ARRAYED IN WHITE

 

The sheer contemplation of eternity overwhelms me. What in pre-mortality was a concept so plain to my understanding, now begs to unravel the mystery that plagues me. The treasures in the Book of Revelation just keep giving. Nowhere in the holy writ do I get a glimpse into eternity like I do in this book. The picture this book gives us of the throne of God the Father surrounded by His exalted children, arrayed in white apparel, praising Him because their robes had been washed in the blood of the Lamb is beyond breathtaking. It was explained to John that these so arrayed ‘came out of great tribulation’ and that they ‘shall hunger no more….for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes’ (Revelation 7:9-17). When you put this into the context of our exaltation being His work, you can understand how His exalted children also become His glory (Moses 1:39).

And here is another glimpse into our eternity. John saw animals and people not only praising God the Father but worshipping Him ‘forever’ (Revelation 4:8-11). This truth stands: we will continue to worship Heavenly Father in the eternities to come because He will ALWAYS be our God. It gives you a clearer picture of how we glorify God through the lives that we live, because that glory lives on.  (see New Testament Institute Manual for clarification of these quoted scriptures and Neal A. Maxwell’s “From Whom All Blessings Flow”, Ensign, May 1997, p 12).

The most supernal glimpse into the splendor of eternity would have to be John’s vision of the book of life with the seven seals revealing the history of this earth. And here is the tenderness of it….John says he ‘wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon’ (5:4). Why did John weep? Because the book contained the history of every living soul upon this earth and souls matter, they matter very much. And then hope…..John was told not to weep because the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, who was slain and had redeemed us was worthy to open the book (5:5,9). And John heard ‘every creature in heaven and on earth, and under the earth saying: Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever’ (5:13). Imagine the spiritual energy, the rapture, the ecstasy of this moment in the celestial realm. This glimpse would be overwhelming to a mere mortal. But it was a moment of love to John who sat alone at Patmos and who would live through all the tribulations of this world until the last day when the King of Kings comes again and greets him exclaiming: John, my Beloved!

If you want to ‘think celestial’ like President Nelson advised, study the Book of Revelation.

Our exaltation would never be possible without the condescension of Christ. The birth was the beginning of the end. Without the birth, there would be no salvation, no exaltation, no glory. The glory begins with the lowliest of all births amongst animals of this earth and lambs in the field witnessing the greatest act of humility in the arrival of the King. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN