Perfect Vision for 2020

Someone posted a meme on Facebook that said, "Welcome to the 20's" then showed a picture of flappers and gangsters. My first thought was, "Oh, I hope not!" The 1920s were a time of excess, lowering of moral standards, breaking social boundaries, thoughtless and careless investing. Just as pride goes before the fall, living without moral absolutes may seem wonderful, but can't be sustained.  It all came crashing down on a Black Friday in October of 1929 when the stock market crashed, ushering in 10 years of an economic depression so devastating that it is remembered today.

After having studied the Book of Revelation, I fear what we are headed for will be even worse.  I appreciate that the Book, though, because it  keeps us focused on the eternal perspective.  The Good Guys win.  Those who overcome and stay true to their covenants will return home to their Father in Heaven as was His plan from the beginning.

Hang tough in tribulation.  Love God and His children.  Pure Christ-like love is the greatest healing power on earth.  The angels message to the shepherds said, "Peace on earth, good will toward men."  I think we cannot have peace on earth until we have good will toward men.

Let peace begin with me in my home. I feel with Nephi that I am weak.  I invite you to read the words of Nephi, so he expressed what I am feeling better than I could ever do.

BTW: We will be studying the Book of Mormon, a book written for our time.  I am excited to begin because it is a book containing the fulness of the everlasting gospel and that can lead us all to perfect vision in 2020.

Psalm of Nephi

©December 31, 2019 Dr. Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

After the 7th Seal, a New Heaven and a New Earth

Umbrella of Christ's Infinite Atonement

In the economy of the theater, a new play is waiting in the wings while the old play continues.  When the old play is over, the sets for the new play immediately come into play. (Jefferey Marsh, BYU professor).  When the 6th seal closes with an abrupt snap, the 7th begins immediately.  I always thought the 7th seal was the Second  Coming of Christ, but there are many events that occur to wind up the reign of Babylon and Satan.  Angels pour plagues upon the humans who have not repented and brought their sins under the merciful umbrella if Christ's atonement.  We need to make sure we have taken advantage of Jesus' grace before that final seal snaps closed.

There are many powerful images in the last six chapters of the Book of Revelation, far too many to discuss here.  Some have already been introduced as the dragon (Satan) the beast (the servant of the beast) and the Harlot (the wickedness of the world.) The false lamb with horns who is a counterfeit for the Lamb of God, but who speaks like the beast.

As I look at the conditions of this world and nation, I am almost scared to ask, "What more could happen" for fear someone will show me.  Politically correct and liberal philosophies have caused a degeneration worse than that of Rome in her fall.  Simple things that I would call no brainers, are being touted as normal, alternate life styles, and even admirable and a source of pride.  Satan has even kidnapped God's covenant token of the rainbow as a symbol of what is being called simple tolerance and  diversity. When I was growing up (even when my children were growing up) it was a given that if a person had two X chromosomes, she was a female; and X and a Y being a male.  How the person identifies him or herself would have been deemed ludicrous.  The idea of people marrying a person of the same gender of him or herself would have received stares of disbelief.  The idea of promoting transgenderism in young children would be seen as the child abuse that it is (the National Council of Pediatricians recently released a statement to that effect!) 

George Orwell wrote in 1949, "If you want a picture of the future, think of a boot stamping on a face - forever."  

In his book, 1984, Orwell wrote about the dangers of political parties:

Now I will tell you the answer to my question.  It is this.  The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake.  We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently.  We are different from the oligarchies who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites.  The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives.  They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just around the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal.  We are not like that.  We know that no one ever seized power with the intention of relinquishing it.* 

Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.  The object of persecution is persecution.  The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand.  George Orwell, 1984

As we approach the second coming, we need to cling to the Savior and His gospel as the only safety we have.  We need to be revolutionary in our perception and testifying of the truth.  In the late 1700s, as the desire for liberty grew in the hearts of Americans, men like Thomas Paine wrote that "these are the times that try men's souls."  The same thing is true today and is growing increasingly more important in the future. We are so afraid of offending someone or being politically  incorrect that we often fail to defend those things which we believe to be morally correct. We cannot justify being a summer soldier or fair weather patriot; we must stand tall in times where it may be difficult to do so.

I pray that I may know the truth through the Holy Spirit, speak the truth with conviction, and live the truth every day of my life.

© December 29, 2019, Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

* . . . with one exception:  one of many reason that I, and many like me, revere George Washington is because he did just that.  If any man was set up to seize power  - even being pressured to be a king - it was he.  He is one man who had immense power and who humbly relinquished that power back to the people and their elected representatives for the love of his country and his fellow man.  Oh, that all men were like Washington.

The Plainest Book God Ever Caused to be Written

Some Biblical scholars believe that the War in Heaven is yet-to-be fought or that the entire book was fulfilled by the end of the Third Century; the 7 seals on the 7 scrolls describe things yet to come; the tribulations are all future events as God smites the earth; the locusts with tails like scorpions are either literal or stand for such modern warfare as nuclear bombs or Apache helicopters and these are just a few ideas.  Some have said that it has so many symbols that it either finds a man crazy or leaves him that way!

LDS scholars disagree. The Prophet Joseph Smith, while working on his translation of the New Testament took many such questions to the Lord (See Doctrine and Covenants Section 77.) When other Christian scholars and leaders are saying that Revelation is the most confusing book ever written, the Prophet Joseph stated that is it the plainest book God ever caused to be written. Some LDS punsters say that is because Joseph saw the same vision as John and once you've seen the movie, the book is simple!

I'll take my tongue out of my cheek long enough to say that while the Book of Revelation is a challenge, it is one worth taking:  He who hath an ear, let him listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. In truth, I believe God wants us all to see this book as He sees it, with our spiritual eyes and hearts.  It took the Spirit of Revelation for John to write the book and it will take the Spirit of Revelation to seek understanding of the messages.  As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I also have modern-day scriptures to help me understand, from Nephi's vision in the Book of Mormon to the words of modern-day prophets at General Conference.

The Book of Revelation doesn't speak of a finite moment it time: it is the scope and sequences of the entire history of the human race, from it's beginning before the Creation to it's final chapters as God's great plan to bring His children home again is fulfilled.

The War in Heaven is not some future event we need fear; it happened already, millennia ago, after Heavenly Father presented His plan and asked for a volunteer to be our Savior.  Two spiritual beings responded.  The first born, Jehovah, said He would be our Savior and would give all of the glory to the Father.  Another son, whose name was Lucifer, said he would go down and save everyone and, because he would do that, he wanted the Father's glory and power.(That is not a stance to take to the Great God of the Universe!)  The resulting war was not a war of swords and shields, but it was a war of testimony. The angel, Michael, lead the Jehovah's forces against Lucifer's forces and prevailed.  Lucifer (whose name means son of the morning) was cast out of heaven and into the earth, along with roughly a third of the hosts of heaven. He became known as Satan or the devil.  He is our adversary and wants to make all of mankind as miserable as he is.  He is our accuser before God.

The scroll with seven seals is mankind's history.  No one on earth or in Heaven could remove the seals and reveal the contents of the scroll, except for Jehovah, Who is Jesus Christ, the Anointed One.  He is our Advocate with the Father and with other men.  He will defend us individually against Satan's accusations. He purchased us with His blood.

As Christ removes each seal and unrolls the scroll, He unlocks a period of time in earth's history.  The first four seals are accompanied by horses - the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  The first is a white horse.  It corresponds to a millennia wherein the war changes venues from heaven to the earth.  It is the same war between Jehovah and Lucifer. The forces for evil were gaining ground until it culminated in the destruction of mankind in the flood. We know that only Noah and his wife and three sons and their wives were the only ones who survived, being kept safe in the ark.  

This leads us to look at this time period as completely wicked.  But, while this was going on, the Prophet Enoch, was creating Zion, a culture so pure and righteous that they were taken into heaven before the floods came. The contrast between good and evil was strikingly a struggle of darkness versus light. 

The second horse was red and stood for war. In the decades after the flood, there were wars and rumors of wars.  That battle begun in heaven continues with ferocity to this day.  This was also a time when the worship of false gods led to human sacrifice, a heinous practice that continued for centuries.

Note the alluvial fan on the Nile.

The third horse was black and stood for famine.  Weather was unpredictable and rainfall inconsistent. Abraham left Ur.  Jacob (Israel) left his home due to famine.  Both spent time in Egypt where the Nile River created a lush and fertile alluvial fan.

The final horse is described as pale, actually a sickly pale green, and stands for death.  This was the age of the great warrior empires of the Middle East, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. They were, in fact, the first terrorists on a grand scale.  Assyria, for example, publicized the torture they would inflict on an enemy who refused to capitulate.

As we move into the fifth seal, the Roman Empire was growing and subjugating the entire known world.  John wrote a lot about this seal because it was the time of his ministry.  There were many things from the growth of Christianity to the advent of Islam, but the thing that stood our in John's mind were the Christian martyrs, many of whom he had known and known well. That may have been why, in the beginning of the revelation, John see 24 elders crowned in heaven, men whom he had known.

When the sixth seal opened (the times in which we live.) It opens with an earthquake and continues with the promises of tribulations that we associate with the Book of Revelation.  Some have occurred, some are occurring, and some will yet occur.  All of the plagues of the first seals seem to find fruition in this millennium.  There is famine and pestilence, war and rumors of war, an increase in number and magnitude of earthquakes and other such natural phenomenon.  The wicked are called Babylon and are pictured as the mother of all harlots.

Once again, there are two diametrically opposed forces at work.  On the one hand the world has become as evil as it has ever been.  In this time, spiritual Babylon prospers and is presented to us as a whore who sells, among other things, the souls of men.  There is prophesied beast risen from the sea, a lamb with horns who spoke with the voice of the beast, and an antichrist. These are a counterfeit godhead. Men are sealed with the mark of the beast with the number 666 on their foreheads.  All of this is a counterfeit for the other power in the world; the power of Jesus Christ and His gospel.

Just as in the days of Enoch, as Babylon grows in her evil, Zion grows in her goodness.  While Babylon is portrayed as a scarlet woman of the night, Zion (the Church) is seen as a beautiful and pure bride, arrayed in white.  144 elders are sealed with the tokens of the Holy Priesthood. (The number may represent total priesthood power as the number of the priesthood is 12 and 12 times 12 is 144.) They are dressed in white, as are the women, because they are righteous.  They are endowed with power from on high. Living prophets administer to the needs of the Church, over which Christ Himself rules and reigns. These are they who come out of the great tribulation and have had their robes washed clean in the blood of the Lamb.

These chapters of the book are the ones foretelling the tribulations, a thing which scare many people away from reading about them.  But understanding them is something we should attempt to do for they are warnings to us as the sixth seal draws closer to its end.  We are being prepared as a bride to welcome the Bridegroom when He comes.

As for the harlot, she will fall as the economic powerbase of the world crumbles.  The merchants who depended on her will hate her, but still mourn her passing because they can no longer get rich from their wickedness.  The kingdoms of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev. 11: 15) 

The Messiah

© December 28, 2019, Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

Temple Imagery in the Book of Revelation

Among the many images and symbols in the  Book of Revelation, many - perhaps dozens - have direct or indirect references to the temple.  Because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to build and worship in temples, members of the Church are familiar with temple imagery, more so than perhaps other readers of the Book of Revelation.  While I can't name them all - in truth, I haven't found them all - there are a few that piqued my interest.

The book opens in a Temple setting. John describes seeing the resurrected Christ with things that would have been found in the Holy of Holies in the Jewish Temple.  John immediately sees Christ with seven golden candlesticks.  He sees Him clothes in temple garment, a white robe down his feet wearing a golden girdle.  This temple image reflects the ceremonial garment worn by the high priests when they officiated in the temple.

Jewish High Priestly Temple Garment

John saw seven stars in Christ's right hand, which John tells us represent seven angels.  Remembering that the number seven mean whole or complete, He is essentially surrounded by heavenly spiritual beings.   Since the number is also associated with covenants, it is appropriate in a temple setting where the most sacred covenants into which men can enter with God are completed.

Many of the promised blessing given to six of the seven Churches are temple-related, including giving those who endure a white stone with a new name. Jesus identifies Himself as the root of Jesse and the bright and morning star. (Rev. 22: 16).  Those who overcome will be given a morning star (Rev. 2: 28) To me, this reflects the covenant we take upon ourselves when we take Christ's name and become His children.

John then enters heaven and sees Jesus sitting on a golden throne with a rainbow surrounding him.  The rainbow is a token of another of God's covenants, that which God made, not only with man,  but  with the entire earth, again appropriate in a temple setting. John compares the Savior's radiance with the sun, a celestial image.

John sees the four and twenty elders enthroned, with crowns of glory upon their heads.  Elsewhere in the Revelation, he speaks of God making these men priests and kings unto the most high God, a definite temple reference. We first meet the term priest and king in the Book of Genesis and it refers to Melchizedek as God's priest and king on earth.  It interests me that the priesthood of the latter-day temple is the priesthood named after Melchizedek and a man today must hold that priesthood to enter into latter-day temples.

Later, as the revelation speaks of the wedding of Christ to His Church, John tells us that the bride is being dressed for the wedding.  The Greek word used for dressed is enduae from which we get our word endowed. Enduae also means to endure to the end.

In short, John didn't create the images; God created the images and John did his best to describe what he saw.  Someone once said that it took a revelation for John to write the book and it will take revelation for anyone who reads the book to even get a glimpse of understanding.  I prayerfully studied the book six or eight years ago and felt enlightened.  Now, with more years and more life as well as spiritual experiences, as I study today, other things come into my mind. I remember someone saying that you don't ever read the same book twice because each time you approach the book, you have changed and the book is changed for you.  That is certainly true of the Book of Revelation!

Approach the study prayerfully and let the images speak to you.  If  you do, the Holy Ghost will teach you those things the Lord wants you to understand about the entire scope of history, from the Grand Council in Heaven to the Second Coming and judgment of Christ.

© December 26, 2019, Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

Apocalyptic Theme: Beasts, Dragons, and Rainbows

In chapter 4 of the Book of Revelation, we move from John's immediate world (letters to the 7 churches) to those things that will be hereafter. (Rev. 4:1)

John was shown a doors opened in heaven and John, in the spirit, enters the door and sees a throne set in heaven. (Rev. 4: 2) 

On the throne, he sees the perfected, celestial Christ. He is described as having a brightness and glory such that it was like looking at magnificent jewels. Surrounding the throne are 24 elders sitting on golden chairs, dressed in white, with gold crowns upon their heads.  In front of the throne, there were 4 strange beasts.  Most interesting to me is the rainbow which surrounds the throne, a token of an ancient covenant.

The only other place that we meet the rainbow is in the Book of Genesis.  In that context, the rainbow is introduced as a token of the covenant between God and the entire earth, not just with man, but with creatures as well.  Seeing Christ on His throne, surrounded by the rainbow, is God's reminder of the covenant that God will not destroy the earth as He promised.  He will destroy the wicked off the earth, but those who keep their covenants will not be destroyed.

Joseph Smith taught that the four and twenty elders were real men, priesthood holders and apostles. I can imagine Peter and James, Paul and Stephen.  How thrilling that must have been to John, who had known these men in life, to see them in a glorified celestial state surrounding Christ's throne.  In Hebrew, the number 12 is the number of the priesthood and 24 would be double 12, indicating the many who will be saved.

In front of the throne, John saw four strange beast full of wings and eyes.  These beasts are symbolic of real animals who have been resurrected with knowledge (the eyes) and wisdom, capable of knowing and worshipping Christ, their Creator.  John tells us that they rested not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty . . .. (Rev. 4: 7-8)

(If you have ever wondered if dogs really do go to heaven, apparently they do!)

Other Beasts

Later in John's book we meet other beasts representing degenerate kingdoms of the earth, similar to the ones described by the Prophet Daniel in chapter seven of his book. In Revelation, we also meet these degenerate beasts, as well as a lamb with horns, a monster coming from the sea (chaos) and a dragon, representing Satan (just as it did as a serpent in Genesis.  I will discuss these in length in a future post.

One of the key themes in Revelation is the ongoing battle between good and evil.  It began in the preexistence with a war in heaven (Rev. 12:7) and has continued throughout human history. One facet of this war is Satan's propensity to create counterfeits and the Book of Revelation is full of them. These counterfeits and the war they represent will be discussed later.  It behooves us to understand them so that we can see in our own day and time people who masquerade as lambs but who are inwardly ravenous beast who serve the dragon.

© December 25, 2019, Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson

Apocalytic Theme: The Symbolism of the Number 7

When I study scripture in my older years, I tend to do it thematically rather than verse by verse.  I even wrote a book about themes in the Bible being supported by the Book of Mormon.* Thematic study, to me, makes learning easier.  It is also easier for the Spirit to teach when I am already in the Spirit.

One of the themes I see in many of the symbols in the Book is the use of the number 7: 

• 7 Churches
• 7Candlesticks
• 7 Stars
• 7 Seals.

In the Hebrew tradition found throughout the Bible, the number 7 refers to being whole or complete. The letters that spell the word 7 in Hebrew also relate to an oath or covenant. This covenant is, of course, the covenant I been discussing throughout and the theme of this blog.  The Saints who are dressed in white and who receive a new name are covenant keepers in a temple setting.

  
Also while the letters are addressed to 7 branches of the Church, their messages are for the entire Church including, I believe, the Church today.  

What are those messages and how can we benefit by understanding them in terms of our own spiritual growth?  The pattern to the letters is that the Lord first gives the Church a complement, i.e., the things they are doing right.  Next He gives them a rebuke, i.e., the things that need repentance and correction.  Finally, He gives them a blessing, i.e., a promise conditional to their keeping their covenants.  These blessings are introduced by the phrase: he who overcometh. Here are the things I glean from the messages to the Churches: 

Ephesus

Do: Work, patience, avoidance of evil, discernment of those who claim authority and do not have it.

Don't: Allow your testimony to slip away

Blessing: Eat of the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God

Smyrna

Do: Patience in trials and tribulation

Don't: God gave no rebuke to Smyrna

Blessing: A crown of life and delivered from Spiritual death

Pergamos

Do: Stay faithful amidst temptation

Don't: Compromise with sinners

Blessing: Hidden manna; a white stone/new name

Thyatira

Do: Be patient, loving, give service, be faithful

Don't: Allow personal tolerance to become tolerating evil and immorality, particularly when that evil is influence and affecting other Saints

Blessing: The morning star and the power to rule nations

Sardis

Do: Join with the faithful, even though they be few, do not defile thy garments in sin

Do: Repent, hold fast to your faith, strengthen your testimony 

Blessing: Clothed in white for worthiness, walk with Christ who will declare you before the Father

Philadelphia

Do: Be faithful and patient and obedient; hold fast to your crown that the tempters don't take it , fear not to testify of the name of Christ

Don't: The Lord gave no rebuke to Philadelphia

Blessing: Those who persecute you will bow before you because you were faithful, you will be a pillar in the temple, protect you from temptation, write the name of God upon your forehead

Laodicea

Christ found nothing to praise in Laodicea because they were not fully committed to Him. He uses a symbol familiar in the geographical are.  Just above the city were hot springs.  The people built aqueducts coming into 7the city to bring the hot water.  There were cold spring in the area as well and when the hot water met the cold water in the water tower, they became lukewarm.  

The Lord uses this metaphor to say how the Saints were neither hot nor cold in the gospel, but were lukewarm in their commitment.  Therefore, He said, He would spew them out of his mouth. This was an appropriate comparison because the waters were laden with calcium impurities and after they mixed and became lukewarm, they would make a person vomit if he drank from it. Apparently, this did not occur when one drank from either the hot springs or the cold springs, but only when the two were mixed.

While each branch of the Church received precise and individual correction and compliment, the themes can be translated to the entire Church, including the Latter-day Church.  I can work on becoming more patient, enduring trials well, loving others with an unconditional and unfeigned love.  I can increase my personal testimony through prayer and gospel study, taking time to listen for the promptings of the Spirit at all times.  I can make sure that I avoid temptations when I recognize them and repent when I don't recognize them for what they are and, subsequently, give in to them.  I can avoid negative influences through what I allow into my life and my home - entertainment, music, books, computer, etc.  If something feels offensive to my spirit, I walk away. I can truly love my neighbor with Christ-like love, even those neighbors who sometimes feel difficult to love.

When I die, I want my epitaph to read: She loved and served the Lord through loving and serving His children. 

He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.

* The Words of God: 8 Bible Themes Supported by the Book of Mormon, Danielson, Kathleen, 2018, Cedar Fort Publishing. Available through Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, and Deseret Book by special order.

© December 24, 2019, Kathleen Rawlings Buntin Danielson