What Is in The Revelation?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Revelation 1-5 in a lesson titled “Glory, and Power, Be unto … the Lamb for Ever.” This bit of counsel preceded the lesson: “Consider writing down questions you have about what you read in Revelation. You can then search for answers to your questions or discuss them with a family member or in Church classes.” The lesson was then introduced by the following information: 

Have you ever struggled to express to others what you felt during a powerful spiritual experience? Everyday language can feel inadequate to describe spiritual feelings and impressions. Perhaps this is why John used such rich symbolism and imagery to describe his majestic revelation. He could have simply stated that he saw Jesus Christ, but to help us understand his experience, he described the Savior using words like these: “His eyes were as a flame of fire,” “out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword,” and “his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:14-16). As you read the book of Revelation, try to discover the messages John wanted you to learn and feel, even if you don’t understand the meaning behind every symbol. Why might he have compared Church congregations to candlesticks, Satan to a dragon, and Jesus Christ to a lamb? Ultimately, you don’t have to understand every symbol in Revelation to understand its important themes, including its most prominent theme: Jesus Christ and His followers will triumph over the kingdoms of men and of Satan.

This book is titled “The Revelation of St John the Divine” but the first verse states “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” So the most appropriate name may be “The Revelation of Jesus Christ given through His prophet John.”

The first three chapters of The Revelation contain personal letters from John to the seven leaders of the seven churches. In our day, it would be noted as the seven bishops of the seven wards or congregations. The leaders (bishops) are represented as seven stars, and the churches (wards) are represented as seven candlesticks (Revelation 1:20).

In chapters 1 and 2 John gives a description of Jesus Christ: his “hair was white as wool” and “as white as snow;” “his voice as the sound of many waters” (powerful, peaceful, soothing) (1:14-15). His “countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (1:16). His “eyes [were] like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like find brass” (2:18). How would you describe the most glorious Personage who ever lived on earth?

To six of the leaders of the churches, the Lord begins with compliments. However, there were no pleasant words for the Laodiceans. The letter begins: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [vomit] thee out of my mouth” (3:15-16).

The first three chapters of The Revelation are written about events that would soon happen. Chapter four begins by looking into the future (“I will shew thee things which must be hereafter” (4:1). John was taken into heaven in the Spirit. He saw the earth after it was celestialized, and he saw a throne, and Heavenly Father sitting on the throne with a rainbow around the throne (4:2-3). John saw twenty-four other seats and twenty-four elders sitting in the seats. The elders were dressed in white and were wearing crowns of gold (4:4).

In chapter 5, John is given a book that was sealed with seven seals (5:1). He was told that only Jesus Christ had the power to open the seals (5:5-6).

The Revelation is centered on Jesus Christ. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the following: 

Christ volunteered to honor the moral agency of all humankind even as He atoned for their sins. In the process, He would return to the Father all glory for such redemptive love.

This infinite Atonement of Christ was possible because (1) He was the only sinless man ever to live on this earth and therefore was not subject to the spiritual death resulting from sin, (2) He was the Only Begotten of the Father and therefore possessed the attributes of godhood that gave Him power over physical death, and (3) He was apparently the only one sufficiently humble and willing in the premortal council to be foreordained to that service” (“The Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Mar. 2008, 35)).