I read D&C section 77 about a week ago and noticed a couple of things that I'd never noticed before.
First in verse 12:
Q: What are we to understanf by the sounding of the trumpets, mentioned in the 8th chapter of Revelation?
A: We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and of the seventh he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that wich he hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years -- the preparing of the way before the time of his coming.
Okay there's a couple of things there that I found interesting. First, the lifeline of the earth is a typeset of the creation. The Millenium is the sabbath of the world's existence. Not incredibly significant, but interesting. And take note that the world will be sanctified, which, as I noted in a previous post, means that it will become terrestrial in glory.
The most interesting thing to me, though, is how he explains that He puts us into His power. How? By our obedience. Those who are not righteous, those who will not be resurrected in this period, are not in His power. Why? Because they don't obey Him. I think it's interesting that it's worded "he hath not put into his power", since it's really our choice to be in his power. But of course, it is He who commands, and if he does not put us into His trust to do what He asks, we are not in His power. So the wording is correct. But we cannot be put in His power unless we have proven worthy.
The other thing I found interesting was in verse 13.
Q. When are the things to be accomplished, which are written in the 9th chapter of Revelation?
A. They are to be accomplished after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of Christ.
Ok, I thought this was interesting because I was under the impression that the coming of Christ marked the opening of the 7th seal. But this indicates the the seventh seal will open, the signs will then occur, and then Christ will come. So we may have already opened the 7th seal. This then begs the question whether the Millenial reign of Christ is a full thousand years or just most of the thousand years.
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2 comments:
I have to admit I have changed my thinking in the last few months on some key points of what the millenium will really be like. It started with the Joseph Smith manual where he says, "That Jesus will be a resident on the earth a thousand [years] with the Saints is not the case, but will reign over the Saints and come down and instruct, as he did the five hundred brethren, and those of the first resurrection will also reign with him over the Saint."
That has some very intersting implications about what life will and will not be like during those 1000 years. I've decided the ushering in of the millenium may not be so obvious to everyone as I had previously thought. I'm realizing the Book of Mormon really is the best source of seeing what it will be like.
Anyway, just some thoughts.
You're right, that's very interesting. It makes sense, but it changes a lot of preconceived notions.
I'm curious what you mean by the Book of Mormon being the best source. You mean 3rd Nephi when Christ visits?
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