Unveiling Jesus Christ

Unveiling Jesus Christ

por John Cassinat

[§243] Rev 14:12: Saints of Zion Survive the Great Tribulation

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.

[§242] Rev 14:9-11: The Third Angel Proclaims the Wrath of God

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.

[§241] Rev 14:8: The Second Angel Proclaims the Fall of Babylon

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.

[§239] Rev 14:6-11: The Sayings of Three Angels Before the Second Coming

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.

[§238] Rev 14:4-5: The 144,000 Are Redeemed as the First Fruits

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.

[§237] Rev 14:3: The New Song of the 144,000 Before the Throne

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.

[§235] The 144,000 and Millennial Church of the Firstborn

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.

[§234] The 144,000 Are Kings, Priests and Saviors on Mt. Zion

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.

[§233] Rev 14:1: The Lamb Stands on Mount Zion with 144,000

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.

[§232] Overview of the 144,000 on Mount Zion, Great Tribulation and Harvest

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.

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