Section 12
Background Information
This revelation is addressed to Joseph Knight Sr. The Knight family is an historic one and have a significant pedigree within the history of the church. It was Joseph Knight Sr who employed JS as a day laborer and who loned JS his horse to see Emma Hales (later Emma Smith).
The Knight family met JS through Knight's businesses partner, Josiah Stowell. Stowell hired JS to find a mine that he was convinced was hidden up by the Issac Hale home. JS later reached out the the Knight family to "relieve his family's debts."
On commenting about JS' relationship with the Knight family, Joseph Knight Jr remarked "“Joseph and I worked and slept together: my Father said Joseph was the best hand he ever hired, we found him a boy of truth, he was about 21 years of age." Newel Knight also remarked that he found JS to be of "noble deportment" and that JS "faithfulness his kind address could not fail to gain the esteem of those who had the pleasure of his acquaintance." Eventually JS later his vision experience. According to Joseph Knight Jr, his father believed JS' words.
On September 1827, Knight was at Smith's home when JS retrieved the plates. Later that year the Knight family helped JS and Emma with financial assistance as they had fallen on hard times. Moreover, JS supported JS enough that he was able to recommence the translation of the lost manuscript.
Joseph Knight continued to provide support to JS during the translation process. Knight's son, Joseph Knight Jr., wrote how his father and him "often went to see [JS] and carry him something live upon. The Knight family also supplied either in part of whole a fifty-dollar payment for a thirteen-and-half-acre lot that JS bought from his father in law, Issac Hale. And when JS and OC were running low on provisions
But beside the financial support, the Knight family serve as an model for a faith who were steadfast in the Lord. Although the Knight's were not wealthy, they had enough to live a comfortable life. Newel Knight described his father as "not rich yet [he] possessed enough of this worlds good to secure to himself and family the necessaries and comforts of life." But despite this financial security, the Knight family experienced trials. Part of this was due to Knight's generosity, which in no small part allowed the translation of the gold plates to continue unabated.
But other causes of their suffering was due to the persecution members of the church experienced. The mob's persecution of the Knight family was so bad that Knight, his wife and daughter fled their home to accompany JS to Kirtland. The sons stayed behind to help the remaining members of the Colesville Saints. Later in their journey to Jackson County, Missouri, Knight's wife got sick and later died in Missouri.
Nevertheless, despite their trials and sufferings, the Knight family never wavered in their. Speaking of Joseph Knight Sr., JS wrote:
“[He] was among the number of the first to administer to my necessities. … For fifteen years he has been faithful and true, and even-handed and exemplary, and virtuous and kind, never deviating from the right hand or to the left. Behold, he is a righteous man, may God Almighty lengthen out the old man’s days; and may his trembling, tortured, and broken body be renewed, … and it shall be said of him, by the sons of Zion, while there is one of them remaining, that this man was a faithful man in Israel.”
Of Father Knight's sons, the prophet declared: " “There are his sons, Newel Knight and Joseph Knight, Jun., whose names I record in the Book of the Law of the Lord with unspeakable delight, for they are my friends.”
As one historian put it, the Knights "left their farms, their fortunes, and the graves of their loved ones behind as they followed the gospel call."
Section
1 A great and marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. 2 Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore, give heed unto my word.
3 Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God. 4 Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God. 5 Therefore, if you [Joseph Knight Sr] will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.
6 Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion. 7 Behold, I speak unto you, and also to all those who have desires to bring forth and establish this work; 8 And no one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity, being temperate in all things, whatsoever shall be entrusted to his care. 9 Behold, I am the light and the life of the world, that speak these words, therefore give heed with your might, and then you are called. Amen.
Section 13
Section
1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
- Right Under the Priesthood of Aaron: Notice that one of the keys of the Aaronic priesthood is that of the ministering of angels. What does this mean? It means that those who hold the Aaronic priesthood (not Melchizedek) are privileged to be ministered by angels. The requirement, as taught by Moroni, is to have faith and firm mind in every form of godliness.
- Son of Levi: Before the Old Jerusalem can be established, the sons of Levi must offer a righteous offering to the Lord. In Malachi 3, The Lord tells Malachi about future events regarding the establishing of the covenant and purifying the sons of Levi.
- 1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
- Here, the Lord foretells of a messenger (of the covenant) that will prepare the way before Him. The preparing the way for the Lord involves building a temple. Just like John the Baptist was forerunner, so, too, will there be forerunner before Christ comes.
- 2 But who may abide the day of his [the messenger's] coming? and who shall stand when he [the messenger] appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap. 3 And he [the messenger] shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
- As shown in the annotations, the messenger prepares the way by purifying the sons of Levi so that they may offer a sacrifice "unto the Lord... in righteousness."
- The purification of the Levites is important when it comes to end-time events, and is particularly significant when it comes to the redemption of Jerusalem. The redemption of Jerusalem is significant because it's established signals the gathering of the remaining house of Israel from the four quarters of the earth.
- 11 Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the words of Isaiah should be fulfilled...And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father hath made unto his people, O house of Israel. 13 And then [once the covenant is established] shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them. (3 Nephi 20)
- The reason why the sons of Levi are required to make a righteous offering to the Lord is because it was the tribe of Levi who were the priests of the temple, participating in its rites. However, instead of remaining faithful to the Lord, the priests failed in their duties. To get a taste of the Lord's stance toward their abdication of duties, the Lord says
- 1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye [the priests] will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
- The Lord goes on to explain what he expected of them and what they had become
- 7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
- Thus the role of Levitical priests are important. And in the full restoration of things -- which includes the gathering of Israel. The descendants of Levi must rectify the mistakes of their ancestors through their offering of a righteous sacrifice. What this offering means is not clear. It could refer to a personal offering (that is, a personal sacrifice of some sort) and/or it could refer to an animal sacrifice (which is referred to as a offering under the Mosaic law). That is, the sons of Levi purify themselves enough to be able to offering an animal sacrifice. And yes, animal sacrifices will come back
- it is generally supposed that Sacrifice was entirely done away when the great sacrifice was offered up—and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of Sacrifice in future, but those who assert this, are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood. or with the prophets The offering of Sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the priesthood. It began with the priesthood and will be continued until after the coming of Christ from generation to generation—We frequently have mention made of the offering of Sacrifice by the servants of the most high in ancient days prior to the law of moses, which ordinances will be continued when the priesthood is restored with all its authority power and blessings. Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of this priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and delive[r] the Keys of this priesthood in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness.'' ("Words of Joseph Smith", 5 Oct 1840)
- Note: JS says that Elijah will restore the authority and keys of sacrifice (since animal sacrifice is part of the priesthood). Since we don't practice animal sacrifice, the full coming of Elijah has yet to be realized.
- One of the messenger of the covenant's (from Malachi 3) role is to refine the sons of Levi so they can make a righteous sacrifice to the Lord in order for them to be accepted and serve as priests of the Jerusalem temple.
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