Answers to Questions, between circa 4 and circa 20 March 1832 [D&C 77]
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Source Note
Answers to Questions, [, OH, ca. Mar. 1832]. Featured version, titled “Revelation Explained,” copied [between 26 Apr. and ca. Aug. 1832] in Revelation Book 1, pp. 141–144; handwriting of ; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 1.
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Historical Introduction
As JS continued his revision of the New Testament in February and March 1832, he reached the book of Revelation with its abundance of symbolic language. “About the first of march, in connection with the of the ,” a later JS history explains, “I received the following explanation of the Revelations of Saint John.” Given that JS was in , Ohio, and was not working on the New Testament revisions between 29 February and 4 March 1832, this document was likely written sometime between 4 March and 20 March, when another revelation told JS and (who was serving as JS’s scribe) to “omit the translation for the present time” so that they could travel to . By the night of 24–25 March 1832, when the pair was attacked by a group of men in , Ohio, JS and Rigdon were working on the eleventh chapter of the book of Revelation, the last chapter mentioned in the explanation.Because he was inscribing the New Testament revision, probably served as the original scribe for the explanation, but could have been the scribe instead. The earliest surviving copy is an undated one made by in Revelation Book 1, where it is identified only as “Revelation Explained.” Whitmer, who was residing in at the time, probably made the copy sometime after April 1832, when JS likely brought a copy of the original document to Missouri along with copies of revelations dictated in March.
Footnotes
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1
JS History, vol. A-1, 192.
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3
Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 422.
Faulring, Scott H., Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds. Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.
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4
Gause apparently served as scribe for JS’s Bible revision between 8 March and 20 March, during which time JS revised the first and second chapters of the book of Revelation. (Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 70; Jennings, “Consequential Counselor,” 183.)
Faulring, Scott H., Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds. Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.
Jennings, Erin B. “The Consequential Counselor: Restoring the Root(s) of Jesse Gause.” Journal of Mormon History 34 (Spring 2008): 182–227.
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5
See Historical Introduction to Revelation Book 1.
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1

What is the Sea of Glass spoken of by John 4 Chap. and sixth verse of revelations? | |
Ans | It is the Earth in its sanctified immortal and eternal state |
Q | What are we to understand by the four beasts spoken of by John in the 4 Chapt. & 6 verse of Revelations? |
A | They are figurative Expressions used by the revelator John in disscribing heaven the paradise of God the hapiness of men and of beasts and of creeping things and of the fowls of the air that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual the Spirit of man in the likeness of his person as also the spirit of the beast and every other creature which God has created |
Q | Are the four beasts limited to individual Beasts or do they represent classes or orders? |
Ans | They are limited to four individual beasts which were shewn to John to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order or sphere of creation in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity. |
Q | What are we to understand the Eyes and wings which the beasts had? |
A | Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge that is they are full of knowledge and their wings are a representation of power to move to act &c. |
Q | What are we to understand by the four and twenty Elders spoken of by John? |
A | We are to understand that these Elders whom John saw were Elders who had been faithful in the work of the ministry and were dead who belonged to the Seven Churches and were then in the paradise of God. |
Q | What are we to understand by the Book which John saw which was sealed on the back with seven Seals ? |