Points to Ponder in Revelation 6-14

To accompany your Come Follow Me study for December 11-17

In addition to reading the indicated chapters, you may wish to:

Read the applicable portions of the New Testament Institute Student Manual at:

See the following videos:

If you would like a Kahoot game related to this material which you could use for personal study or use with your family or your class, click here: https://create.kahoot.it/share/revelation-6-14/cdb8763d-7b62-4cdb-966d-e3b3a5c04dc8 . (To use it with a group, after clicking on this link, you will need to log into Kahoot, creating a free account if you have not done so previously, then click on the blue “Start” button.)

1. How could you summarize the essential message of the Book of Revelation in ten words or less?

2. What in Revelation 6-14 specifically supports distinctive doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

3. What in Revelation 6-14 are your five favorite passages to reinforce the promise that “the righteous need not fear”?

4. What are your other favorite passages from these nine chapters, and why?

Possible Answers to Points to Ponder in Revelation 6-14

1. How could you summarize the essential message of the Book of Revelation in ten words or less?

I can do no better than to share a story from the February 2, 1979, issue of Christianity Today:

“A friend told me of an incident that happened while he was in seminary. Since the school had no gymnasium, he and his friends played basketball in a nearby public school. The elderly janitor waited patiently until the seminarians finished playing. Invariably he sat there reading his Bible. One day my friend asked him what he was reading. The man answered, ‘The Book of Revelation.’ Surprised, my friend asked if he understood it.

“’Oh, yes,’ the man assured him. ‘I understand it.’

“’What does it mean?’

“Very quietly the janitor answered, ‘It means that Jesus is gonna win.’”

There is so much that the Lord does not expect us to understand in detail in the Book of Revelation. Clearly, there will be many challenges facing the Lord’s children in years to come. But the message of Revelation is the same as that repeated half a dozen times by Nephi in 1 Nephi 22: “The righteous need not fear.”

2. What in Revelation 6-14 specifically supports distinctive doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

12:4: A third of the hosts of heaven were cast down when they persisted in following Lucifer in the premortal war in heaven.
12:6: The Great Apostasy is symbolized by the woman, representing the Church of God, which “fled into the wilderness” for a time.

12:7-9: More details about the war in heaven.
13:7: The totality of the Great Apostasy is detailed: “It was given unto [Satan] to make war with the saints, and to overcome them, and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”
13:14: Satan has power to perform miracles, which may deceive those who don’t have the Spirit of God to differentiate between Godly miracles and Satanic ones.
14:6-7: Angels from heaven would come in the latter days to bring the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell on the earth, implying a restoration of the gospel previously lost through the Great Apostasy. Were the apostasy not complete, there would be no need for angels to be sent from heaven to convey the gospel to men on earth.

3. What in Revelation 6-14 are your five favorite passages to reinforce the promise that “the righteous need not fear”?

Your choice: I’ve listed ten, with my favorites in bold type.

6:9-11: White robes were given every one of those who were slain for their testimony of the word of God.
7:1-4: The destroying angels were held back until the Lord’s servants were properly prepared and sealed.
7:9, 14-17: A great multitude “which no man could number” will be saved in the kingdom of God, where they shall hunger and thirst no more, and where God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

8:4: The prayers of the saints do come to God’s attention.
9:4: Special protection is afforded those who have “the seal of God in their foreheads.”
11:3-12: God gives special authority and protection to His representatives until they have completed their mortal missions and has a great reward prepared for them thereafter.
11:15: Both the ecclesiastical and political kingdom will be under God’s direction during the Millennium.
12:4: Implicit in the fact that a third part of the stars (premortal spirits) of heaven were cast down is the fact that the other two-thirds were not. As Elisha told his servant, just before showing him the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire, “They that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (2 Kings 6:16.)
12:11: We can overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb” and by the word of our testimony and need not fear even unto death.
14:13: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord,… that they may rest from their labours.”

4. What are your other favorite passages from these nine chapters, and why?

12:10: I love the reminder that Satan is known as “the accuser of our brethren.” It has at least two important applications: One, whenever someone has the spirit of criticism of Church leaders or members, it is clear under which spirit he is operating. Second, whenever we feel ongoing guilt and worthlessness, even when we have tried to repent, we may know that it is Satan, not God, who is the author of such feelings.
13:10; 14:12: A good reminder of the need for both faith and patience (which is a special manifestation of faith.)