2019 Study Summary 50: He That Overcometh Shall Inherit All Things

Revelation 12–22

“He That Overcometh Shall Inherit All Things”

Summary:

John sees the imminent apostasy of the Church—He also sees the War in Heaven in the beginning when Satan was cast out—He sees the continuation of that war on earth.

John sees fierce-looking beasts that represent degenerate earthly kingdoms controlled by Satan—The devil works miracles and deceives men.

The Lamb will stand upon Mount Zion—The gospel will be restored in the last days by angelic ministry—The Son of Man will harvest the earth.

Exalted Saints praise God in celestial glory forever.

God pours out plagues upon the wicked—The nations assemble for Armageddon—Christ comes, islands flee, and mountains cease.

John is shown that Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations, has become established throughout the earth.

God pours out plagues upon the wicked—The nations assemble for Armageddon—Christ comes, islands flee, and mountains cease.

John is shown that Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations, has become established throughout the earth.

The Saints are called out of Babylon lest they partake of her sins—She falls and is lamented by her supporters.

The marriage supper of the Lamb is made ready—The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy—Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Satan is bound during the Millennium—The Saints will then live and reign with Christ—The dead stand before God and are judged out of the books according to their works.

Those who overcome will be sons of God—The earth attains its celestial glory.

The Saints will reign in celestial splendor—Christ will come, and men will be judged—Blessed are they who keep His commandments.

What is the precedence of a “Temple Society?”
In more than four decades of being a tour guide in Israel, one of many experiences stands out as most touching. It is the experience of reviewing Israel’s history and sacred way of dwelling. There seemed to be a telestial, terrestrial and celestial identity. I see the Lord’s people as a “temple society,” a “Zion,” with eleven parts of the camp on the outer periphery. Each tribe had stakes with banners identifying their location. They surrounded one tribe, the priestly Levites, who made a periphery around the Lord’s “presence,” his tabernacle. The tabernacle, the “Holy of Holies” and center part of the camp of Israel, was likewise identified by stakes that were draped with curtains because of its very holy and high priestly state.

What was the purpose of capital cities?
Eventually, Israel began to grow and wander from the unity the temple society required. So, a system of cities and of capital cities began to develop. The capital city had the tabernacle with temple courtyards large enough to handle tens of thousands of worthy Israelites to teach and remind them of ordinances that still applied to the whole Zion society. There still was an outer ring for the multitude that circled a center ring that was under the priestly Levite administration. Only worthy members were able to be brought through the priestly courtyard to participate in ordinances and sacrifices that occurred in the higher priestly part of the temple with its altar in front of the “Holy of Holies”

How did temple buildings begin?
Eventually, the temple courtyards gave way to sacred “temple buildings” with telestial, terrestrial, and celestial identity. Instructions are given to prepare the people to be a Zion society. Again, its lesser and higher priestly environments and ordinances are designed to bring us into the Lord’s presence. Going back in history, turning around and looking at today, I begin to better understand the present and the future of temple buildings and the system of two capital cities, the Lord’s cities of new and old Jerusalem. I see the possibility of being the Lord’s people, dwelling with him in his city. We have additional insights from Elder Bruce R. McConkie. “Up to now, through all of earth’s long years, there has been one time, one time only, when the Lord’s system of capital cities has worked perfectly. Such was in the day of Enoch, the seventh from Adam. In that holy day, so faithful were the saints that the Lord, the Great Jehovah, “came and dwelt with his people,” even as he will in the millennial era that is to be. In that holy day, the saints “dwelt in righteousness,” even as they shall when the Lord comes again to dwell among mortals.” (Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Vol.1, p.84)

What is Zion?
“And the Lord called his people ZION, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them. And Enoch built a city that was called the City of Holiness, even ZION. . . . And Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that Zion was not, for God received it up into his own bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, ZION IS FLED.” (Moses 7:16-21, 69) Other scriptures help us understand more about a ZION or “temple society.” “And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come–after it should be destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord; wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of Israel.” (Ether 13:5)

How do I prepare to live in Zion?
There is a parallel of old Zion and new Zion. Prophecies of one may apply to both. One thing is for sure: The Lord will come, and He will dwell in his cities. That means that a degree of sanctity and cleanliness must exist in these cities. It is the same sacredness that any temple building requires. It will require us to be a “temple society.” “Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.” (Zechariah 8:3) The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Judah must return, Jerusalem must be rebuilt, and the temple, . . . and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance” (History of the Church 5:337). “Jerusalem of old, after the Jews have been cleansed and sanctified from all their sin, shall become a holy city where the Lord shall dwell and from whence he shall send forth his word unto all people. Likewise, on this continent, the city of Zion, New Jerusalem, shall be built and from it the law of God shall also go forth. There will be no conflict, for each city shall be headquarters for the Redeemer of the world, and from each he shall send forth his proclamations as occasion may require. Jerusalem shall be the gathering place of Judah and his fellows of the house of Israel, and Zion shall be the gathering place of Ephraim and his fellows, upon whose heads shall be conferred “the richer blessings.” (Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.3, p.69 – p.70)

What is new Jerusalem?
“Now many will feel disposed to say, that this New Jerusalem spoken of, is the Jerusalem that was built by the Jews on the eastern continent. But you will see, from Revelation 21:2, there was a New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, adorned as a bride for her husband; that after this, the Revelator was caught away in the Spirit, to a great and high mountain, and saw the great and holy city descending out of heaven from God. Now there are two cites spoken of here. As everything cannot be had in so narrow a compass as a letter, I shall say with brevity, that there is a New Jerusalem to be established on this continent, and also Jerusalem shall be rebuilt on the eastern continent (see Book of Mormon, Ether 13:1-12). “Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come; after it should be destroyed, it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord, wherefore it could not be a New Jerusalem, for it had been in a time of old.” This may suffice, upon the subject of gathering, until my next.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Section Two 1834-37 p.86)

What are the signs of the Armageddon scenario?
The conflicts that precede this great era are a refining fire. We are fortunate to have prophetic indications so that we can prepare ourselves for the future. As for the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem, there are specific signs and even time frames to guide us through future peril. As some see it, a five-phase era brings us to and through the “Armageddon” scenario. 1) The world turns against Israel. Hasn’t the UN practiced this already? 2) The armies of 200,000,000 will gather against Israel. (Is that the size of the army or is it like the army of more than three hundred million people that was gathered for the Gulf War)? Two prophets will hold them back for three-and-a-half years. (They will have political, military as well as spiritual influence.) 3) A great holocaust ensues where the prophets will lie dead in the streets for three-and-a-half days. (One third of the population of Israel as well as two thirds of the population of Jerusalem perishes.) 4) A great heavenly manifestation and deliverance follow. (The mount of Olives cleaves in two, the besieged of Jerusalem are freed.) 5) A great healing begins, as it takes seven months to bury the dead and the instruments of war provide seven years of fuel for the survivors.

How have Apostles and Prophets described the signs of the future?

“And when that day shall come they [those who then dwell in all lands] shall be visited of the Lord of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of devouring fire.” We have seen these things as they were manifest among the Nephites at the time of the crucifixion of Christ. We have seen them in the wars and butchery of modern times, particularly where atomic weapons are involved. And we shall yet see them, in a measure never before manifest on earth, when all nations gather against Jerusalem in the days of the coming Armageddon. This Nephi knew, and this we know.” (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.435)
“And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.” (Revelation 9:16) “. . . for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” (Revelation 11:2-4) 3) “And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.” (Revelation 9:17-18 – see also 16:14-21) “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” (Zechariah 13:8-9 – see also 11, 12, 13)
“These are the two . . . standing before the God of the earth . . . when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them . . . And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves . . . And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them . . . And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.” (Revelation 11:4-12)
“For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.” (Zechariah 14:2-5)
“And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the hand-staves, and the spears, and they shall burn them with fire seven years: So that they shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith the Lord GOD. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call it The valley of Hamon-gog. And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.” (Ezekiel 39:9-12)

How do we become a Zion society?
Some cleansing symbolism can be seen. As in the war of heaven when one third were cast out, one third of Israel will perish. Yet, as Israel was once a Zion society, the “Camp of Israel,” reduced to a series of large courtyards dedicated to the Lord and eventually became a House of The Lord, so it will return to the stakes of Zion and become the “Camp of the Lord,” or the “City of The Lord” again. Every dwelling place will be sacred and cleansed for the Lord to be able to dwell there.

What is taught about “Temple Cities?”
“For verily I say unto you, that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me, wherein the ordinance of baptizing for the dead belongeth, and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world, your baptisms for your dead cannot be acceptable unto me; For therein are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained, that you may receive honor and glory. And after this time, your baptisms for the dead, by those who are scattered abroad, are not acceptable unto me, saith the Lord. For it is ordained that in Zion, and in her stakes, and in Jerusalem, those places which I have appointed for refuge, shall be the places for your baptisms for your dead.” (D&C 124:33-36) “And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense.” (Isaiah 4:5) In picturing this “city temple” scene from our own home in Jerusalem, my sweetheart, Marilyn, said to me, “Daniel, that means you’ll have to have a temple recommend to carry out the trash!” Our goal is to make our home worthy of being part of a temple city, always open to welcome our Savior