Unveiling Jesus Christ

This podcast explains the imagery and symbols used by John to describe the Vial Plagues of the Third Woe in Revelation 16:5-9. These verses state: “I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.” The two proclamations by the angel of water and the angel of the altar (fire) satisfy the eternal law of witnesses where the truth of God's righteous judgments are established by the testimony of these two angels. After the two witnesses testify of God’s righteous judgments after the first three Vial Plagues, the angel from the altar pours out the fourth Vial Plague that brings intense heat upon the earth and scorches all telestial-worthy people. The effect is opposite the fourth trumpet plague where the sun, moon and stars were dark for a third part of the day. When wicked people are scorched this occurs they will refuse to repent and will curse God knowing that he is the source of their suffering.

This podcast explains the symbols and imagery used by John to describe the first, second, and third Vial Plagues in Revelation 16:2-4, which state: “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and [upon] them which worshipped his image. And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead [man]: and every living soul died in the sea. And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.” The first Vial Plague is foreshadowed by the sixth Egyptian plague where painful boils afflicted the Egyptian people and their animals, while the Israelites were not harmed. During this first plague and the others that follow, telestial-worthy people (who have the mark of the beast) will suffer and die from the effects of the Vial Plagues of the Third Woe, while people who live at least terrestrial law will collectively survive. The second and third Vial Plagues curse the waters of the oceans and freshwater systems, respectively, on a worldwide scale. The curse upon the waters is also mentioned in Doctrine and Covenants 61, where the vision of W. W. Phelps is recorded after he saw the destroyer riding on the waters of the Missouri River. During the second Vial Plague, every sea creature will die in the oceans, whose waters will become like the coagulated and putrid blood of a dead man. When the third Vial Plague occurs quickly after the second Vial Plague, every person will die who drinks the water turned to blood. The curse upon the waters is foreshadowed by the first Egyptian plague were Moses turned the waters of Egypt into blood for a period of seven days.

This podcast provides an explanatory overview of the last seven Vial Plagues of the Third Woe described by John in Revelation chapter 16. This overview includes a comparison between the seven Vial Plagues in Revelation 16 and the seven trumpet plagues in Revelation 8-11. A comparison is also made of the 10 plagues of Egypt in the days of Moses and the plagues called down by the Two Witnesses in Jerusalem who will exercise the Sealing Power. Particular attention is given during this podcast to the last three vial plagues, which include preparations for spiritual Armageddon. This is a spiritual battle that will cleanse the earth of evil spirits, including unembodied and disembodied spirit sons of perdition. This podcast also explains the imagery used by John in Revelation 16:1, which states: “AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.” The great voice in this verse is God the father, who directs the seven angels to quickly pour out the last seven Vial Plagues of the Third Woe. The Vial Plagues contain the fullness of the wrath of God. The pouring out of God’s wrath will be full or complete in all the earth at the time of Christ's last appearance of the Second Coming. At that time the earth shall also be transformed from its current telestial condition to its paradisiacal or terrestrial condition for the millennium.

This podcast explains the imagery used by John in Revelation 15:5-8. In these verses, John “looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” The temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven refers to God's celestial kingdom, which is typified and foreshadowed by the ancient tabernacle in the days of Moses and the temples of Solomon and Zerubbabel (Herod). God is in this heavenly temple and he commissions the seven angels to carry out the last seven plagues of the Third Woe as a sacred duty. Their priestly duty is symbolized by the nature of the priestly clothing described by John in these verses. After God commissions the seven angels to carry out the seven last vial plagues of the Third Woe, the golden vials full of the wrath of God are presented to them by one of the four beasts. The four beasts represent all of creation. One of the four is present in this heavenly scene because all of creation is concerned with the wrath of God that will be poured out on all people, animals, plants and minerals during the Third Woe. The temple in heaven is filled with the smoke from the glory of God, which prevents anyone from entering the temple to make intercession on behalf of unrepentant people who will be destroyed during the Third Woe. Even Christ‒the Great High Priest and mediator‒cannot make intercession or seek the mercy of God during the Third Woe when the wrath of God will be poured out without measure to cleanse the earth of all corruption in all elements of the earth during the Second Coming. The earth will be cleansed to become a terrestrial (paradisiacal) world at the Second Coming.

This podcast explains the imagery and meaning of John's vision in Revelation 15, where he describes exalted and exaltation-worthy saints gathered on heavenly Mount Zion which is seen as a fiery sea of glass at the start of the Third Woe. These are the 144,000 Servants seen by John in Revelation 14. In Revelation 15:3-4: “They sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.” The song of Moses is a celebration of the redeemed saints that stand on Mount Zion. It alludes to the song of victory sung by the Israelites on the shores of the Red Sea after Pharaoh and his armies were destroyed. The song of the Lamb is a similar song of victory that includes the worship of Jesus Christ as the redeemer and deliverer of his people both physically and spiritually. His acts of redemption are both great and marvelous. The lyrics of the song of the Lamb further proclaim that Christ is the King of saints (King of nations) and his judgments of destruction are just and true. By the end of the Third Woe, all wicked people living less than terrestrial law shall be destroyed and those that remain shall fear (reverence) Christ and glorify his name. All persons in all nations not destroyed at the time of the Second Coming shall come to the mountain of the Lord's house to worship. All his judgments shall be made manifest at his coming and throughout the millennium.

This podcast explains and interprets the imagery used by John in Revelation 15:2, which states:“And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.” The context for this verse is the end of the Second Woe Harvest in Revelation 14:14-20, and the start of the Third Woe when seven angels will pour out the last seven Vial Plagues to cleanse the earth at the Second Coming. John describes a similar scene of blessedness in Revelation 14:1-2 where the 1440,000 Servants stand with the Lamb on heavenly Mount Sion (Zion). This podcast compares and contrasts both scenes set in heaven. In Revelation 15:2, the sea of glass mingled with fire represents God’s celestial kingdom where exaltation-worthy saints will stand in the flesh in the presence of the Father with Jesus Christ during the destructive calamities of the Third Woe. This podcast compares the heavenly scene with John’s vision of celestial paradise in Revelation 4 and 5, where John described the heavenly conditions as a sea of glass like unto crystal without the mention of fire.The exaltation-worthy saints are those who overcome Satan and gain the victory over the Second Beast, which John described in Revelation 13:11-18. These overcomers possess the harps of God as tokens of their victory and a symbol of their worship and gratitude as they play the Song of Moses described in Revelation 15:3-4.

This podcast examines and explains the writings of John the apostle in Revelation 15:1, which states: “AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.” The great and marvelous sign in heaven is known as the Grand Sign of the Son of Man, which is given as the last sign from heaven before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ during the Third Woe of the seventh seal. In Revelation 15:1, John also identifies seven angels who have the seven last plagues of the Third Woe, called Vial Plagues. These seven last Vial Plagues are similar to, but very distinct from, the seven trumpet plagues described by John primarily in Revelation chapters 8 and 9. Although the trumpet plagues and Vial Plagues are similar in many respects, the seven last Vial Plagues come after the trumpet plagues and the two series of judgments are significantly different in their effects. This podcast provides an overview comparison between the seven trumpet plagues and the seven more deadly Vial Plagues. John also states in Revelation 15:1, that the last seven Vial Plagues are filled up with the wrath of God. They are the last plagues that will occur before Christ's Second Coming and they are filled up with the God’s wrath to represent the fullness of God's indignation that will be poured out upon the wicked prior to, and at the time of, Christ's Second Coming.

This podcast describes and explains the “Grand Sign of the Son of Man” that will be given in heaven and seen on earth at the start of the Third Woe, as described by John in Revelation 15:1. The exact meaning of this "Grand Sign" has not been revealed, but it is the last sign that will be given in heaven before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The Grand Sign comes just before the Second Coming, it is not the Second Coming. When the Grand Sign is given, all things will be in commotion on a worldwide scale. This includes commotion that shakes the earth and all the elements as well as nations, governments, and people. The commotion will be physical, spiritual, and emotional. The commotion we see in the world today is merely a prelude to the much more significant commotion that will exist as the Second Woe comes to an end in Revelation 14 and the Third Woe begins in Revelation 15. The Grand Sign will have the appearance of the sun rising in the east that can be seen by all people in all the world. The sign will be easy to recognize, although hardhearted people and unbelievers will attribute it to natural causes and will say it is a planet or comet. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ will follow very soon after the Grand Sign is given at the start of the Third Woe.

This podcast explains the symbolism and imagery used by John in Revelation 14:19-20 to describe the second part or phase of the harvest that occurs at the end of the Second Woe. In this phase all mortal sons of perdition will be destroyed as prophesied by John, saying: “And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand [and] six hundred furlongs.” Jesus Christ is the Third Harvest Angel that thrusts his sickle into the earth‒meaning earthly and worldly people. They are the wicked vine of the earth that will be cast into the great winepress of the wrath of God. This symbolizes God's judgments upon all wicked sons of perdition as a class. Christ alone will tread the winepress symbolically located outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem. The blood of wicked people flows out of the winepress as a symbol of their destruction. The destruction will be so great that blood will symbolically flow to a depth of 4 to 5 feet for the space of 1600 furlongs, which equates to approximately 160 miles. The number 1600 is a symbolic number derived from the world number four squared (4x4), which is then multiplied by 10 squared (10x10). This symbolic number identifies the entire world of wicked people who are one part of the greater whole of all wicked people. Sons of perdition are the one part destroyed during the harvest of the Second Woe (Armageddon) like grapes that are crushed in the winepress of God’s wrath. When this harvest is complete, the Second Woe will end, and the Third Woe will come quickly. (Rev 11:14)

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John in Revelation 14:17-18 to describe the harvest of mortal sons of perdition at the end of the Second Woe, saying: “And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” Jesus Christ is the other angel who comes out of the heavenly temple. He is the third Harvest Angel with the sharp sickle. God the Father is the Fourth Angel that comes out of the altar with power over fire. He directs Christ to carry out this first harvest of the wicked. The altar is a symbolic reference to the brazen altar of sacrifice where sin offerings were made for the redemption of sin in the ancient temple at Jerusalem. When the angel with power over fire comes out from the altar, the eternal flame of that altar is symbolically extinguished to represent that there can be no redemption of, or forgiveness for, the sons of perdition who will be destroyed as a class during this stage of the harvest at the end of the Second Woe. The fully ripened condition of the grapes indicates that these are mortal sons of perdition‒the most wicked class of sinners on earth.

This podcast explains the imagery used by John to describe the harvest of exaltation-worthy saints at the end of the Second Woe in Revelation 14:14-16. These verses say: “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.” The Son of Man sitting on the white cloud is Jesus Christ as he sits enthroned on heavenly Mount Zion. The golden crown on his head is a symbol of his forthcoming victory during the harvest of righteous saints like wheat gathered into the barn for safekeeping. He has in his hand a sharp sickle symbolizing his power to harvest the righteous saints. The other angel is God the Father who comes out from the heavenly temple representing his glorified residence. The Father speaks with a loud voice and directs Christ to thrust in his sickle and harvest the ripened earth. At the direction of the Father, Christ thrusts in his sickle and reaps the earth thereby removing from its face all exaltation-worthy saints (the 144,000 Servants) who then stand with him on Mount Zion as described in Revelation 14:1.

This podcast provides an overview of the role played by the four Harvest Angels described by John in Revelation 14:14-20. In this podcast I compare and contrast the four Harvest Angels with the angels described by Jesus Christ in his parable of the wheat and the tares recorded in Matthew 13. This parable compliments and adds details to the harvest that will occur at the end of the Second Woe as described by John in Revelation 14. In Matthew 13 and again in Revelation 14, the wheat represents exaltation-worthy saints that are harvested and taken up to stand with Christ on Mount Zion where they become his bride. (Rev 14:1) The tares in Matthew 13 represent mortal sons of perdition and telestial-worthy people who will be harvested as tares after the wheat harvest is complete. When sons of perdition are harvested at the end of the Second Woe, they will be metaphorically bundled and then burned during the final plagues of the Third Woe. Telestial-worthy people are also tares and they will be harvested and burned during the third Woe in Revelation 16. In Revelation 14, the sons of perdition are described as grapes that will be harvested when fully ripe. During the Second Woe harvest, Christ will crush all mortal sons of perdition like grapes in the winepress of God’s almighty wrath. This podcast also briefly explains the Parable of the Ten Virgins found in Matthew 25. This parable also compliments the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. Both describe events, including the marriage of Christ to the exaltation-worthy “wheat” at the end of the Second Woe.

This podcast explains the symbolism and meaning of the words written by John in Revelation 14:12-13, which state: “Here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” The patience of saints will be required for righteous people who will live during the Great Tribulation before the Second Coming. Agents of the Second Beast will seek their lives because they refuse to worship the idols and image of the First Beast in Revelation 13, which represents the ideals and evils of ancient Rome. The Great Tribulation will be a time of plagues, pestilences and the worldwide effects of Armageddon, except in the latter-day New Jerusalem (Zion), which shall be a city of refuge and for a defense. Righteous people who dwell in the stakes of Zion beyond the borders of Zion shall be killed as martyrs in this time and many may also die from the collateral effects of earthly conditions beyond Zion. Those saints that have faith in Jesus Christ and keep his commandments‒despite these trials and tribulations‒shall be blessed because they die in the Lord. Their good works on earth will lead to their reward in heaven and they will continue their labors as righteous ministers of Jesus Christ among disembodied spirits in the postmortal spirit world.

This podcast explains the imagery and meaning of the vision of John in Revelation 14:9-11. These verses say: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” The third unidentified Angel loudly pronounces judgment upon people worldwide who worship the Second Beast from Revelation 13:12-18, and have his mark (666). These wicked people are citizens of Modern Babylon who drink the wine of God's wrath without mixture. This means their punishment is undiluted and without mercy. They shall be tormented without end. The smoke of their torment is an allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah which is an ancient type for the destruction of wicked people in the modern world at the Second Coming. The third angel proclaims this judgment that follows in the next several verses of Revelation 14 that describe the Harvest Angels.

This podcast explains the imagery and symbolism used by John in Revelation 14:8, which states: “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” This second angel proclaims that Modern Babylon will fall twice because Modern Babylon is both an ecclesiastical and political kingdom. In addition, Modern Babylon will fall spiritually 3½ years before the Second Coming when Christ takes dominion on earth at his coronation during the future gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman in Davies County, Missouri. Then, at the Second Coming, Modern Babylon will fall physically very suddenly in the likeness of the fall of ancient Babylon—one of the greatest strongholds of the ancient world. Modern Babylon is symbol for Satan's kingdom in the latter days. Babylon the Great represents the world of sin, of immorality and idolatry. The name is synonymous with the Second Beast from Revelation 13. It is the latter-day great and abominable church, the church of the devil, secret combinations, the mother of harlots, and the Great Whore that sits on many waters. Modern Babylon is Antichrist and the antithesis of Zion.Babylon will fall spiritually and physically because she has made all nations drink the wine of the wrath of her fornication. This means that all the wicked nations of this earth will be spiritually intoxicated by the enticing evils and wickedness of the modern world. Her spiritual fornication will bring God's wrath upon Modern Babylon to her utter destruction both spiritually and physically.

This podcast briefly describes the meaning of the three angels in Revelation 14:6-11 who make proclamations about preconditions that must exist on earth and in heaven prior to the Second Coming. After this overview, this podcast provides a detailed explanation about the symbols used by John in Revelation 14:6-7, which states: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” The other angel in this verse is frequently identified as the angel Moroni, who first appeared to the Joseph Smith in September, 1823. Moroni was instrumental in giving Joseph Smith access to the golden plates that were translated and became the Book of Mormon. This book of scripture contains the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ. Moroni's visits to Joseph Smith began the process of preaching the everlasting gospel, but the context of John's vision in Revelation 14:6-7 is the latter-day fulfillment of that preaching and the judgments that will follow. These verses contain a twofold prophecy of preaching to people that: (1) dwell on the earth and (2) every nation, kindred, tongue and people. The first group of them that dwell on earth refers to living persons who receive the gospel after its restoration in the latter days. The gospel must also be preached to the second group of people who are disembodied spirits in the postmortal spirit world. This much larger group universally embodies the disembodied spirits of men and women from all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. In Revelation 14:7, people are commanded to fear God and worship him because the hour of his judgment is come. This voice of warning relates to the judgments that will follow the gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman 3½ years before the Second Coming. The same prediction is made in Daniel 7:9, which coincides with his prophecy of the same gathering of saints and the judgment that follows.

This podcast explains the symbolism John used to describe the qualities and characteristics of the 144,000 Servants that stand with Jesus Christ on Mount Zion at the end of the Second Woe in Revelation 14:4-5. These verses say the 144,000 “are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” To be undefiled means that the men and women symbolically represented by the 144,000 Servants are morally clean and chaste. The symbol of a virgin means they do not engage in idolatry or other forms of wickedness. This symbol does not espouse the practice of celibacy in some religions. The 144,000 servants are exaltation-worthy because they have followed the Lamb through all earthly trials and tribulations, and they ascend with him in his resurrection and glory. In their exalted state they are redeemed, which means they are resurrected or have their calling and election made sure to exaltation and eternal life. They come forth in the morning of the first resurrection as the firstfruits, which is a status reserved only to those worthy of exaltation and eternal life. The 144,000 servants are filled with truth and in their mouth there is no guile. This means they exhibit no hypocrisy, deceit, or falsehood. These qualities and others mean they are without fault in the presence of God the Father and his son Jesus Christ on Mount Zion.

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John to describe events on heavenly Mount Zion in Revelation 14:2-3. In verse 2, John heard the voice of God the father represented by the voice of many waters, and the voice of a great thunder. These images depict the power and majesty of God as he speaks from his throne in heaven. John also heard “the voice of harpers harping with their harps.” This imagery reflects the joyful conditions in heaven as the 144,000 Servants stand on Mount Zion in their resurrected and redeemed state. In Revelation 14:3, the 144,000 Servants “sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” The 144,000 servants sing a new song based on their redeemed status, even though it is also an old song sung in anticipation of their redeemed condition. The 144,000 Servants sing in close proximity before the throne to indicate that these exalted saints stand in a favored condition before God. They also sing in the presence of the four beasts representing the four classes of creation and the 24 Elders who represent the exaltation-worthy saints who were once members of the seven churches in Asia. The 24 Elders were a separate group in prior visions, but in Revelation 14 they are also redeemed and exalted. Therefore, they become numbered among the 144,000 Servants. All 144,000 Servants are redeemed from the earth, which means they achieve a state of godhood as kings and priests who will begin their rule with Christ during the millennium and throughout all eternity.

This podcast provides an in-depth discussion of the Church of the Firstborn, including an explanation about the difference between the general assembly and the Church of the Firstborn. The general assembly is people who qualify for the celestial kingdom but are not exalted. Members of the Church of the Firstborn are exalted people in the highest degree of celestial glory. Membership in the Church of the Firstborn, is synonymous with the 144,000 servants identified in Revelation 14:1. The Church of the Firstborn is the heavenly kingdom of God that will come down to become the millennial kingdom of God on earth. At the gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman, the ecclesiastical kingdom of God now on earth‒which is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints‒will begin to merge with the Church of the Firstborn, which is both a political and ecclesiastical kingdom. The merger between the ecclesiastical and political kingdoms of God will begin at Adam-ondi-Ahman as the priesthood offices and quorums of the church today are replaced and superseded by the priesthood organized according to family units within the house of Israel. This is known as the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. This highest order of the Melchizedek Priesthood will be a theocracy that will govern during the millennium and throughout all eternity as it did in the premortal past.

This podcast details the identity of the 144,000 Servants who will stand with the Lamb (Christ) on heavenly Mount Zion in Revelation 14:1. The 144,000 number is symbolic and represents people who have received the fullness of the Melchizedek Priesthood, also known as the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. They are exaltation-worthy saints who have the seal of God and their forehead. This means they have their calling and election made sure. They also keep the exalting temple covenants they have made or that they will make after first standing with Christ on Mount Zion at the end of the Second Woe. They are kings and queens, priests and priestesses unto the most high God, which is to say they have achieved godhood. The 144,000 Servants Come from four classes of people that include exaltation-worthy saints who (1) are alive at the time of the Second Woe and will be transfigured or translated and taken up to mount Zion as mortals in the flesh; (2) have died since the resurrection of Jesus Christ and will be resurrected to stand on Mount Zion in their resurrected condition; (3) resurrected with Christ in the meridian of time and will stand on Mount Zion in their resurrected condition; and (4) people translated since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, including the Lost Ten Tribes who will stand on Mount Zion in their translated condition. The 144,000 Servants are also saviors on Mount Zion who bring as many people as will come into the Church of the Firstborn. They do so, as they build temples and perform exalting ordinances that qualify people for membership in the Church of the Firstborn. In anticipation of the end of the Second Woe‒when these 144,000 servants will stand with Christ on Mount Zion‒there will be a gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman 3½ years before the Second Coming where the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood will be organized according to the families and tribes of the house of Israel.

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John in Revelation 14:1. This verse begins a new vision after Revelation chapter 13 concluded with John's description about the evils of the Second Beast during the last 3½ years before the Second Coming called the great tribulation. Revelation 14 begins in this same timeframe without interruption. However, Revelation 14:1 describes a heavenly scene of blessedness, saying: “I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.” The Lamb of God in this verse represents Jesus Christ. Mount Sion (Zion) is located in heaven above the earth and beyond the horrors of Armageddon as the Second Woe comes to an end. Christ stands on heavenly Mount Zion with the 144,000 Servants first identified in Revelation 7. These exaltation-worthy saints stand with Jesus Christ on Mount Zion because this is the place where the marriage of the Lamb will occur. The 144,000 Servants are the bride of Christ and he is the proverbial bridegroom. The 144,000 servants have the Father's name written in their foreheads to signify that they belong to him in contrast to the mark of the Second Beast (666) that people have in their hand or forehead.

This podcast provides an overview of Revelation Chapter 14. This chapter is divided into three separate visions. In Revelation 14:1-5, John describes the 144,000 Servants of God standing with the Lamb (Jesus Christ) on Mount Zion in heaven. These 144,000 servants are exaltation-worthy saints that lived and died in any age of the earth up to the time of the second coming. In the second part of John's vision in Revelation 14, three angels make proclamations about earthly events that have been or will be fulfilled as preconditions to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They include the preaching of the everlasting gospel in all the world as proclaimed by the first of seven angels in Revelation 14:6-7. A second angel proclaims the spiritual fall of Modern Babylon in Revelation 14:8, which coincides with the gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Finally, Judgments are pronounced upon people that have the mark of the Second Beast in Revelation 14:9-11. In Revelation 14:12-13, John pronounces a blessing upon all righteous saints with the testimony of Christ who live and die in the Lord during the Great Tribulation. The third part of John's vision in Revelation 14 describes the harvest that will occur at the end of the Second Woe. In Revelation 14:14-16, at the direction of God, the Father, Jesus Christ will harvest all exaltation-worthy saints that have ever lived upon the earth. This first part of the harvest corresponds to the harvest of wheat described by Christ in the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13. In Revelation 14:17-20, Christ will harvest or reap all mortal sons of perdition and prepare them for burning during the Third Woe. This second part of the harvest corresponds to the harvest of tares. John symbolically describes this harvest as a great winepress into which fully ripened grapes are cast to be trodden by Jesus Christ alone.

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John the Revelator in Revelation 13:18, which states: "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” The wisdom referred to in this verse is the wisdom of God. This phrase is a voice of latter-day warning for people to understand and protect themselves against the wickedness and evil of the Second Beast in Revelation chapter 13. The dangers of the Second Beast are symbolically represented by the number of the beast, which people are expected to count or calculate.The number of the beast is also the number of a man, meaning it is worldly or evil‒not godly. The name and number of the beast is 666. This number has led to many different and erroneous interpretations using Gematria as explained in this podcast. The number 666 can be correctly interpreted with reference to the symbolism of the numbers themselves. The number six (6) symbolizes evil because it is one short of the perfect number seven (7). When combined with itself three (3) times, the 666 yields a trinity of evil or perfect imperfection. The name and number, therefore, represents the highest or fullest state of evil to be achieved by the Second Beast as of the Second Coming, which is the chronological context for Revelation 13:18.

This podcast explains the symbolism and meaning of the words in Revelation 13:17, which say: “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” This is John’s prophecy that will be fulfilled during the last 3½ years before the Second Coming in the period of time called the Great Tribulation. The Second Beast will control the world's economy during the Great Tribulation. His power will be so great that only people who symbolically have his mark, name or number in their right hand or in their forehead will be able to buy and sell. The model or precedent for this economic control can be seen in the Roman empire when the emperors issued emperor certificates to prove that people had made sacrifices to the Emperor. Those that failed to do so were prevented from buying and selling. A similar precedent can be seen in the Holy Roman Empire, when the popes issued ecclesiastical canons that proscribed heretics of the church from buying and selling. Given the increasing amount of buying and selling that occurs on the Internet, it is not hard to imagine how the Second Beast will be able to prevent people from buying and selling in the worldwide marketplace of Modern Babylon if they do not fit the profile or computer algorithm of the Secret Combinations of the Second Beast that increasingly control worldwide E-commerce.

This podcast explains the meaning of the images used by John the Revelator to describe events that will occur as people worship the Second Beast in Revelation 13 in the modern world. In Revelation 13:16, John tells us that the “[Second Beast] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” The mark is analogous to a brand placed on animals, as well as slaves in the ancient Roman Empire. Today, people receive the symbolic mark as they become like the Second Beast through the form of their worship. The mark they receive of their own accord, identifies them as the property of the Second Beast. John identified three pairs of wicked people who receive the mark of the Second Beast for a total of six groups. The number six symbolizes evil because it is one short of the perfect and sacred number seven. The three pairs of people in this verse identify people from all walks of life as worshipers of the Second Beast. The placement of the symbolic mark in either the right hand or in the forehead is also symbolically significant. People who receive the mark in their right hand serve and strengthen the Second Beast, while people with the mark in their forehead are fully devoted to the Second Beast with all their heart and mind. The mark of the Second Beast in the forehead is the mirror opposite of the seal of the Living God that people receive when they have their calling and election made sure to exaltation. (Rev 7:1-3) Therefore, people who receive the mark of the Second Beast in the forehead are some of perdition. Wicked people who serve the Second Beast without the same degree of devotion as sons of perdition receive the mark of the Second Beast in their right hand to indicate that they qualify for the telestial kingdom.

This podcast explains the meaning of the imagery used by John the Revelator to describe events that will occur as the Second Beast from Revelation 13 matures and gains power throughout the modern world. In Revelation 13:14, John tells us that agents of the Second Beast will deceive people throughout the earth by means of the great wonders and miracles that the Second Beast has power to perform in the likeness of the First Beast representing the ancient Roman Empire. The main point of explanation is that earthly rulers in the modern age (both ecclesiastical and political) will exercise the same degree of power worldwide that that the Roman emperors and popes once exercised in the ancient Roman empire. These modern-day rulers will cause people worldwide “to make an image to the [first] beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.” (Rev 13:14) This symbolism refers to the fall of the Imperial Roman empire in 476 AD, which led to the establishment of pontifical power in the Holy Roman Empire that finally came to an end in 1806 after the French Revolution. In Revelation 13:14, John alludes to the death of the First Beast as he predicts that the Second Beast in Revelation 13, will rise to power from the ashes of the Holy Roman Empire just as the Holy Roman Empire rise to power after the death of Imperial Rome in 476 AD. When the Second Beast rises to power and is fully matured in Revelation 13:15, it will “give life unto the image of the [First] Beast.” That is, the same type of ecclesiastical and secular control that existed in the ancient Roman Empire will again exist on a worldwide scale. These conditions will fully exist during the last 3½ years of Armageddon. In this day, the Second Beast will have power to decree that “as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” This means that people who refuse to honor and obey the dictatorial decrees of the Second Beast will be killed. This symbolism also includes Latter-day Saints who refuse to worship the idolatrous ideals of the beast. They will also be subject to the decree of death. This podcast further explains, however, that saints who flee unto Zion after the gathering of saints at Adam-ondi-Ahman can find safe haven in new Jerusalem, which will be built during the last 3½ years before the Second Coming.

This podcast explains the symbolic language used by John in Revelation 13:12-13 to describe the power of Satan in the last days leading up to the Second Coming. Satan's power is symbolized by a Second Beast that has a lamb-like appearance, but it speaks like a dragon (Satan). These verses say that this Second Beast “exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” The power of the First Beast refers to Satan's dominion in the Roman Empire which continued until the Reformation. At that time, Protestant religions broke the ecclesiastical and secular power of the Roman Catholic Church in the Holy Roman Empire. In the modern era (post-Reformation), the power of the Second Beast evolved from, and grew out of the power of the First Beast. Satan's worldwide influence in the last days causes people to engage in the same types of wickedness and evil that were prevalent in the ancient Roman Empire. This is what it means for them that dwell on the earth to worship the First Beast. The earthly agents of Satan who were part of the religious and secular institutions of the Second Beast do great wonders. These wonders include the great wickedness and false spiritualism that exists in the world today. The Second Beast also makes “fire to come down from heaven on the earth." This fire comes down as a judgment upon the wicked at the time of the Second Coming. The Second Beast causes this fire to come down only in the sense that it's acts of wickedness bring upon itself the fiery judgments of God at the Second Coming.

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John in Revelation 13:11, which states: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” The context for this verse is the end of the Great Apostasy in 1830, when the true Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was restored. The restoration came at the end of the Protestant Reformation, which also brought an end to the Holy Roman Empire and the power of the First Beast described by John in Revelation 13:1-10. The Second Beast in Revelation 13 rose up from the earth as the First Beast met its demise. The Second Beast rose from the earth to represent its manmade origin, which stands in contrast to the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints which was heaven sent. The Second Beast had two symbolic horns that represent its political and secular power on the one hand and its religious and ecclesiastical power on the other hand in the last days. The Second Beast has a lamblike appearance that deceptively portrays its innocence and meekness. However, Satan's kingdom represented by the Dragon is behind this false façade of the lamb. The Dragon has a mouth that speaks with great power in the last days. The Second Beast represents the kingdom of Satan that rose from the earth at the very time of the restoration to stand against and opposes the latter-day Church of Jesus Christ.

This Podcast explains the symbolism used by John in Revelation 13:9-10 to explain events of the Renaissance and Reformation, which led ultimately to the restoration of the Church and end of the Great Apostasy in 1830. John's prophecy of the Renaissance and Reformation is preceded by the statement in Revelation 13:9 that, “If any man have an ear, let him hear.” This statement emphasizes the importance of John's prophecy and the need for people of the world to both hear and heed the prophetic words spoken by John with reference to the Renaissance and the Reformation, which led ultimately to the restoration of the true church of Jesus Christ. In Revelation 13:10, John symbolically describes the conditions of the Renaissance and the Reformation, saying: "He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.” The captivity in this verse refers to the spiritual bondage of people held hostage to the belief system of the Roman Catholic church throughout the dark ages. Spiritual freedom and liberty came as reformers finally broke the bonds of Roman Catholicism during the Protestant Reformation. Bloodshed paved the way of the Reformation throughout Europe and in Latin American countries where millions of people died for their faith in Jesus Christ. John symbolically describes this scene of carnage in Revelation 13:10, saying, “he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” This prophecy was fulfilled as the Protestant Reformation ended the political and spiritual control of the Roman Catholic church in an era of great bloodshed. Finally, John described people of faith from the Renaissance and Reformation in Revelation 13:10, saying: “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.” The saints are those people who patiently endured the Catholic Counter-Reformation that included the courts of inquisition, also known as the Holy Office. These ecclesiastical courts of the Catholic Church tried and punished heretics. For hundreds of years, faith-filled saints sought for, and ultimately prevailed in, their spiritual quest for religious and spiritual freedom.

This Podcast explains the symbolism used by John to explain the religious conditions and form of worship during the Great Apostasy in Revelation 13:8, where he said that “All that dwell upon the earth shall worship [Satan], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This verse affirms that the true Church of Jesus Christ was not upon the earth. The correct doctrines, priesthood, and prescribed ordinances had been lost worldwide in Satan’s war against the Saints such that it could be said that all who dwelt upon the earth during the 1260-year Great Apostasy worshipped Satan. To worship Satan means simply that in one degree or another, people failed to worship God in truth and in spirit. This occurred because many were forced to practice an apostate form of Christianity or because they simply did not realize that they were misled in their religious observances. According to John, people who lived during the Great Apostasy did not have their names written in the book of the life of the Lamb from the foundation of the world. This means they did not receive a conditional promise of exaltation and eternal life when they were premortal spirits before their birth, nor did they have the means to qualify for exaltation and eternal life in mortality because the gospel was not present on the earth during the Great Apostasy. These topics and others are discussed in this podcast.

This podcast explains the symbolism and meaning of John’s vision in Revelation 13:7, which states that “it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” The HIM in this verse refers to Satan (the dragon) and the saints are members of the ancient church of Jesus Christ located throughout the Roman Empire. The saints are also members of Christ’s church among the Nephites on the Western Hemisphere and among the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. God allowed Satan to make war on all three groups of worshipers during the Great Apostasy. Revelation 13:5 symbolically identifies the period of the Great Apostasy as 42 months, which equates to 1260 days of years from 570 to 1830 AD. There were no legal administrators of God’s priesthood upon the earth for these 1260 years. The loss of earthly priesthood administration occurred as the ancient church in the Roman Empire fell into a state of complete apostasy, as the Nephites were physically destroyed on the Western Hemisphere, and when the Lost Ten Tribes were translated to heaven. The universal loss of earthly priesthood authority among all three groups fulfilled the words of Revelation 13:7, which say that “power was given [Satan] over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” This podcast also describes the history of how Christ’s ancient church fell into a state of apostasy in the Roman Empire during the first three centuries of its existence. The persecutions of Christians by emperors Nero, Domitian, Trajan, Severus, Galerius, Diocletian illustrate Satan’s physical war on the saints. Satan’s spiritual war against the saints began with the paganization of the true doctrines of Jesus Christ in the first century and the complete paganization of the entire church after Constantine the Great made apostate Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire.

This podcast explains the symbolism of the three blasphemies identified in Revelation 13:6. In this verse, John said that Satan‒acting through the First Beast of the Roman Empire‒opened his mouth “in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.” The first blasphemy against God and his name symbolizes the deification of emperors in the Imperial Roman Empire and popes in the Holy Roman Empire. Both groups blasphemously elevated themselves to godlike status through worship and adoration. The second blasphemy against God’s tabernacle signifies false Christianity that blasphemously purported to be the true church of Jesus Christ during the period of the Great Apostasy. The true church of Jesus Christ was apostate long before the time of Constantine in the 4th century AD. His edits led to the further paganization of the true church. Satan’s third and final blasphemy of them that dwell in heaven signifies the worship and adoration of deceased saints.

This podcast explains the symbolism and imagery used by John in Revelation 13:5 to describe the Great Apostasy that began after the fall of Rome in 476 AD and before the start of papal authority in 607 AD. John describes the Great Apostasy saying: “And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” Many interpret this verse to mean that the Dragon (Satan) gave to HIM (the First Beast) a mouth speaking great things, etc. However, the HIM in verse 5 refers to the Dragon who was given a mouth from God to speak great things and blasphemies throughout the world. The First Beast is a symbol for the Roman Empire as just one geographical location in the world where the much larger Great Apostasy was a universal and worldwide loss of truth and priesthood authority, including the church on the western hemisphere among the Nephites and the church among the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Revelation 13:5 indicates that the worldwide apostasy lasted 42 months, which is a prophetic period of evil equal to 3½ years or 1260 days. In this case, the 1260 days are prophetic days of years or 1260 years. From John’s perspective, the Great Apostasy was measured as the period of time when there were no legal administrators of the priesthood anywhere on the earth. This means that the 1260 years ended when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was restored with priesthood administrators in 1830. Working backwards from this date, the Great Apostasy began on or about 570 A.D. This date corresponds to the translation of the Lost Ten Tribes as the last legal administrators of the priesthood on the earth until the restoration of priesthood authority in 1830. This podcast also explains the difference in John’s 1260 day apostasy in Revelation 13:5 and Daniel’s 1290 day apostasy in Daniel 12:11. Revelation 13:5 defines the apostasy as an absence of priesthood authority, while Daniel 12:11 defines the apostasy as a flood of spiritual darkness that began with the Roman Abomination of Desolation in 70 A.D. The spiritual darkness began to end in 1360 A.D., as the spiritual light of the Renaissance began to emerge and the power of the popes began to decline in the Holy Roman Empire.

This podcast explains the symbolism used by John in Revelation 13:4 to describe worship in the period of time from the fall of Rome in 476 AD until 607 AD, when Phocus‒the Emperor in Constantinople‒decreed that the bishop in Rome was chief among all other bishops and clergy in the Roman empire. This verse covers more than 100 years between the fall of Rome and the emergence of papal authority in what would later become the Holy Roman Empire. Revelation 13:4 states that "they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” This verse describes two separate forms of worship, homage, adoration or reverence for things that are not of God. The first form relates to the worship of the Dragon or Satan, which is more universal and worldwide than the worship of the First Beast in the Roman Empire. The worship of the Dragon includes locations like the American continent and all other lands outside the territories of the Roman Empire as of the early seventh century AD. By that time the Great Apostasy was universal in all the world, including apostasy among the Nephites in America and apostasy last of all among the Lost Ten Tribes no later than 570 AD.The worship of the First Beast in the Roman Empire is also tantamount to worship of Satan, who gave the First Beast his power, his seat, and his great authority in Revelation 13:3. As the power of the imperial Roman emperors declined and the power of the pope's increased, worshipers in the Roman Empire rhetorically asked: “Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” The first question is a parody on the true worship of God. This verse means that earthly ministers of the First Beast (Roman Empire) had elevated themselves to a position above even God. The second question is a rhetorical recognition that there was no power on earth that could defeat or overcome the power of the popes in ancient Rome.

This podcast explains the symbolic images used by John in Revelation 13:3 to describe the end of the Imperial Roman Empire that fell with Rome in 476 AD, and the rise of papal power in the Holy Roman Empire over the course of hundreds of years. John describes these historical events in symbolic terms, saying: “I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.” (Rev 13:3) There are many and diverse views about the meaning of this verse. One of the seven heads on the symbolic First Beast was mortally wounded by the sword when Germanic tribesmen from the north conquered Rome. The Roman Empire then began to divide into the modern nations of Europe represented by the 10 horns and 10 crowns on the head of the First Beast that died. However, that same head revived as the emerging nations of Europe gave their allegiance to the power of the popes. A major milestone in this revival occurred when Leo III, the Roman bishop and pope at Rome, coronated Charlemagne as the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800 AD. After this major milestone, the power of the papacy increased to the point that the popes had supremacy over all heads of state in the time of Gregory VII (1073-1095 AD). The popes reached the height of their power in the days of innocent III (1198-1216 AD), and this power continued for the next 100 years. Papal power finally began to decline with the death of Pope Boniface VIII in 1303. This demise of papal power coincided in time with the emerging spiritual light of the Renaissance predicted in Daniel 12:11. In this verse, Daniel said there would be 1290 years of spiritual darkness like a flood from the time of the Roman Abomination of Desolation in 70 AD. Revelation 13:3 also indicates that throughout the Dark Ages, people in the Roman Empire worshiped and wondered after the First Beast. This means they were astonished by the degree of power possessed by the Roman popes and worshipped them as they worshiped the Roman emperors before them.

This podcast explains and interprets the symbolism found in Revelation 13:2, which states: “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.” The beast represents the ancient Roman Empire, which incorporates the brutality and tyranny of other empires before it. The beast has the body of a spotted leopard that Daniel 7 identified as the Greek empire. The beast had feet like a bear, which Daniel 7 identified as the Medo-Persian Empire. The beast also had the mouth of a lion, which Daniel 7 identified as a symbol for the Babylonian empire. Satan's power and dominion within each of these prior empires is consolidated into and becomes part of the composite power of the First Beast in Revelation 13. In Revelation 13:2, the Dragon, representing Satan or the devil, gave his power, seat, and authority to the disembodied spirit of Cain as the spiritual head of Satan's dominion within the Roman Empire as of 70 AD. This podcast also explains from whence Satan derived his power when he was Lucifer in the premortal existence.

This podcast explains the symbolic imagery used by John in Revelation 13:1, which states: “I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” In this verse, the image of a First Beast rises from the sea which represents the bottomless pit, the abyss, and hell. The disembodied spirit of Cain, who is perdition, is the spiritual head of this First Beast and he received his power from Satan (the Dragon). The First Beast represents the Roman empire, as the earthly instrumentality of Satan. After rising from the sea, the First Beast stood upon the seashore symbolizing power and dominion in the Roman Empire. The image of a beast is used to symbolize the Roman empire because of its untamable ferocity toward the ancient church of Jesus Christ. The beast has seven heads. This image confirms the symbolic connection to Rome that was built on seven hills. The beast has 10 horns to symbolize that it exercises one part of the whole of God's power given to it. The beast also has 10 crowns that represent its regal power forcefully taken. The name Blasphemy is inscribed on each of the seven heads of this first beast. Examples are given in this podcast of how the Roman Empire blasphemed the name of God and Jesus Christ during its long history.

This podcast compares the apocalyptic writings of Nephi found in 1 Nephi 13 and 14 in the Book of Mormon with the apocalyptic writings of John found in Revelation 13. 1 Nephi 13 covers the period of time from the death of the apostles no later than 70 AD, until the restoration of the gospel in 1830. John's description of this same period of time can be found in Revelation 13:1-11. John and Nephi both describe Satan's kingdom on earth after 70 AD, which John identifies as the symbolic First Beast, and which Nephi identifies as the great and abominable church. The devil is the foundation for the great and abominable church, which was formed after the apostles died and apostate members of the ancient church introduced false doctrines and false ordinances among church members until the true Church ceased to exist during the period of the great apostasy. Both John and Nephi describe this in Revelation 13 and 1 Nephi 13, respectively. 1 Nephi 14 covers the period of time from the restoration of the gospel in 1830 until the Second Coming. John's description of the same time can be found in Revelation 13:12-18. After 1830, Nephi states that there are only two churches on earth. One is the church of the Lamb which is the only true and living church upon the earth that offers salvation. All other churches are called the church of the devil‒not because all other churches are wholly evil‒but because they take people away from salvation offered in the church of the Lamb. John describes these other churches, including both secular and religious institutions, as a Second Beast that looks like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. John’s symbolism of the Second Beast in Revelation 13:12 matches perfectly the description of the church of the devil given in 1 Nephi 14:10. Nephi confirms that his apocalyptic visions are the same as those seen by John in the Book of Revelation. However, Nephi was forbidden to write the details of his complimentary vision because John was foreordained to write the vision.

This podcast provides an overview and explanation of the signs and symbols used by John to describe the kingdom of Satan on earth from about 70 AD to the Second Coming. In Revelation 13:1-8, John describes Satan's war on the remnant of Christ's ancient church through the instrumentality of the First Beast which represents the Roman empire. This First Beast entirely overcame the ancient church of Jesus Christ during the Great Apostasy. Revelation 13:9-11 symbolically describes the Renaissance and Reformation. In Revelation 13:12, John sees a Second Beast rising from the earth which represents Satan's latter-day kingdom that looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. The rise of the Second Beast corresponds in time with the restoration of the gospel in 1830. This Second Beast represents all institutions‒both secular and religious‒which lead people away from the true latter-day Church of Jesus Christ. Revelation 13:13-18 focuses primarily on the power of the Second Beast during the last 3½ years before the Second Coming in the period of the Great Tribulation, when the two witnesses will also minister in Jerusalem as described by John in Revelation 11.

This podcast explains the symbolism found in Revelation 12:17, which states: “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” The historical context and timeframe for this verse is 70 AD, after the Roman Abomination of Desolation destroyed Jerusalem, Herod's Temple, and the Jewish nation as a whole. This violence was symbolically described by John in Revelation 12:15-16. After the violence in 70 AD, verse 17 indicates that the Dragon (Satan) was wroth with the woman who represents the ancient church of Jesus Christ in the meridian of time. Satan was wroth because his efforts to destroy the ancient church physically during the First Jewish War had failed. A remnant of the woman's seed still remained, and he went forth to make war upon that remnant. John tells us specifically that the remnant were those saints after 70 AD that kept the commandments of God and remained firm in their testimony of Jesus Christ. Satan’s war against the Christian remnant after 70 AD included persecution and martyrdom, as well as a growing apostasy from within and among the faithful remnant. The seeds of apostasy were planted among the ancient members of the church, but these seeds of apostasy began to take root and grow in the aftermath of the violence in 70 AD. John's description of Satan's war against the remnant of the church after 70 AD is further evidence that the ancient church was not in a state of apostasy nor was it taken into the wilderness of heaven in Revelation 12:14 as some scholars suggest. The Great Apostasy begins as part of Satan's continuing war against the remnant of the church after 70 AD.

This podcast interprets the symbolic language found in Revelation 12:15-16, which states: “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” In these verses, the serpent is a symbol for Satan acting through the Roman Empire, which is Satan’s mouthpiece or source of the flood. The flood of water is the violence perpetrated by the Roman Empire on the ancient Christian church represented by the woman. This flood of violence occurred in the 3½ years leading up to the Abomination of Desolation in 70 AD, when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and Herod's Temple. This occurred during the First Jewish War that was ostensibly perpetrated by Rome against the Jews but, according to Revelation 12:15, had the woman (the ancient church of Jesus Christ) as Satan's real target. The violence of the flood in the days of Noah is remarkably descriptive of the violence perpetrated by Rome in 70 AD. To explain the violence of the flood imagery, this podcast explores the meaning of the statement in Genesis 7:11 that the fountains of the great deep were broken up on the day of the flood in Noah's day. This podcast goes back to the first and second days of the physical creation to explain the origin of the fountains of the great deep, which began as a subterranean ocean that formed through the creative processes according to natural laws that have always existed. Before his death, the Savior warned members of his ancient church that the Abomination of Desolation was coming and that they would have to flee Judea and Jerusalem to avoid the violence of the Roman flood. Faithful members of the church heeded this warning and escaped to Pella located on the east side of the Jordan river in Perea. The symbol of the earth helping the woman means that church members, by their own earthly means, were able to avoid the Roman flood. The imagery may suggest that the waters of the Jordan River were "swallowed up" so that the Christians could pass through the Jordan riverbed on dry ground. However, there is nothing in recorded history or tradition to suggest that this occurred.

This podcast interprets the symbolism found in Revelation 12:14, which states: “To the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” (Rev 12:14) The context for this verse is the persecution of the Christian church after the death of Jesus Christ and prior to the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem in 70 AD. In this timeframe, members of the ancient church were initially persecuted by the Jews in and around Jerusalem. Revelation 12:14 symbolically describes how the woman representing the earthly church was protected and nourished by the two wings of the Great Eagle. The eagle was an emblem and standard for the Roman empire at that time. Thus, the Roman empire protected the ancient church in the wilderness of the Roman empire beyond Jerusalem, where all religions were generally accepted and tolerated. The woman of the ancient church was protected in the Roman wilderness for a time, times, and half time, representing the symbolic number 3½. In this case, this symbolic number means the 3½ decades from the death of Jesus Christ to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. During this period of the apostolic era, the ancient church was protected against the serpent who represents Satan, but also the Roman empire as Satan’s earthly agent. Unfortunately, as the end of the apostolic era approached, the Roman Dragon turned on the woman in the time of Nero. After his edicts against Christians in 64 AD, the Roman wilderness ceased to be a place of spiritual refuge. However, even at the time of the Abomination of Desolation in 70 AD, the Christians were protected because they followed the warning of the Savior to flee Judea to Pella in Perea as the Roman armies encircled Jerusalem and ultimately destroyed the city. Many scholars in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints interpret the symbolism in Revelation 12:14, as the Great Apostasy when the ancient earthly church was taken up into heaven. This podcast explains why that interpretation is not correct.

This podcast explains and interprets Revelation 12:13 which states: “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.” (Rev 12:13) The Dragon symbolizes Lucifer (Satan) who was cast down to this earth at the time of the physical creation of the earth. However, in this verse, Satan was cast to the earth in the sense that he fell spiritually to defeat at the time of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and successful atonement. Christ’s victory brought Satan down to defeat or low in the dust metaphorically speaking. This verse also indicates that after the crucifixion, Satan persecuted “the woman which brought forth the man child." The woman represents the ancient earthly church of Jesus Christ as of the time of Christ's crucifixion. John previously identified the man child in Revelation 12:5. The reference to the man child in verse 13 alludes back to the premortal birth of the man child in verse 5. The man child is not born in verse 13. He is simply mentioned by John as a point of reference to indicate that the woman representing the ancient church is the same woman John previously saw in premortality as the Church of God. (JST Rev 12:7) The church and kingdom of God in premortality evolved into and became the same church and kingdom of God on earth. The persecution mentioned in verse 13 occurred in the ancient earthly church after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and during the apostolic period that formally ended with the death of the apostles and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

This podcast explains and interprets the meaning of the words found in Revelation 12:12 which state: "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” The meridian of time and the atonement of Jesus Christ is context and timing for this woe. It cannot relate to the physical creation of this earth when Satan was cast down because, among other reasons discussed herein, there were no inhabiters to warn when Satan was cast down to this earth at the physical creation of the earth. The woe in Revelation 12:12 is pronounced on the inhabiters after the atonement of Jesus Christ. Satan then knew that Christ had the victory. As Christ rose to power and victory, Satan fell spiritually. Satan's knew about the atonement and its effects because Satan retained his memories of all that had transpired in premortality. Thus, he knew that when the atonement was complete, he had only a very short time between the atonement and the Second Coming to destroy the souls of men. The time between the atonement and Second Coming is extremely short when compared to the millions of years that Satan has been fighting against Christ since the time of the heavenly grand council in premortality.

This podcast explains the statement in Revelation 12:12, which states that the heavens rejoiced when Lucifer (Satan) was cast down from Kolob to this earth at the end of the war in heaven. There was great reason to rejoice because salvation had come to Kolob with the strength and kingdom of God and the power of his Christ. Revelation 12:12 refers specifically to heavens‒plural that rejoiced at the end of the war in heaven. There were at least three distinct heavens that rejoiced when Satan was cast down to this earth. The first heaven was Kolob itself and the premortal spirits who kept their first estate. These spirits rejoiced when they were appointed to live on this earth during their second estate. They rejoiced because this earth had been created and they were about to embark on their mortal journey. Revelation 12:12 alludes to another heaven, which consists of countless other worlds created by Christ in this generation. The inhabitants of these other worlds rejoiced because Christ's infinite atonement could and would occur on this earth after its creation. The atonement on this earth has the effect of redeeming people on these prior worlds. Thus, when Christ was resurrected on this earth, his infinite atonement had the power to bring about their resurrection. For this reason, the people appointed to live on these other worlds had great reason to rejoice when this physical earth was created. The third heaven alluded to in Revelation 12:12 is the endless line of worlds and their inhabitants from prior generations. Creation is multi-generational. The worlds of prior generations and their inhabitants had already been redeemed. These higher kingdoms rejoiced in the progress of this earth as the greatest world in the universe of this generation.

This podcast explains events at the end of the war in heaven described by John in Revelation 12:11. This verse indicates that Michael the Archangel and his heavenly hosts overcame Satan “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev 12:11) The blood of the Lamb alludes to the infinite atonement of Jesus Christ. He sacrificed his blood to cleanse people from sin, including sins committed in the premortal existence on Kolob. The spirits who accepted Christ and kept their first estate were cleansed and became innocent again in the presence of God. They were born innocent at the time of their birth in mortality.Michael and his heavenly host also prevailed against Satan by the word of their testimony. Their testimony was accompanied by the power of the Holy Ghost, which means they spoke the words of Christ. The power of Christ sealed up the wicked sons of perdition to condemnation. When the war in heaven ended, Satan and his followers were condemned to be cast down to this earth as unembodied spirits because they rejected the law given to them as a testimony or witness against them. Michael and his angels also prevailed against Lucifer because they loved not their lives unto the death. This means that Michael and his angels put their spiritual lives at risk to fight with great valor against Satan. The words express the idea that it’s better to die than deny the faith. In the context of the premortal war in heaven, this means that Michael and his angels fought to preserve the eternal principle of agency at the risk of their own spiritual death.

This podcast explains John’s vision in Revelation 12:10, where Satan is cast down from heaven to this earth and a loud voice is heard saying that John heard a loud voice saying in heaven … the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Satan is called the accuser because he complains, or brings a charge, against those he opposes. Since Satan is the father of all lies, his accusations are false and untrue. Satan accuses his brethren, which includes members and leaders in the premortal church of God. These accusations have their likeness on earth when antichrists persecute, and make accusations against the saints of God. Satan’s day and night accusations symbolize his consistent and persistent efforts to destroy the premortal church and kingdom of God throughout the entirety of the war in heaven.

This podcast explains John’s vision in Revelation 12:10, where Satan is cast down from heaven to this earth and a loud voice is heard saying that now is come strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ. These words describe the premortal establishment of God’s kingdom on Kolob after Satan was cast down, which is in the likeness of the Second Coming when the kingdoms of our God and his Christ will be established on earth. To establish the government of God after the war in heaven, an organizational council was held similar to the grand council that was held to organize the premortal church of God before the war in heaven. In the general council held after the war in heaven, God’s spirit children received their appointment to dwell on this physical earth, including the time of their birth, the place of their birth, and the family of their birth. According to the doctrine of election or the election of grace many faithful spirits who kept their first estate were appointed to be born into a favored lineage such as the house of Israel. Many were foreordained to exaltation and to enter the Patriarchal Order of the Priesthood. The Patriarchal Order was organized as a model for the full government of God during the patriarchal era, during the millennium, and during this earth’s existence as the celestial kingdom.

This podcast explains the loud voice in heaven that John heard in Revelation 12:10 at the end of the war in heaven. The voice declares "Now is come salvation." The loud voice may be the voice of a mighty angel, or the collective voices of premortal spirits who kept their first estate and rejoice because they were saved as Lucifer and his sons of perdition were cast out of heaven to this physical earth at the time of their defeat. After Lucifer and his sons of perdition were cast down and out of heaven at the end of the war in heaven, Kolob was spiritually cleansed and the premortal conditions after the war have their likeness in the millennial conditions on earth after Satan was defeated by Christ at the Second Coming. In both conditions, heavenly and millennially, there was righteousness, purity, peace, and the presence of the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. Salvation means different things depending on the context. Salvation is often synonymous with exaltation and eternal life. But in the context of the premortal existence, salvation came to those who kept their first estate. Such spirits are blessed to receive a physical body in this life and their faithfulness in premortality qualifies them for resurrection and immortality. The gift of immortality comes through the grace of Jesus Christ. He paid for this gift through his atonement. The gift of immortality is frequently referred to as general salvation. Full salvation means exaltation which is conditioned upon obedience to celestial law in this life, including temple ordinances. Full salvation means a person is added upon in this second estate with glory, power, and dominion forever and ever.

This podcast explains the signs and symbolism used by John in Revelation 12:8-9 to describe the end of the premortal war in heaven that began in Revelation 12:7. Revelation 12:8 states that the war in heaven ended because Lucifer and his rebellious angels did not prevail against Michael and his heavenly hosts during the premortal war. When Lucifer was defeated, he and his followers were cast out of heaven on Kolob and they were cast down to this earth at the time of its physical creation. Lucifer’s death during the war in heaven is in the likeness of his future defeat in the battle of Armageddon at the Second Coming and the conditions of peace that will follow during the millennium. John also identifies Lucifer, the great dragon, by three different names including that old serpent, the devil, and Satan. The serpent is an allusion to the garden of Eden where Eve was beguiled by Lucifer who spoke by the mouth of the serpent. His cunning and deceit brought about the fall of Adam. Each of the three names help to identify and define the characteristics by which Lucifer may be known on earth as he and his evil unembodied spirit sons of perdition continue to use their influence to destroy the souls of mortal men and women.