 represent?**


15. What was John forbidden to write?


Day 6: Read Revelation 10:5-7, Alma 42:4, D&C 84:100, Bible Dictionary entry “Mystery,” D&C 88:112
16. By whom and by what did the mighty angel swear?


17. What did the angel declare at the end of Revelation 10:6? Read Alma 42:4 and D&C 84:100. What does the angel’s declaration mean?


18. Read D&C 88:112. According to this verse, who is the seventh angel?


BONUS: Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Mystery.” What is the “mystery of God” (Rev. 10:7)?



Day 7: Read Revelation 10:8-11
19. What was John instructed to do regarding the “little book”?


20. What about John’s mission might have been sweet?


21. What about John’s mission might have been bitter?



From the Institute manual:
*(55-20) Revelation 9:4–10 . A Time of Great Warfare “During this particular period of the war and desolation the evil forces will be directed against all men, save those sealed up unto eternal life, for those in Zion shall be preserved. The plagues and torments of this era shall so afflict men that they shall desire to die rather than to suffer more. In prophetic imagery John here seeks to describe a war fought with weapons and under circumstances entirely foreign to any experience of his own or of the people of that day. Joel, subject to the same limitations of descriptive ability, attempted to portray the same scenes in these words: [Read Joel 2:1–11 .] It is not improbable that these ancient prophets were seeing such things as men wearing or protected by strong armor; as troops of cavalry and companies of tanks and flame throwers; as airplanes and airborne missiles which explode, fire shells and drop bombs; and even other weapons yet to be devised in an age when warfare is the desire and love of wicked men.” (McConkie, DNTC, 3:502–3.)
**(55-22) Revelation 10:10, 11 . What Was the Little Book John Ate? “A great mission was given unto John because of his desire, and he is even now laboring as ‘a flaming fire and a ministering angel, for those who are heirs of salvation.’ In the tenth chapter of Revelation we read that John was given a little book by the angel and commanded to eat it up, which he did, and he said ‘it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.’ And the angel said by way of interpretation of this act: ‘Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.’ When this mission was given, John was an old man far beyond the allotted years of three score and ten. In answer to a question as to the meaning of this vision of the book, the Prophet Joseph Smith said: It was a mission and an ordinance for John to gather the tribes of Israel. ( D. & C. 77:14 .) At a conference of the Church, held June, 1831, Joseph Smith said ‘that John the Revelator was then among the ten tribes of Israel who had been led away by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, to prepare them for their return from their long dispersion.’ ( Documentary History of the Church, Vol. 1:176; Essentials in Church History, p. 126.)” (Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:48.)

Revelation 6-8

Revelation 6-8 Study Guide – to be discussed March 10
Day 1: Read Revelation 6:1-5, D&C 77:6-7, Moses 7:13-16, Abraham 1:29-30
1. Review D&C 77:6-7 with Revelation 6:1-2 and Moses 7:13-16. What period of time is represented by the first seal? What might the “white horse” represent? The bow? The crown?


BONUS: What do we need to conquer and what tools have we been given?


2. What time period does the second seal represent? (See also Genesis 6:11-13, Moses 8:22, 28-29.) What might the “red horse” represent? The “great sword”?



3. What time period does the third seal represent? What does it seem the “black horse” represents? [Note: A “measure” of grain = about two pints; a penny (denarius) was the equivalent of a day’s wages for a common laborer. Ordinarily, a denarius would buy 10-16 quarts of wheat flour or twice that amount of barley meal.]



Day 2: Read Revelation 6:7-11, D&C 97:23-28
4. What time period is represented by the fourth seal? What is the name of the rider?


5. How much of the earth did the rider have power over? What four sufferings are named?


BONUS: Read D&C 97:23-28. How can we avoid the same fate as those in the fourth seal?


6. What time period is represented by the fifth seal? Where did John see the souls of martyred saints?


BONUS: Why do you think the Lord takes so long to avenge his elect?



Day 3: Read Revelation 6:12-17 (with footnotes 13a, 14a), D&C 88:86-91
7. What time period is represented by the sixth seal? List signs of the sixth seal that are universally visible.



8. Read D&C 88:86-91. How does the earth bear testimony of the One who created it?


9. What kinds of men will try to hide from “the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb”? Why? (See also Isaiah 2:10-11.)



BONUS: What question is asked in Revelation 6:17? Look for the answer to this question in Revelation 7.

Day 4: Read Revelation 7:1-8, D&C 77:8-11
10. Read D&C 77:8 with Revelation 7:1. In your own words, who are the four angels John saw? What does the number “4” represent?


11. We don’t know the name(s) of the angel (or angels) mentioned in Revelation 7:2, but we do know the angels’ calling. What is it? What does this calling entail? Why was the destruction of the earth postponed? (See D&C 77:9.)



12. Read D&C 77:11. Who are the 144,000 and why are they sealed? (See also JS-Matt. 1:27-30.)


BONUS: Read D&C 112:24-26. When destruction comes, where will it begin?

Day 5: Read Revelation 7:9-17, Bible Dictionary entry, “Amen”
13. After John’s vision of the 144,000 from the twelve tribes of Israel, how many more exalted beings did he see before the throne of God?


14. What does “Amen” mean? Why do you think those who John saw in worship said “amen” at the beginning and at the end of their exclamation?


15. List the blessings promised to the faithful in Revelation 7:15-17.



Day 6: Read Revelation 8:1-6, D&C 38:11-12, D&C 77:12, Bible Dictionary entries, “Altar,” “Incense,” and “Censer”
16. Read D&C 38:11-12 with Revelation 8:1. What causes silence to reign? What might the silence indicate? (See also D&C 88:95.)


17. Read D&C 77:12. What is the purpose of the seven angels with seven trumpets?


18. Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Altar.” What are the three main purposes of altars? Read the Bible Dictionary entries, “Incense” and “Censer.” Who in ancient Israel carried the incense to the altar? What did the incense represent?


Day 7: Read Revelation 8:7-13, Exodus 9:24-26, 7:17-21, Bible Dictionary entry “Wormwood,"
19. List the plagues of the first and second trumpets. Compare to Exodus 9:24-26 and Exodus 7:17-21. What was the purpose of the plagues in Egypt?


20. What happened when the third angel sounded? Read the Bible Dictionary entry, “Wormwood.” What does “wormwood” indicate?


21. What happened at the fourth trump? How many trumpets are left to sound at the end of chapter 8? How many “woes” did the flying angel call out?