Chapter 5 (JSCB)

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." (Revelation 5:6 – KJV)

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having twelve horns and twelve eyes, which are the twelve servants of God, sent forth into all the earth." (Revelation 5:6 – JST)

Notable changes to Revelation 5:6:
• KJV: The Lamb has "seven horns and seven eyes."
• JST: The Lamb has "twelve horns and twelve eyes."
• KJV: Seven Spirits are mentioned. It is written, "the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."
• JST: Twelve servants are mentioned in place of the seven Spirits. It is written, "the twelve servants of God, sent forth into all the earth."

The King James Version (KJV) of Revelation 5:6 describes the Lamb as having "seven horns and seven eyes." This imagery is rich in symbolism. The seven horns and seven eyes represent the seven spirits or angels that God sent throughout the earth. And so we see seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God mentioned. The Joseph Smith Translation (JST) changes the number of horns and eyes on the Lamb. It was changed from seven to twelve. It also identifies twelve servants of God, rather than seven Spirits of God. Why was seven changed to twelve in each of these instances? I will never know. It is speculated that this represents the twelve apostles in the Mormon church. In any case, that type of thinking is wrong. Changing the Bible because of a belief is wrong.

According to the JST, Jesus has twelve horns, instead of seven. He also has twelve eyes, instead of seven. Rather than the Lord sending out seven angels in all the earth, God is now sending twelve human servants instead. This new story changes everything. You see, in Revelation 8, the seven angels blow their trumpets. In Revelation 15, and 16, the same seven angels pour out their plagues and vials upon the earth. All these events would no longer take place if the Joseph Smith Translation was correct. This is what happens when people replace spirits of God with twelve servants. As I mentioned, in chapter 8, the Spirits are known as angels. Where if you continue to read, their roles are identified. The King James Version of the Book of Revelation is true. It can be trusted.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Paul the Apostle emphasized the divine inspiration of God's Word, asserting that it serves to correct false doctrines. He warned that altering its content would strip it of its divine inspiration, rendering it man-made instead. This principle carries great importance. Consider the changes made to the many verses in the Book of Revelation. I find it particularly grievous that Joseph Smith took such liberties to change with the sacred text of the Bible. As for people that lived their lives to keep the Bible untouched, many of them were martyrs because of their faith in Jesus. They would be appalled by what Joseph Smith did to change the wording of the Bible. This is also seen as grievous in God's sight.

The Book of Revelation concludes with a stern warning against adding to or subtracting from its prophecies. This admonition is crucial when comparing the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible with the Joseph Smith Translation (JST). The JST, rather than being based on ancient Bible manuscripts, is an offshoot of the KJV. Despite this, the Mormon church still considers the JST important. This is evidenced by its inclusion as footnotes in most of their Bibles. If you were to open a Bible in Mormonism, it would show JST footnotes for many verses. You can see the same changes to Revelation 5:6, that I mentioned above in these footnotes. Is this a problem for anyone? This demonstrates that Mormons would rather believe Joseph Smith and his new book. An already translated book like the KJV or other word-for-word translations are not as important.

The act of adding to the Book of Revelation carries severe consequences, as outlined in Revelation 22:18. God promises to inflict upon the offender the plagues described within the book. Similarly, those who remove content from the Book of Revelation will face losing their part from the book of life. They will be excluded from the holy city and the blessings enumerated in the prophecy (Revelation 22:19). This dire fate awaits any individual who dares to tamper with the text of the Book of Revelation. In Joseph Smith's case, his actions have condemned him to an eternity in hell. I am speaking of a fate that should elicit no admiration, but contempt for leading countless people astray.

God's warning against altering the Book of Revelation extends beyond Joseph Smith. It applies to anyone who would dare to meddle with its contents. As demonstrated by the numerous changes found in the JST, this warning holds relevance even today. Smith's current state serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of a false prophet. He now awaits the Great White Throne Judgment seat, where he will learn that his name is absent from the Lamb's Book of Life. As a result, he will share the fate of the wicked, suffering the second death in the lake of fire.

The additions and subtractions made to Revelation in the JST are alarming. Such blatant disregard for the sanctity of God's Word elicits strong emotions in people. We cherish the divine message for humankind and hate it when people corrupt it. Joseph Smith purposely distorted God's Word. This not only was sinful but also incurred the wrath of God. Despite the apparent apathy of some toward such transgressions, his transgression needs to be looked at. The Bible makes it clear that judgment day will reveal the true extent of God's wrath against those who add to and subtract from His Word. The corruption of God's Word could lead to the loss of many souls. The Book of Revelation is critical to Christians and Jews in the last days. Corrupting this prophecy causes people to not recognize their promised Messiah. This would cost the souls of many.

The consequences of adding to the Bible are severe. God will visit upon the offender the plagues described in the Book of Revelation. Those who face God's wrath in death will find themselves unsaved. They are destined for an eternity in hell, as illustrated by the rich man's fate in Luke 16:19-31. Removing content from the Bible is equally disastrous. Therefore, God will remove the offender's name from the book of life. It will be a horrifying realization that one's name is absent from the Lamb's book of life. This is accompanied by the chilling words "I never knew you," and "depart from me." It serves as a potent reminder of the gravity of this sin.

In the end, those who remove content from the Bible will be barred from entering the holy city. They will not experience the new earth or the new heaven. The blessings promised in the book will be beyond their reach. This leaves only damnation and condemnation in the lake of fire, where there is a second death. This fate befalls Joseph Smith, who dared to add to and subtract from the Book of Revelation. Anyone who remains unconvinced of the gravity of Smith's actions would do well to revisit Revelation 22:18,19 and Revelation 20:12-15. Amen.