The Plain Words of the Book of Revelation

The Prophet Joseph Smith made this surprising statement about the Book of Revelation: “Revelation is one of the plainest books God ever caused to be written.”  For most of us, the book of Revelation is one of the most difficult books in the New Testament to understand, with its vision of beasts and dragons and many symbols that we don’t have consensus on about their meaning.  One suggestion I heard recently was that he simply may have been using irony to describe a book that seems to most of us the opposite of plain.  He certainly had a sense of humor, and perhaps he was simply being a bit ironic about this book that has caused so many to give up in frustration at trying to understand it. 

               And yet, to me that explanation of the prophet’s statement is not fully satisfying, and reading the bigger context of what he said shows a confidence in his understanding of the book.  He wrote, “The things John saw had no allusion to the day of Adam Enoch Abraham or Jesus— only as clearly specified & set forth to John. I saw that that which was lying in futurity. Rev 1.1.— read <​is​> key to the whole subject.”  The way Joseph was speaking about the book before making this surprising statement about its plainness was one of confidence and understanding, so I find it difficult to believe he was not serious about what he said.  That said, he did provide this additional clarification in this same reference: “God always holds himself responsible to give revelations of his visions & <​if​> he does it not we are not responsible. Speculators need not fear they shall be condemned if God has given no revelation.”  Certainly for us there are parts that are difficult to understand for which we are not responsible to fully understand because we don’t have enough revelation yet on the subject. 

               Perhaps what Joseph meant, then, was that there are major themes and messages of the book of Revelation that are absolutely plain and clear, even if that still leaves details that we don’t fully understand.  For example, there is no question that the book of Revelation teaches that good shall triumph over evil and that hurt and sorrow will one day end.  We read, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).  It is clear that men will be punished for their wickedness and will stand accountable: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8).  We see without question the reality of evil and wickedness in the last days and can understand in general that great difficulty will come upon the earth even if all of the symbols are not crystal clear.  The book clearly lays out, though, the power of Jesus Christ, His divinity and ultimate triumph over all: “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:15-16).  It is through Jesus Christ that we can overcome all our sins and challenges in mortality, and the book plainly declares our need to come unto Him for salvation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).  That is a plain invitation that we can all understand and are all invited to follow.