Understanding the Book of Revelation Part 5: Servants
There are many in the world who claim to be the Lord’s servants. Some of them may have valid claims, depending on how they define what a servant is, but not all are the type of Servant defined in The Revelation of St John the Divine. These are a very specific group of people who possess extraordinary spiritual gifts, and, like the other levels on the spiritual staircase, have a specific mission in preparing the way for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
As detailed in the blog just prior to this one, here are the spiritual blessings bestowed on each of the levels of spirituality, as they are described in The Revelation, that have been discussed to this point: God’s People:
• Covenant with God
Saints:
• Retain covenants with God
• Saved
• Citizenship in Zion
• Name written in the Book of Life
• Enjoy the presence of the Lord
Servants:
• Retains prior blessings
• Immune from the second death
• Clothed in white robes
• Ordained Kings and Priests of God
• Sealed as one of the 144,000
There are certainly degrees of progression within each of these levels. For example, a person who is in the “God’s People” category may be saved and have their name written in the book of life, but have not yet received the Lord’s presence. This person would still be in the category entitled as “God’s People”, but they would be well on their way to becoming a “Saint”. Although this individual more closely resembles a Saint than someone who is “God’s People”, they have yet to be a full-fledged Saint. These progressive levels usually come in degrees.
Avoid the temptation of visualizing some other person inhabiting each of these levels of spirituality. Of all of the explanations detailed by John in The Revelation, there is never an indication that such advancement is reserved for Bishops, Stake Presidents, or General Authorities. They are directed to
everyone, men and women, who would ever read Revelation with the Spirit. All are capable of walking up the spiritual staircase. So don’t picture others, no matter how prominent they are. Visualize yourself there because that is where you belong.
As shown in the following verse, there are numberless people who arise to the level of servant. Why would you not be numbered among them?
“After [beholding the 144,000] I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands…And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knows. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.” (Revelation 7:9, 13-15)
Notice that these have “come out of great tribulation”. As shown in a previous blog, Saints are called to pass through great tribulation for a time. They are commissioned to endure the tribulation well, and if they do they will advance to the next level of spirituality. These verses are making it clear that these that are clothed in white robes are those who have overcome the level of Saint.
Revelation teaches that the 144,000 will come out of the 12 tribes of Israel (see Revelation 7:4), and these 144,000 will be the group of individuals comprising the army that will defy the armies of the beast in the last days (see Revelation 11:3-6 and this blog). But if one considers
the repercussions of the above quoted verses it is obvious that even those who are outside of the 12 tribes of Israel are capable of arising to the level of a Servant. Their mission may differ from those natural members of the House of Israel, as they are not included in the 144,000; but their status with the Lord is the same.
If it is possible for those who are not of the house of Israel to covenant with God and thereby be adopted as one of His People, then is it not also probable that they would, by virtue of their covenants, be changed sufficiently to become Saints? And would not such Saints face a great deal of tribulation, perhaps even greater than those who are surrounded by those of the Lord’s House? If this is possible, then why would their tribulation be any less efficacious in helping them progress to become Servants?
Most often it is the narrowness of our minds that tends to exclude individuals from the Lord’s grace, not Him. The spiritual staircase in Revelation is available to all, bar none. All spirits grew out of the same Divinity in the pre-mortal realm. We are all God’s children and all are alike unto Him, and we all have the same potential regardless of circumstance.
The two churches in Asia that serve as the prototype of Servants are Pergamos and Sardis. If you haven’t read the two introductory blogs to this series (here and here), they provide the explanation for why these two churches represent those at the Servant level.
With the second coming on the horizon there will undoubtedly be an unprecedented increase in the number of servants who will be called and chosen. Why would you not be numbered among them? You may well be, and for that reason, it is invaluable to learn the counsel given to these two churches in Revelation. Pergamos
“And to the servant of the church in Pergamos write…I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is; and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherin Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.” (Revelation 2:12-13)
Servants, although living in this world, where Satan’s seat is, are true to the Lord at all costs. Even when the call of martyrdom is sounded they do not waver
. In The Revelation, the Saints endure tribulation in the prelude to the second coming, but martyrdom is associated, almost exclusively, with the Servants. Virtually all of the references to martyrdom in The Revelation are connected to Servants. There is nothing easy about the life of the Servants in the last days. What do those in Pergamos lack?
“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Isreal, to eat things sacrifice unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolations, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.” (Revelation 2:14-16)
Notice that the Servants here aren’t being rebuked for things they are personally doing wrong. Rather, the focus of what they must overcome has more to do with their tolerance of false and deceptive doctrines.
The Servant’s mission is among “God’s People”. The Servants are sent as watchmen and as a voice of proclamation to help those who seek to flee Babylon to clearly see the way to Zion. A large part of their mission is to proclaim truth and maintain its purity among those who lack the ability to see afar off.
It is no wonder why the leaders of the Lord’s Restored Church go to the lengths that they do to attempt to maintain doctrinal purity. As far as The Revelation is concerned, the tolerance of some levels of false doctrine is the stumbling block that prevents a Servant from progressing. If this challenge is overcome then the blessing is promised:
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knowest saving he that receiveth it.” (Revelaiton 2:17)
As explained in this verse, and in detail in this blog; those Servants who faithfully overcome their current level on the spiritual staircase will become an Anointed Seer.
It is fitting that those Servants who overcome will be given a white stone (a seer stone) as they are anointed as Seers. Many individuals withing the church struggled when they learned that Joseph Smith used seer stones
in the founding days of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and the majority of people outside of the church scoffed at the idea of seer stones as disingenuous or even demonic. Such stones are not only sound doctrine, but their use should also be expected, especially in the days that will usher in the second coming. Sardis
“And unto the servant of the church in Sardis, write…I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art not dead.” (Revelation 3:1)
If you read this verse in the King James Version of the Bible, you will notice that there is a significant adjustment to the text in the Inspired Version (which is the version I quote while writing these blogs. Here is a free PDF). The King James Version states that those at Sardis “livest, and art dead”. But the Inspired Version indicates the contrary: “thou livest, and art NOT dead.”
Because the “death” spoken of in this context relates to the spiritual death; the inspired change to the text is significant. As taught in The Revelation, Servants of God are immune from the spiritual death. If the text were unchanged from the KJV it would contradict the overall writing structure in Revelation. If those at Sardis were spiritually dead then they could not represent Servants and the 7 churches could, therefore, not form a chiasm. But thanks to the Inspired Version of the Bible, we see that they do. This, to me, reinforces that Joseph Smith was indeed inspired while working on the JST. The Revelation goes on to describe the work that Servants undertake:
“Be watchful therefore, and strengthen those who remain, who are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy” (Revelation 3:2-4)
Notice the parallel between Sardis and Pergamos. Pergamos was reproved because they had not adequately extinguished particular false doctrines which caused some to stumble. And Sardis is told of their need to strengthen those who are ready to die (spiritually). The mission of Servants is to be watchmen
among God’s People, to help those who are lower on the spiritual staircase to see what is beyond their view, and to help others climb the spiritual staircase that they, themselves, have walked up. If they are not adequately strengthening those who God has placed in their stewardship then, as the verse above indicates, such servants will be caught just as unawares as the rest of the world when Christ comes as a thief.
As spiritually developed as a Servant is, I find comfort when the above verses state that God has not “found [their] works perfect”. Are your works perfect? No. But don’t let that discourage you nor diminish your faith in the Lord’s plan for you to progress spiritually. Imperfect works do not disqualify you from becoming a Servant. On the contrary, imperfect works embody the human condition so thoroughly that imperfect works are used as a characterization of even the greatest among us.
To those who overcome this state—to those who properly watch over those whom they preside, and to those who so thoroughly repent that their works do indeed become perfect—the promise is given:
“He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father and his angels. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” (Revelation 3:5-6)
In Greek “confess”, as used in the original writings, literally means “to agree fully” (Strong’s Concordance G1843). When God “agrees fully” with an individual He is saying that their will is the same as His will. This is the state a person has arisen to when they receive the fullness of the Priesthood, which is bestowed on the Anointed Seers.
When a person receives the fullness of the Priesthood God proclaims before His angels that all things will obey that person’s voice. If they command a mountain to move, it moves. If they command that the blind see, they see. If they command drought and famine plague the nations, then rain stops and disease permeates.
How do they obtain such power in the Priesthood? If God has stated that all things will obey their words, then their words become as binding as if God spoke them. Why? Because God would become a liar if He claimed that all things would obey their words, only to have their words fail to come to pass. In this way God binds Himself to them. They are literally one with Him because the truthfulness of His words are contingent on their words also being fulfilled.
This is the power that is bestowed on the Anointed Seer that enables him to lead an army to overthrow the beast.
In the next blog of this series the status and mission of an Anointed Seer will be discussed. This is the crowning state a person can arise to while in mortality, and once such a level is fully realized mortality is no longer capable of burdening them in any way.
Recent Comments