War was fairly easy to see, but the reference to a pair of balances, measures of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley, and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine, was a little harder to interpret. I tried to find an explanation at the time but could not. Here is what I was looking for...
"This strange accounting of the price of wheat and barley seems baffling to us today, but knowledge of the monetary units and customs of John's time helps us to better understand what the voice declared. John's readers would have clearly understood it. A measure (Greek choenix) was approximately the same volume as our own quart and was the usual amount of a day's allowance or ration. The penny (denarius) was a small silver coin of Roman mintage. Although it is hard to determine the equivalent value in today's inflated economy, it is known that a denarius was the typical wage for a day's work in those times. Thus, to spend one day's wages to buy only enough food for one person for one day clearly points out that these were famine prices. Three measures of barley could be purchased for a penny, but barley was a much inferior grain for human consumption and was generally used only in times of great hunger. The fact that the rider had balances in his hand suggests that the scarcity of food was such that it had to be doled out with exactness. Elder McConkie has suggested that the phrase "hurt not the oil and the wine" meat that enough good should be preserved so that man would not utterly perish in the famine conditions of that time. (See McConkie, DNTC, 3:480.)"
Taken from Ye Shall Be Witnesses Unto Me A New Testament Reading Guide: Acts to Revelation Religion 212 and 212 IS
Persecution was the third strategy that was brought out in the reading with martyrs crying out to the Lord.
Here is the part of the lesson we did not get to:
3. After the last judgment, the righteous will dwell with God.
- •
After
the last great battle, the final
judgment will occur.
Reading
7
Revelation
20:12
12 And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was
opened, which is the book
of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.
What blessings will
come to those who are judged to be righteous? (See Revelation 21:3–7.
Reading
8
Revelation
21:3-7
3 And
I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And
God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for
the former things are passed away.
5 And
he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said
unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And
he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I
will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He
that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall
be my son.
The righteous will:
- a
- b.
- c.
Compare to the blessings and
promises that were promised to the saints in the seven churches from our lesson
last week.
Promises to Those Who Overcome:
Give to eat of the Tree of Life
Not be hurt of the second death
Give to eat of the hidden (sacred) manna (reference to the bread of life or Christ)
Clothed in white eternally - Names in the Book of Life
Sit with God on His throne
Blessings of Exaltation and Eternal Life
These are the blessings
ALL of us receive IF WE OVERCOME THE
WORLD. IF WE ARE RIGHTEOUS, WE CAN OVERCOME IT ALL.
Reading 9
President
David O. McKay told of a vision in which he saw a beautiful city, many
people dressed in white, and the Savior:
“The
city, I understood, was [the Savior’s]. It was the City Eternal; and the people
following him were to abide there in peace and eternal happiness.
“But who
were they?
“As if
the Savior read my thoughts, he answered by pointing to a semicircle that then
appeared above them, and on which were written in gold the words: These Are
They Who Have Overcome the World—Who Have Truly Been Born Again!” (Cherished
Experiences from the Writings of President David O. McKay, comp.
Clare Middlemiss [1976], 60).
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Show video Elder
Uchtdorf - Hope
Conclusion
Point out
that the New Testament ends with a message of great hope. Prophets like John
the Revelator have seen the things that are to come and have told us of the
blessings we will receive if we remain righteous and endure to the end. Testify
that the righteous will triumph at the end of the world. Encourage class
members to take courage and hope from this knowledge as they stand against
wickedness and seek to overcome the obstacles of this life.
