Short Plan - Revelation 14

14:1-5 - The IM points out that while chapter 13 is gloom and doom highlighting all that Satan can do, chapter 14 gives hope. John looks and sees “a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” I would imagine that these are the 144,000 that were called, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, to preach the gospel. Then a loud voice is heard from heaven, like rushing waters and thunder and harps playing, and it’s a song I assume being sung by the 144k because “no man could learn that song but” them. There’s some stuff about “virgins” and “not defiled with women,” which I’m not exactly sure the significance of and don’t have the energy to speculate, so I’m just going to say that these 144k men (I assume) are righteous, living chastely with “no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” The IM reminds us of D&C 77:11 which answers the question about who these guys are, which says they “are high priests, ordained unto the holy order of God, to administer the everlasting gospel; for they are they who are ordained out of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, by the angels to whom is given power over the nations of the earth, to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn.” It’s interesting to consider just who these guys might be, are they to be only men, it says “high priests” but is that referring to their literal priesthood office or just a nod to their spirituality? Will it be a loud announcement like calling them all in general conference or will it be subtle like “oh look we have 144,000 missionaries in the field right now”? It’s also interesting to consider that I haven’t heard of each individual tribe being “found,” let alone 12,000 worthy priesthood holding men in each one. 14:6-12 - Here comes another 3 angels, the first of which has what I assume implies the keys of “the everlasting gospel to preach.” The IM speculates that Moroni would fit the bill here, but also suggests that another alternative might be that this one angel might be simply representative of a large group of angels who have assisted with the restoration. A second angel comes announcing “Babylon is fallen… because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” I don’t understand why everything is tied back to sex, but it sure seems to be. The IM also suggests that this phrase might just means that the citizens of Babylon were unfaithful to God. The third angel comes and warns those who “worship the beast and his image” that the wrath of God is coming. 14:13-20 - A voice sounds from heaven saying, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth.” The IM says, “this suggests that although the Lord’s people generally will be protected from the many of the judgments of come, some righteous individuals will die in the calamites and tribulations of the last days.” I know we’ve talked about this concept before, about who dies in certain events and who lives and why. One of the answers I think I came up with is that if all the righteous are protected all the time then there would be a large pull for people to become “righteous” so that they wouldn’t suffer or die instead of choosing the gospel because they believe it. Again, I might not always understand, but I suppose that it’s like that for a reason. John now sees “one like unto the Son of man” sitting on a white cloud with a golden crown and a “sharp sickle” in his hand. Sickles are pretty synonymous with the gathering of those who are ready to hear and accept the gospel. So Jesus and several angels now begin to preach the gospel and “reap” the souls of those who are prepared to accept the gospel. Sorry this isn’t more in depth, I’m really tired, but basically what this chapter is saying is that even though Satan might have some powers and believe that he is inevitable, the work of God in the salvation of men is all encompassing and the ultimate end game.