When I was eight years old, I resolved to read an old family Bible cover-to-cover. I began my reading in earnest, but somehow lost my resolve in the regulatory recitations of the Mosaic Law in Leviticus or Numbers. I can't say that the Law of Moses stunted my spiritual development, but it took more than ten years before my resolve to read the scriptures was restored.

In 1978, I was called on a full-time mission to the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission, where my study of the scriptures began anew. I read and studied them with renewed fervor and everything else scriptural that I was allowed to get my hands on. After returning from the Netherlands in 1980, I continued my scriptural studies even more earnestly. I resolved that for every hour I spent studying for my industrial management degree at the University of Wyoming, I would spend another hour studying the scriptures and related commentaries. By 1984, I had my Bachelor of Science degree and a heavily annotated set of scriptures with many margin notes.

Two things were missing, however, from my religious self-studies at the University of Wyoming. First, there was insufficient space in the margins of my scriptures to record the complete content of my mini-commentaries. Second, I did not have the skills or resources to research an immense world of religious literature. Fortunately, within a few short years these problems began to find their solution.

When I began law school in 1984, my eyes were opened to a whole new world of research techniques and resources for the study of legal issues. Then, with the advent of personal computers and the internet—including electronic search capabilities—it became increasingly possible to research gospel topics in the same way I learned to research legal issues during law school.

I graduated from the University of California at Davis with my Juris Doctorate in 1987. Early in 1988, I began my active-duty service in the United States Marine Corps as a Judge Advocate. While on active duty, I also went to night school at the University of San Diego, and graduated in 1991 with a Master of Laws degree in taxation. When my active-duty service was complete that same year, I began my 35-year career as a civil trial attorney. During my legal career I had one simple philosophy: To research the facts and the law until I knew more about both than anyone else in the courtroom. I have applied that same philosophy to researching and writing this book.

After my formal education and military service, my religious studies have, at times, been focused on specific volumes of scripture as I taught early morning seminary and institute courses for more than ten years. When my studies were not focused on specific course curricula, I researched and wrote about a variety of gospel subjects thinking that one day I would publish "the great American religious textbook." I confess that the Book of Revelation was never on my radar as the object of my focused studies.

In the spring of 2009, I was released from my seven-year call as a Bishop. In September of the same year, I was called to be the President of the Sacramento, California Stake. Shortly after my call, I had a very strong spiritual prompting that I must stop my current research and writing project and focus exclusively on the Book of Revelation. That was 14 years ago. Now, after many thousands of hours and almost 17,000 footnotes later, I have published this two-volume verse-by-verse commentary on the Book of Revelation.

During the last 14 years I have carefully studied every word of John the Revelator. I have studied the words of Daniel and other prophets, both ancient and modern, as they apply to what John both saw and heard during his vision on the island of Patmos. I have studied the words of John through the eyes of many learned and inspired scholars, theologians and church leaders from a variety of religions going all the way back to the writings of the Christian Fathers. Finally, I have prayerfully sought the guidance of the Spirit until I can now say with Joseph Smith that the Book of Revelation is indeed "one of the plainest books God ever caused to be written."

"One of the plainest books God ever caused to be written." — Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1938), p. 290.

My hope, of course, is that John's plainness has found its way into the pages of this book and that every attentive reader will see that plainness without having to invest 14 years of intense effort. Some readers may not perceive the plainness of which I speak. Others will undoubtedly disagree with some of my conclusions that materially differ from their own preconceived notions about what John had to say. Still others will say that some of my conclusions are speculative at best. I accept and expect such criticisms and ask but one thing before you summarily dismiss what I have to say. Consider first that Jesus Christ frequently taught doctrines that contradicted the common perceptions and beliefs of His Jewish audience.

On one occasion, for example, Christ spoke about the controversial ministry of John the Baptist and said, "If ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear" (Matt 11:14–15). What can I say more about the content in this book.

On a personal note, I wish to thank the many people who have helped make this book possible. Thank you to John McKinney, for knowing everyone in the world and sharing their contact information with me. Thanks to Dan Hogan, Emily Wirthlin Lester and others for their editorial expertise. Thanks to Cindy Porto for a lot of typing and patience in this process. Thanks to Chas Lesley for his artistic abilities and continuing friendship. Thanks to Jonathan and Jenna Dayley for all the computer stuff, including the cover art, which represents the unveiling of Jesus Christ through 666 apocalyptic images. Thanks also to the other Jonathan and Jill Urie, to Jacob and Tamara Cassinat, to Jessica Cassinat, to Jamie Cassinat, to Joshua and Kristen Cassinat, and to Jack Cassinat for their many contributions. I am extremely grateful for the proofreading, support and understanding of my wife, Jan. During this 14-year odyssey I have been to Jan and our seven children an absentee husband and father for many thousands of hours. With their sacrifices in mind, I lovingly dedicate this book to Jan and our seven sealed.