Nephi and John's Revelations of the Last Days Part 2 The Book of Mormon Lecture 21 by Hyrum Andrus
Channel: Light and Truth
Date: 20/06/2016

Hyrum L Andrus
All rights reserved August 10-12, 1989
Lecture – 21 JOHN'S REVELATION OF THE LAST DAYS -- Part 2
In Revelation 7:1 John discusses the choosing of the 144,000. Let's read what it says “And after these things,” and the antecedent to these is the event depicted in chapter 6 which gives you an overview of the judgments in the last days under the figures of the white, the red, the black, and the pale horse and the other openings of the seals. They goes on to say “and after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth.” Now the Scripture tells us the earth is square whether you believe that or not. You can make an argument for that, some people have. “...holding the four winds of the earth, that the winds should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel"--they saw first of all, four angels. Then he says, "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God; and I heard him cry with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea." Now, these are four destroying angels, or at least their ministry at this time is one of destruction. So he says, "And I heard him cry with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."
Let me turn to the Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, page 321, where he deals with chapter 7 of the book of Revelation, and he says just briefly, this. This is the report or the digest of his discourse. "Four destroying angels holding power over the four quarters of the earth," and that's a better translation, "until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, which signifies sealing the blessing upon their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant." And in this he goes on to indicate bringing them into the Church of the Firstborn.
Can you see the significance of that clarification? You see four angels, they have power to destroy. Then you see a fifth angel, and this fifth angel ascends from the east and as the four angels are about to do their thing, he says, "Hey, fellas, now you hang on. Don't get over-zealous. We've got a job to do before we reap down the earth even though it's as corrupt as it is. And the thing we've got to do is to seal the servants of God in their foreheads," which means sealing the blessings of the gospel and the house of the Lord upon them, and thereby organizing the Church of the Firstborn.
Now, let's go to Section 77 again and pick up the picture here as the Prophet Joseph Smith gives it to us. He says, and here's as very important clarification, verse 8: "What are we to understand by the four angels, spoken of in the 7th chapter and 1st verse of Revelation?" And note his answer, "We are to understand that they are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four parts of the earth to save life and to destroy." Their powers are to seal to eternal life and to seal to the damnation of hell, and to raise to life and to administer judgment unto death, over the four parts of the earth to save life and to destroy.
"These are they," and note this, "who have the everlasting gospel to commit to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people; having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life or to cast down to the regions of darkness." Who are the four major angels who had and committed the everlasting gospel? Who were they? Keep in mind that John the Baptist in restoring the preparatory gospel merely acted under the direction of Peter. Peter restored the everlasting gospel in the sense of its basic powers. Then you go to the Kirtland temple, and there you had three mighty angels who came and committed keys of authority by which the program and plan of the everlasting gospel is established. And those were first of all, Moses and the gathering of Israel and the leading of the ten tribes, one of the great gospel angels. There is Elias or Noah who committed the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, reappointed the promises of Abraham, centered them in Joseph and Oliver, and said, "In you and in your posterity all nations of the earth will be blessed, and we give you these keys and these rights." And then Elijah came, and he restored the fulness of the holy priesthood and the sealing power as it relates to the house of the Lord.
So you have Peter, Moses, Elias, and Elijah, the four great gospel angels. And what is their power? Their power is to seal up unto life or to cast down unto death. In the beginning of this dispensation we had the seed time, the planting time, the beginning time. And then the design is that the gospel be taught, and people are brought to the church, and then in the great cle… Get the full transcription from www.hyrumandrus.com!