As we look forward to the Savior’s Second Coming, we use the book of Revelation and other scriptures to try see the “signs of the times”—that is, the things that will happen before that great day arrives. But some of the symbols and metaphors John uses are hard to decipher. Some of the things he was seeing, 20 centuries in the future, must have been hard to describe!
This week’s Come, Follow Me chapters include several things that God has not yet fully explained.:
- The “seal of God” on people’s foreheads (Rev. 9:4).
- The number “666” (see Rev. 13:18).
The meanings of these symbols have not yet been fully explained by God, although people have theories! Oh, do people ever have theories. But we don’t know which, if any, of those interpretations is right.
But instead of focusing on those, choose to study what God’s prophets have taught about the scriptures. As you prayerfully read Revelation and other “last days” scriptures, use the study guides and other available resources to help you understand what the Lord has explained through His prophets. Doctrine and Covenants 77 is a good example.
Don’t stress if there are some things you just can’t figure out. The Prophet Joseph Smith gave this reassuring promise: “Don’t be afraid of being damned for not knowing the meaning of a vision or figure, if God has not given a revelation or interpretation of the subject.”1
Get all you can out of the scriptures. There’s more in there than you might think! But don’t worry about understanding every single detail. After all, God is fair. If He hasn’t explained it, He doesn’t expect us to know it. (Whew!)
Doctrine and Covenants 77
1. From “Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith,” page 291.