Sunday, January 14, 2024

George A. Njeim (RLDS) on Revelation 14:6-7 and the Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon

  

Now a comparison of this young man’s vision with the account by the apostle in his revelation on Patmos would show clearly that the revelation that came in 1823 to this youth from New York State was the answer to what the prophet John saw about the year A.D. 97.

 

(1) John saw an angel with the gospel coming to preach to men on earth. This young man tells us that a messenger from God appeared to him and told him of a record deposited in the ground and in it there was to be found the fullness of the gospel.

 

(2) The angel asked men to fear God and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea.

 

(3 The angel whom John saw was to proclaim the hour of judgment. The messenger that appeared to Joseph Smith told him of “great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword and pestilence.” Here we find one who meets the challenge of the seven-headed beast (13:4) of whom it is said “who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

 

(4) Another thing which should attract special attention is the fact that the angel did not himself preach the gospel, but “had” it to preach. As it may have been noticed from the story of Joseph Smith, he was not permitted to get the record containing the fullness of the gospel at once. He was put under probation for four years, and was warned that if his motive was other than to glorify God and build his kingdom he was unable to obtain the record. In its every detail, the story of the experience of Joseph Smith fits the prophecy of Revelation with great precision. (George A. Njeim, Insights into the Book of Revelation: As Illuminated by the Book of Mormon [Lawrence, Kans.: George A. Njeim, 1970], 153-54)

 

 Further Reading:


Defending the Latter-day Saint Interpretation of Revelation 14:6-7