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

Ans. | We are to understand that it contains the revealed will. mysteries and works of God. the hidden things of his economy concerning this Earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance or its temporal existence. |
Q | What are we to understand by the Seven Seals with which it was sealed? |
A | We are to understand that the first seal contains the things of the first thousand years and the second also of the second thousand years and so on until the seventh. |
Q | What are we to understand by the four Angels spoken of by John 7 Chap & first verse of Rev. |
A | We are to understand that they are four angels sent forth from God to whom is given power over the four parts of the Earth to save life and to destroy. these are they who have the everlasting Gospel to commit to every Nation kindred tongue and people having power to shut up the heavens to up unto life, or to cast down to the regions of darkness. |
Q | What are we to understand by the angel ascending from the east Rev 7. Chap. & 2 verse? |
A | We are to understand that the angel ascended from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living God over the tweleve tribes of Israel wherefore he crieth unto the four angels having the everlasting Gospel to preach saying hurt not the earth neither the Sea nor the trees till we have sealed the Servants of our God in their foreheads and if you will receive it this is Elias which was to come to to gether the tribes of Israel and restore all things. |
Q | What time are things spoken of in this chapter to be accomplished? |