revelation is one of the plainest books
[The Book of Revelation] is one of the plainest books God ever caused to be written—what John saw he saw in heaven.Joseph Smith
Date: 8 April 1843
Source: Joseph Smith Diary by Willard Richards
The Words of Joseph Smith: Page 188

Why I Choose this Quote?

This quote is funny to me because I have read the Book of Revelation several times and I have never found it to be plain, or easy to understand.

Additional Context

Joseph made this statement on the same day he is quoted as saying “we never can comprehend the things of God and of heaven but by revelation.” Perhaps, then, Joseph’s statement assumes one has the spirit of revelation. And if one is in tune with the Spirit of God, then I could see how the Book of Revelation would be plain to understand.

The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi made a similar statement in regards to the Book of Isaiah. He said, “the words of Isaiah …are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy” (2 Nephi 25:4). I find Isaiah even more difficult to comprehend than Revelation, yet somehow I think Joseph Smith would agree with Nephi and say that Isaiah is plain to understand.

Perhaps one day I’ll have the spirit of prophecy and revelation to the extent those men had it so that these scriptures will be plain and easy for me to understand and apply to my life.

14 Comments

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  2. Hi Esha, I hope Trey reads this too. It’s so funny he knows I blog about him sometimes, but he says he’s not interested. Maybe someday. I actually want him to help me with it. We’ll see.

  3. I think we have given enough attention to Yolanda and its aftermath and the side issues of politics in the relief operations. It’s time we talk about other national issues. Nakakasawa na ito. Get me out of here.

  4. I had a dream of a 3 headed black horse . A deserted road…. or street . I could not see the lines, so i assumed its just a road DESERTED because i see color in my dreams i like to observe everything in the dream when i can. The sky or surrounding area was orange as a desert.the sky and ground. There were people walking down this road dressed in white then i see a bride.then after the bride right before i wake up i see the black horse with three heads. It was not really doing anything it just appeared. Was not weird looking and did not walk. I also have had dreams of other black animals before and i found out way later what it means. But this dream in still wondering. Its been at least 9 years ago. And i still don’t know why. Or what it means.

  5. Hi,I’m currently on TB treatment rifafour. My CD4 is currently 249, my doc has put me on odimune & purbac ds. I’m scared of taking all this treatment @once. I’m kind of confused as when to take these without causing complications. Can I take purbac & odimune at the same time?

  6. The links in the WODs rarely work or go to the correct site for me. The Zone link (Know your Zone) displays a page not found error. The Spartan Exercise Database link goes to the same Double Butt Jump link above. Is this an issue with my browser or for everyone? This has been my experience with the last few WOD posts — link issues with each.

  7. As with any symptoms, this is something to discuss with your doctor. Some people who are diagnosed HIV positive when their CD4 count is already very low, have nerve damage caused by HIV. This is called neuropathy. Another cause is the HIV drug stavudine (d4T).

  8. Night sweats is not included as a side effect in the summary of product information for efavirenz. It could plausibly happen if you are having the very bad dreams or nightmares. If you are not having these at the same time though, please talk to your doctor in case it is a symptom of something else.

  9. As the mother to two teens, I can totally relate to this. Teens communicate is a different way….a way that we are not used to. I remember taking the family phone into my room when I was a teen. There was no privacy and always got in trouble for tying up the family phone line.

  10. Hi I got while looking at Mr Smiths claim about ‘the book of Revelation being the plainest of books God caused to be written’ and have to agree it is when you read it as it was written to be read and I have to ask if Mr Smith understood it so well why then did he not tell everyone how to read it?
    Terry

  11. Joseph Smith did explain how to understand the Book of Revelation. The above quote is taken from the tail end of that explanation. the full quote is found in the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p289 and p290. If one puts in the time, effort, prayer, and faith these books are very understandable, and it becomes very clear what is taught in it- and in Isaiah. The main key to understanding Revelation is that, as Joseph Smith teaches, John saw nothing of the past. It was all stuff that lie in future from John’s day. Joseph said “There is a grand difference and distinction between the visions and figures spoken of by the ancient prophets, and those spoken of in the revelations of John. The things which John saw had no allusion to the scenes of the days of Adam, Enoch, Abraham or Jesus, only so far as is plainly represented by John, and clearly set forth by him. John saw that only which was lying in futurity and which was shortly to come to pass. See Rev. 1:1-3,7 which is a key to the whole subject:” Because of this we must realize that the seven seals that contain the history of the world in it’s 7 dispensations were not opened at the beginning of each thousand year period, but were opened by Christ after his resurrection during the time of the 5th seal. So the white horseman is not Adam, Enoch, or Christ, etc. There are many more things that Joseph taught about the book of revelations you just gotta look for them. If you really want to understand them start with the LDS institute study manual and the JST of Revelation 12.

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