A Right to the Throne

Moses 7:59 -

And Enoch beheld the Son of Man ascend up unto the Father; and he called unto the Lord, saying: Wilt thou not come again upon the earth? Forasmuch as thou art God, and I know thee, and thou hast sworn unto me, and commanded me that I should ask in the name of thine Only Begotten; thou hast made me, and given unto me a right to thy throne, and not of myself, but through thine own grace; wherefore, I ask thee if thou wilt not come again on the earth.

Why was this so powerful to me? Enoch says he has been given a right to the throne of God. I don't think I've ever thought of it that way. Through the grace of Jesus Christ, Enoch had a right to the throne, and so do we all. 

The Number of the Beast

Revelation 13:18 
-The number of the beast is 666.

-The numerical value of the name Jesus (IESOUS) in Greek is 888.

-From wikipedia.com for "Number of the beast": There are several interpretations-translations for the meaning of the phrase "Here is Wisdom, Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast" where the peculiar Greek word ψηφισάτω (psefisato) is used. Possible translations include not only "to count", "to reckon" but also "to vote" or "to decide".  <sup>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_beast

-The beast is 666; Jesus is 888. They are both decipherable, recognizable, differentiated. We can reckon between them. We can decide which one to follow. We can know which is which. 

-It looks as though in the process of trying to say, "The beast has a number, it's different from Jesus', you can decipher between the two and choose which one you will serve," all of which I'm sure was meant to clarify the situation, John ended up confusing the great majority of us, which basically is our fault I think. 
We ended up by making a complete mess of the 666 thing. It's not meant to be looked upon as a literal number we should avoid, or we should try with all our hearts to decipher. Like we often avoid the number 13, out of superstition. It's a symbol that differentiates the beast from the Savior. It says, "You can tell between the two, and if you're wise you'll make the right choice."</sup> 

Revelation 13 and 14

Revelation
13:1 - the beast is almost like the church, seven heads--a heavenly number, 10 horns, 10 crowns, not quite the 12 crowns representing the church, but similar, like enough to be deceptive, enough truth to be deceptive.

13:3 - one of the beast's heads is wounded as it were to death. The gospel in the meridian of time wounds the beast as though to death, but the beast recovers and gains power and overcomes the saints, then the beast's influence covers the earth. The great apostasy.

13:11 - another beast had two horns like a lamb, and spoke as a dragon. Again enough similarities to good to be deceptive. It's not blatantly bad.

The beast: he is an evolving creature, or the dragons associated with him are evolving, ever changing, ever becoming more sly and deceptive.

14:1-5 - The 144,000: a number signifying, or representing the faithful followers of Christ. They will be redeemed in the first resurrection, the first fruits unto God and the Lamb. Maybe the number is what it is to represent how small the actual faithful to the Savior will be? 144,000 in relation to many numbers used in the scriptures, or mainly in relation to numbers in general, now, seems very small. I want to say it's a generic number, but I'm not sure that's exactly what I mean. It has no literal significance in my opinion.

14:13 - And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,^aBlessed are the ^bdead which ^cdie in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may ^drest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
The works of the righteous follow them because they are done with authority, being acceptable to God. They can rest from their labours, because they are complete. All the work has been finished, and accepted. 

14:14-20 - the true second coming of Jesus Christ, after all the work has been done, all the work that can be done has been done, and has been accepted. Those who follow the Savior are taken to their rest and then the Savior sends those who are proud and unrighteous to their just place. The final scriptures compare it to a wine press and blood. The wicked being required to pay for their sins on their own. Since they did not accept the blood of Christ to cleanse them. 

Roots and Branches and Burning

This is the post I should have started with, since deciphering the symbolism in this revelation is what started me on the path to a growing sense that scripture is more likely symbolic than not. I've since looked at scripture as symbol, or metaphor, or parable, or allegory, first. Then, as literal, second. 

I was in an Elder's Quorum meeting a couple years ago. We were separated into groups of two or three at some point in the meeting. We were asked to research a particular sign of the times, I believe. That part I can't really remember clearly. Anyway, at some point in the discuss with the two men I was paired with, I mentioned my belief that the burning of the wicked at the last days was not literal. Both of these men were friends, so we were able to speak fairly openly. One of them saw some merit in what I was saying, or at least tried to, or at least acted like he did. He's a deep thinker. I think he really thought about it. The other disagreed openly and found a scripture where it mentions the burning and said, See, it's a literal burning. I still disagreed. No big deal. We had a difference of opinion.

I guess I should really start long before this incident. As a young man I was taught on a regular basis the signs of the times and how things would supposedly play out at the end. And how the Savior's second coming would likely take place, and even when. The descriptions and explanations never felt right to me. They never fully made sense. What was the worst part about many of these descriptions and explanations was that they made me feel like I had no real purpose or motivation to improve myself, to prepare for a productive life, here and now. Why would I go get a college education when the world would be ending soon? What's the purpose of a secular education when the near future holds only a spiritual lifestyle, lived in the presence of Jesus Christ?

Plus, the event, the second coming itself, and life after the second coming were such mysteries to me. I believe they were mysteries to everyone trying to explain them too. I didn't understand the need for such mystery. But, think about it, we're often motivated by the lowest common denominator towards motivation: fear. Human beings often are most motivated by fear. What's scarier than being told "the great and terrible day of the Lord is near." And by the way, the wicked will be burned. I didn't even know if I was wicked or not. Often I felt I was. Burning sounds like a terrible way to die. Especially, when following the excruciating pain of burning, you're cast into hell.

When I saw that the scriptures relating to the wicked being burned were also more often than not paired with roots and branches, I realized there was more to this revelation. It lead me on a new path. One where scriptural imagery was just that.

In the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, last weekend, Elder Quentin L. Cook said this about roots and branches and burning:

Our Father’s plan is about families. Several of our most poignant scriptures use the concept of the tree with its roots and branches as an analogy.In the closing chapter of the Old Testament, Malachi, in describing the Second Coming of the Savior, vividly uses this analogy. Speaking of the proud and wicked, he notes that they shall be burned as stubble and “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” Malachi closes this chapter with the Lord’s reassuring promise:“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:“And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

Yes, our Heavenly Father's plan is about families. When we talk of families we talk of roots and branches and trees. As do the scriptures talking of the burning of the proud and wicked. 

Burning is a terrible way to die, I'm sure. But being without the ones you love would be worse. 

There's a couple of things to consider when we think about a literal burning and an analogy of burning. In the first case, it would seem to me that God would have to take part in some way in literally lighting his children on fire. I don't know how it would happen, but it seems he would have to do something, or enact something that would set his children alight. 

In the second case, God has asked us to follow the laws of heaven, by accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ, and receiving the ordinances, or ceremonies, or performances, that save us. One of those ordinances is being married, or sealed, to our spouse, in the holy temple of God. Along with that, we're sealed to our parents, our grandparents, and on and on (our roots), and to our children, our grandchildren, and on and on (our branches). What the revelations are saying is that those who choose not to receive these ordinances, those who do not believe in the laws of God, or who choose to rebel against them, will pay natural consequences. They will not be linked with those they love in the next life. Their relationships will not be recognized or accepted. It takes no further action by God. He's set up his law and we can choose to accept it and obey it or not. Our rewards and consequences will naturally follow. 

I can imagine that the pain, or the hell, of not having your spouse, your companion, your children, etc. linked to you in the next life will be something similar to the way gay people feel now, who seek to have the government and people recognize their bonds. I'm not in their position, so I cannot speak definitively about this, but I can imagine they feel they are in limbo. If they live in a place where their relationship is not recognized, I can imagine it occupies their mind daily. They feel it's mean, it's unjust, and it's painful. 

I've battled minor injustices in my life against bodies that were much larger and more powerful than I. I always feel my angriest, my most out of control, my most revengeful, when I'm fighting against someone or something that is bigger than I am, who has the final say on my fate in that particular situation. I always feel like what they're doing is unjust. That makes my anger and pain so much more potent. I'm being treated unjustly and I have no control over correcting the wrong. They have all the control.

In this life, gay people have a supreme court and legislatures that are becoming more and more compassionate to their cause. There's hope for them. They may see their relationships sanctioned by most governments in the near future. In many places they already have. But imagine fighting this battle in the next life, where there is no supreme court, no legislature. Where there is no recourse. God has decided that families consist of mothers and fathers and children, etc. And those families are only sanctioned through ordinances approved by him, which take place in holy temples, where the ceremonies are performed by people who have the direct authority from God to perform them. All others will be fighting to have their relationships sanctioned by God, or will relent and accept their fate, or, I hope, will have and take the opportunity to finally follow God's laws.  

I believe we might be surprised just how similar the next life will be to this one. People who believe God is unjust will still believe it there. People who don't want to live God's law but want many of the benefits of doing so, will still want those things there. People who want to fight perceived injustices here, will want to fight them there. Hell is feeling like you've been dealt with unjustly and knowing no matter how hard you fight it won't be overturned. Hell is wanting something so badly it's all you can think about, and knowing you'll never be able to have it. Hell is not burning to death or sitting in a fiery place for eternity.

Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Two Prophets Killed in Jerusalem

Jerusalem = the gospel

New Jerusalem = the restored gospel?

In the book of Revelation, chapter 11, we're told that the Gentiles will tread "the holy city" under foot forty and two months. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we've been taught that the holy city refers to Jerusalem. To the point that the heading before the 11th chapter says "In the last days, two prophets will be slain in Jerusalem." It's true, in the 77th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith, in relation to this chapter, states:

"They are two prophets that are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time of the restoration, and to prophesy to the Jews after they are gathered and have built the city of Jerusalem in the land of their fathers."

It's obvious where we've gotten the idea, in our faith, that the two witnesses are prophets and that they would be killed in the city of Jerusalem. We usually take everything Joseph Smith said to be the truth, or prophecy. As we should. I tend to believe Joseph Smith first, then if I feel there's anything that could be off about something he said, I consider that. My testimony, my belief, in God, in Jesus Christ, in the Book of Mormon, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are all predicated on a belief in the divine mission of Joseph Smith. What he did during his short life changed my life. And improves my life on a daily basis. So for me to say, I think there's more to this revelation than what Joseph Smith said, which appears in a book or our scriptures, is not just bold, it's kind of stupid or crazy. But as I said in my previous post, I think it's okay, even healthy, to question things when we feel they're a little off.

Let's think a little more broadly and symbolically about this revelation. If the Book of Revelation isn't symbolic it's utter nonsense. We tend to want to believe that the revelations concerning the "last days" will all occur in our lifetime, or very shortly before or after. We all want to be part of something grand. And we are. Here's the first two verses of Revelation, Chapter 11: 

 1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

We see that the verses don't actually mention Jerusalem. They speak of the "holy city". We can obviously make the connection between Jerusalem and the holy city. (Let me just add here that all the things I'm posting, at least here at the beginning, are fairly new thoughts and ideas to me. They're appearing, changing, evolving, growing. Even my posts here may be somewhat incoherent at times, as I write them as I'm thinking.) But let's consider another option. Can the holy city symbolize the gospel? 

Later in the chapter, we read that the beast of the bottomless pit will finally overcome the two witnesses and that they will be killed and their bodies will be in the streets of "the great city". 

8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Again, the name Jerusalem is not used. But we've made the connection, through symbolism, that the great city equals Jerusalem. 

Let's think about what's also in that verse. "That great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt." Why would Jerusalem be called Sodom and Egypt? We definitely have to be aware of all the other scriptures having to do with these revelations, which, admittedly, I'm aware of many, but I'm sure not all. But what I believe is even more important is being aware of parallel uses of the same symbolism in the same book. John wrote this book. He has his own style and used his own language, meaning his use of language would be similar throughout the book. John obviously received an expansive, beautiful, literary, revelation. To add to that, he was a wonderful writer. He uses language to create a compelling story. Just seeing something doesn't mean you can describe it effectively or compellingly. John was able to do that. In the book of Revelation, John describes Babylon, not Jerusalem, as the great city a number of times. In 14:8, "...Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city." In 16:19, "And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." In 17:18, "And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." In 18:2, "And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen..." In 18:10, "Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come."

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we had two witnesses, who were literally prophets, killed by an angry mob. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were martyred in Carthage Jail, in Carthage, Illinois, June 27, 1844. Joseph Smith fell from the second story window when he was shot and lay in the street. They were not killed in Jerusalem. But they were raised up to the gospel of Jesus Christ, or the holy city, and were killed by angry, wicked men, in Babylon. 

It's kind of obvious why Joseph Smith would not receive a totally accurate revelation concerning his own death. Even if we could, would any of us really want to know our own fate? Would it do us any good? I believe that Joseph and Hyrum Smith were those two witnesses and that prophecy is fulfilled. If that's true, we may have to rethink a lot of the signs of the times. 

Revelation Is Living, Breathing, Growing

I'm an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm not in the least bit disgruntled, disenchanted, or disengaged from the church. I believe very strongly in the doctrines of my religion. But I believe it's okay, and even healthy, to question things when they appear to possibly be incorrect or outdated.


I believe revelation happens line upon line, precept on precept, here a little, there a little. I don't believe it always comes perfectly clear the first time. It's a process. I believe revelation, like knowledge, discovery, growth, can expand. We can look at all the events that have happened, read all that's been said, add our thoughts to those existing, listen to God's voice, and receive new and beautiful ideas that are relevant to our times. That's all I'm doing here. It seems to me as though we're experiencing something of a spiritual revival. Even within our own religion. New thoughts and ideas are being expressed. I take my cue from the First Presidency and Twelve Apostles of my faith. At times, they think in ways and express ideas that are revolutionary. They're expansive. They're beautiful. Joseph Smith, whether you believe in him as a prophet or not, was one of the greatest thinkers of all time. Certainly one of the most daring theologians in history. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though it can be very conservative when necessary, is an evolving, growing, thought-provoking religion. We believe in living prophets. What would be the purpose of living prophets if we didn't believe there was more revelation to come? We're the most dynamic and evolutionary religion on earth, as far as I know.

I'm not claiming to be receiving revelation concerning our religion in any way. That's not my place. I merely have ideas I'd like to put down in one place so I can think about them. This is as much a thought journal as anything. If people find this blog and want to be involved in the conversation, I welcome it. I think we all benefit when we have open, civil discussion.