Question
Gramps,
I keep hearing the Palmyra Temple dedication was the opening of the 7th seal and that the Church website confirms we are in the 7th seal. However I have been unable to find it on the Church website. Is it true the Palmyra Temple dedication was the opening of the 7th seal and is it confirmed on the church website?
Angel
Answer
Hello Angel,
What you are hearing is one man’s opinion that the Palmyra Temple dedication was the fulfilling of Revelation 7:9-10
9 After this 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;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
This is an event that occurs at the ending of the sixth seal. If the sixth seal is ended then logically the seventh has begun.
In the Church’s study guide on the Book of Revelation, about halfway down we see the same chapter and verses described as:
Rewards for Those Who Endure Tribulations (Rev. 7:9–17)
A heavenly scene, “before the throne”; John sees that a “great multitude, which no man could number” will obtain the rewards of the faithful through righteously enduring “tribulation.” (Book of Revelation Overview)
And the next line down they talk about the 7th seal which they expect to be from about A.D. 2000 to A.D. 3000. That about has a lot of room in it. Maybe it has started, maybe it has not.
It is a bit of a reach to call that a confirmation.
There can be a lot of ‘maybes’ and ‘abouts’ when it comes to the Second Coming, but here are some things we can know for sure.
We are commanded to study, to learn and to prepare for the Second Coming as if it will happen tomorrow, no matter how far out it might be. We are also commanded to watch for the signs because while the scriptures say “No man knows the day or hour” of his coming. The scriptures tell us that it will not take his faithful who are watching by surprise. Think of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
We also know there are the Lord’s authorized servants and the Lord’s spirit which He uses to tell us things we need to know. The claims of a random member with a You Tube video (no matter how faithful) needs to be treated the same as any other source of information we come across. Namely we need to study it out and compare it the scriptures and teachings of the prophets and we need to pray about it.
Even after that, even after we study it and pray about it, if we feel it to be true and correct, it is still the place of the Lord’s authorized servants to reveal it as a truth to the world. Not ours. We can have our own opinions, but we should present it as such, and not try to present ourselves as God’s revelatory mouth piece.
If we are following the scriptural and prophetic commands to faithfully, study the word of God, to pray often, and to watch, then such faithful actions will have us ready no matter when it comes.
Gramps
