Commentary for Doctrine and Covenants: Section 45

 

Section 45

Background Information 

JS received this revelation sometime around March 7, 1831 during a period when, according to JS's history, “many false reports, lies, and fo[o]lish stories were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith.” The revelation, consequently, was a joy to the saints "who had to struggle against everything the prejudice and wickedness could invent." 

Although this revelation describes the establishment of the New Jerusalem and Christ's second coming, both of which had been prophesied in the Book of Mormon and JST, what makes this revelation notable is that it expounds upon the statements that the Lord told his disciples as recorded in Matthew 24 (staring in verse 18). Apparently the Lord said more to the disciples than what is recorded in Matthew 24. Section 45 contains those additional prophecies.  

Section 

1 Hearken, O ye people of my church [Lord is addressing the entire church, not the elders], to whom the kingdom has been given; hearken ye [the church] and give ear to him who laid the foundation of the earth, who made the heavens and all the hosts thereof, and by whom all things were made which live, and move, and have a being. 2 And again I say, hearken unto my voice, lest death shall overtake you; in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved. 3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him— 4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; 5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.

• Verse 2: Summer Past
• President Joseph Fielding Smith noted: In all ages of the world it has been the peculiar belief of men that the sayings of the prophets were to be fulfilled in times still future. That is true of the people today. We have had ample warning of the nearness of the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. . . . In this revelation [section 45] we are given the warning that the summer is passing and if we are heedless of the warning we will find the summer past, the harvest ended and our souls not saved. While no man knows the day or the hour, yet if we are taken unawares, we will be without excuse for the signs are ample and we now see them being fulfilled (Church History and Modern Revelation, 1:195).

6 Hearken, O ye people of my church, and ye elders listen together, and hear my voice while it is called today, and harden not your hearts; 7 For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega [Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters in the Greek alphabet], the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world—a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not. 8 I came unto mine own [the Lord's covenant people], and mine own received me not; but unto as many as received me [through repentance and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost] gave I power to do many miracles, and to become the sons of God; and even unto them that believed on my name gave I power to obtain eternal life. 9 And even so I have sent mine everlasting covenant into the world, to be a light to the world, and to be a standard for my people, and for the Gentiles to seek to it, and to be a messenger [the everlasting covenant is to be the Lord's messenger] before my face to prepare the way before me.

10 Wherefore, come ye unto it [the everlasting covenant], and with him that cometh I will reason as with men in days of old, and I will show unto you my strong reasoning. 11 Wherefore, hearken ye together and let me show unto you even my wisdom—the wisdom of him whom ye say is the God of Enoch, and his brethren, 12 Who [Enoch and his people] were separated from the earth, and were received unto myself [see Moses 7:65-69]—a city reserved until a day of righteousness shall come—a day which was sought for by all holy men, and they [the holy men] found it not because of wickedness and abominations [because of the wickedness and abominations, Zion wasn't able to be established]; 13 And confessed they [the holy men] were strangers and pilgrims on the earth [likely quoting Hebrews 11]; 14 But obtained a promise [re: the restoring of Zion] that they should find it and see it in their flesh.

• Verses 1-15: Hearken 
• The Lord repeats the word Hearken or Listen 8 times in just 15 verses. Thus the Lord is telling the church and us that to pay attention to what He has to declare in section 45. 
• Verses 11-12: The City of Enoch
• Joseph Fieldings Smith taught: If we would carry out that which the Lord has revealed, as he has revealed it, then all things would be perfect; for the organization is a perfect organization the theory of it, the plan of it. is without flaw, and if we followed all the orders that have been given to us in the priesthood and otherwise, if we would put into practice the great doctrines which have been revealed in the revelations contained in the Holy Scriptures, it would only be a matter of a very short time until this great people would be in the same condition, absolutely, as were the people in the city of Enoch. We would be able to walk with God, we would be able to behold his face, because then faith would abound in the hearts of the people to the extent that it would be impossible for the Lord to withhold himself, and he would reveal himself unto us as he has done in times past. (Doctrines of Salvation, volume 1, 4) (emphasis added). 

15 Wherefore, hearken and I will reason with you, and I will speak unto you and prophesy, as unto men in days of old. 16 And I will show it [the prophesy] plainly as I showed it [prophesy] unto my disciples as I stood before them in the flesh [referring to Matthew 24], and spake unto them, saying: [what follows is what the Lord told his disciples during his ministry] As ye [the Lord's disciples] have asked of me concerning the signs of my coming, in the day when I shall come in my glory in the clouds of heaven, to fulfil the promises that I have made unto your fathers [see verse 14], 17 For as ye [the Lord's disciples] have looked upon the long absence of your spirits from your bodies to be a bondage [the disciples won't be resurrected until Christ comes again, hence they will be without bodies for a long period], I will show unto you [the disciples] how the day of redemption shall come, and also the restoration of the scattered Israel [the Lord explains how to He will restore and redeem Israel].

18 And now ye [the Lord's disciples] behold this temple which is in Jerusalem, which ye call the house of God, and your enemies say that this house shall never fall [the Jews believed that God would not let nothing happen to the Jerusalem temple]. 19 But, verily I say unto you, that desolation shall come upon this generation [those living during the Lord's time] as a thief in the night, and this people [those living during the Lord's time] shall be destroyed and scattered among all nations [this was fulfilled, as Rome took the Jews captive after it destroyed the temple]. 20 And this temple [the Jerusalem temple] which ye now see shall be thrown down that there shall not be left one stone upon another [occurred in 70 A.D]. 21 And it shall come to pass, that this generation of Jews [those who were around when the Jewish temple was destroyed] shall not pass away until every desolation which I have told you concerning them shall come to pass [the Jews alive during Christ's time will see the destruction of the Jerusalem temple and the final scattering of the Jews].

• Verse 19: Destroyed and Scattered
• As on commentator explained: 
• In AD 68, the Roman general Vespasian and his son Titus took a large Roman army into Israel to subdue rebellious Judah. In AD 70 Titus surrounded Jerusalem and placed it under siege. Soon the starvation of the Jews inside the walls of Jerusalem began. Citizens of Jerusalem who ventured outside the walls to search for roots to eat, if seized, were crucified by the Roman soldiers. Sometimes hundreds of Jews hanging on crosses could be seen from the city walls. A trench was dug around the city in order to make its isolation complete. 
• Prisoners of war were cut open, while still alive, to enable soldiers to search their bodies for gold which they might have swallowed. Six hundred thousand persons died within the walls, and the dead bodies, too numerous to be buried, were left in the houses. The Zealots, a fanatical sect whose members maintained that God would save them at the last moment, went about murdering and urging the people to resistance. Within the walls of the Holy City, rival political factions stole the possessions of citizens and the food from the mouths of women and children. 
• Pressed by the famine, mothers ate their babies. In their madness, the political gangs fought and killed each other for control of the city and even burned each other’s food supplies, all while the common enemy, the Romans, waited outside the walls for the inevitable (Ibid., 387-401, 416-17). Even Titus was sick at heart at the daily horrors he witnessed or heard about. At length the temple became a fort. Titus attacked it as such. A Roman soldier, contrary to order, set fire to it. After a while the scene was one of carnage and plunder. Six thousand Jews perished in the flames. In this awful war more than a million and a half of the Jews perished, and many were sold into slavery.
• Verse 20: Not One Stone Left
• Literal fulfillment: During the late twentieth century archaeologists uncovered the ancient road that ran at the base of the retaining wall built by Herod when he extended the original platform of the temples built under the direction of Solomon and Zerubbabel. They discovered that the massive stones of the temple had been pushed over the precipice of the temple mount down onto the road below. Huge ashlars, or hand- dressed stones, were broken on the road and revealed in the excavations. Today an archaeological garden stands as a witness to the Savior’s words.
• Symbolic meanings: the announcement that not one stone would be left standing on another meant that the house of Israel would be scattered among those of every nation, kindred, and tongue, that no two families would be left side by side when the end of their nation came. Conversely, in the last days, the gathering of Israel—family by family—will token God’s favor resting upon them once again, the crowning event of that latter-day gathering being the restoration of their temple and their nation.

22 Ye say that ye know that the end of the world cometh; ye say also that ye know that the heavens and the earth shall pass away [refers to the destruction and celestialization of the earth at the end of the Millennium]; 23 And in this ye say truly, for so it is; but these things which I have told you shall not pass away until all shall be fulfilled. 24 And this I have told you concerning Jerusalem; and when that day shall come, shall a remnant be scattered among all nations; 25 But they [the remnant] shall be gathered again; but they [the remnant] shall remain until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled [the remnant will not fully be gathered until the times of the Gentiles is complete].

• Verse 22: The End of the World
• As Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained: The end of the world is the end of unrighteousness or of worldliness as we know it, and this will be brought about by “the destruction of the wicked.” When our world ends and the millennial era begins, there will be a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17-25; D&C 101:23-24). Lust, carnality, and sensuousness of every sort will cease, for it will be the end of the world (Mormon Doctrine, 848).
• We thus learn that the scriptural phrase “end of the world” refers to the destruction of the earth at the Lord’s second coming in glory.

26 And in that day [the fulness of the Gentiles, our day] shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth. 27 And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound. 28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in [referring to the restoration of the gospel], a light [the fulness of Christ's gospel] shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel; 29 But they [those living at the time the fulness of the gospel is restored] receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men [people reject the fulness of the gospel because they couldn't recognize the light due their traditions as taught to them by men]. 

• Verses 26-29: Fulness of the Gentiles
• The days of the Gentiles will be marked with wars and rumor of wars, the earth will be in commotion, and love of men shall wax cold (inference: hate will be present), with iniquity abounding. 

30 And in that generation [the generation that is alive when the fulness of the gospel is rejected] shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled [the fulness of the Gentiles occurs when the Gentiles (us) reject the fulness]. 31 And there shall be men standing in that generation [the generation that is alive when the fulness of the gospel is rejected], that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge [the people who are alive when the fulness of the gospel is rejected by the Gentiles will not die before they see an overflowing scourge cover the land]; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land. 32 But my disciples [followers of today] shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved [when desolation occurs his modern day disciples will remain in holy places]; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die [the wicked who have misunderstood God's character will not allow the trial and tribulation to soften their hearts. Instead they will harden their hearts against God and die -- both temporally and spiritually]. 33 And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another.

• Verses 31-33: Precepts of Men 

• Because of the teachings of men (precepts of men}, the Gentiles will reject the light. Many who are alive during the day that the Gentiles reject the light will not die until they see an "overflowing scourge". When the desolating scourge occurs, the Lord’s disciples must stand in places that are separate from the wicked and not move. 

• Verse 32: Holy Places
• If the Lord is using the Hebrew meaning for holy, then a holy place is a place set apart from the world. Given that persecution will be high during the end times -- especially when people are fighting against each other --- the holy places will be our homes, if we are created a home set apart from the world and its influence.

34 And now, when I the Lord had spoken these words unto my disciples [His followers during his ministry], they were troubled. 35 And I said unto them [His disciples]: Be not troubled, for, when all these things [referring to what the Lord described in verses 18 - 33] shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled [Hebrews 2 outlines what these promises are]. 36 And when the light shall begin to break forth, it shall be with them like unto a parable which I will show you— 37 Ye look and behold the fig trees, and ye see them with your eyes, and ye say when they begin to shoot forth, and their leaves are yet tender, that summer is now nigh at hand; 38 Even so it shall be in that day when they shall see all these things, then shall they know that the hour is nigh.

• Verse 37: The Fig Tree
• As one commentator explained, "one characteristic of a fig tree is that it does not put forth its leaves until relatively late in the season, long after most trees are in full leaf. The Savior used this feature in a parable concerning his second coming." 
• "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [the Savior’s second coming] [is] nigh” (Matthew 24:32). Using the parable of the fig-tree, President Spencer W. Kimball made a prophetic pronouncement: “The leaves are commencing to show on the fig tree'" (Ensign, May 1976, 74). 

39 And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man [those that properly fear the Lord will be looking for signs and be preparing for the end times]. 40 And they [those the fear the Lord] shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath [signs and wonders are a reward to the faithful]. 41 And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke. 42 And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven [see Amos 7].

43 And the remnant shall be gathered unto this place [the location where Jesus spoke these word to his diciples]; 44 And then they [the remnant] shall look for me, and, behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels; and he that watches not for me shall be cut off. 45 But before the arm of the Lord shall fall [the appearing of the arm of the Lord signals the cutting off of those who would not heed the voice of the Lord, see D&C 1:14] , an angel shall sound his trump, and the saints that have slept shall come forth to meet me in the cloud. 46 Wherefore, if ye have slept in peace blessed are you; for as you now behold me and know that I am, even so shall ye come unto me and your souls shall live, and your redemption shall be perfected; and the saints shall come forth from the four quarters of the earth. 

47 Then [after the saints have gathered from the four quarters of the earth and the dead have resurrected] shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the nations [once the remnant is gathered into a place of safety, then the Lord will unleash his final judgment upon nations]. 48 And then shall the Lord set his foot upon this mount [mount of Olives (see Matt 24:3-46), since this is the mountain that the Lord is speaking to his disciples when answering their questions about the end times], and it [mount of Olives] shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall tremble, and reel to and fro, and the heavens also shall shake. 49 And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have laughed shall see their folly. 50 And calamity shall cover the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed; and they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn down and cast into the fire. 51 And then shall the Jews look upon me and say [after the mount of Olives has be rent into two]: What are these wounds in thine hands and in thy feet? 52 Then shall they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto them: These wounds are the wounds with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God. 53 And then shall they [the Jews] weep because of their iniquities; then shall they [the Jews] lament because they [the Jews] persecuted their king. 54 And then shall the heathen nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them. 55 And Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men. 

• Verse 48: This Mount
• Parley P. Pratt, in a pamphlet published while Joseph smith was still alive, described the great events depicted here:
• Zechariah, chapter 14, has told us much concerning the great battle and overthrow of the nations who fight against Jerusalem, and he has said, in plain words, that the Lord shall come at the very time of the overthrow of that army; yet, in fact even while they are in the act of taking Jerusalem, and have already succeeded in taking one-half the city, spoiling their houses and ravishing their women. Then, behold, their long-expected Messiah, suddenly appearing, shall stand upon the Mount of Olives, a little east of Jerusalem, to fight against those nations and deliver the Jews. Zechariah says the Mount of Olives shall cleave in twain, from east to west, and one-half of the mountain shall remove to the north while the other half falls off to the south, suddenly forming a very great valley into which the Jews shall flee for protection from their enemies as they fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah; while the Lord cometh and all the saints with him. Then will the Jews behold that long, long-expected Messiah, coming in power to their deliverance, as they always looked for him. He will destroy their enemies and deliver them from trouble at the very time they are in the utmost consternation, and about to be swallowed up by their enemies. But what will be their astonishment when they are about to fall at the feet of their Deliverer and acknowledge him their Messiah! They discover the wounds which were once made in his hands, feet, and side; and on inquiry, at once recognize Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, the man so long rejected. Well did the prophet say that they shall mourn and weep, every family apart, and their wives apart. But, thank heaven, there will be an end to their mourning; for he will forgive their iniquities and cleanse them from uncleanness. Jerusalem shall be a holy city from that time forth, and all the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon. She shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place, and men shall dwell there. There shall be no more utter destruction of Jerusalem, “And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one” (Zechariah 14:9) (Voice of Warning, 32-33).

56 And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins [see Matthew 25: 1-12]. 57 For they that are wise [the wise ones had enough oil] and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day. 58 And the earth shall be given unto them [those who have received the Holy Ghost] for an inheritance; and they shall multiply and wax strong, and their children shall grow up without sin unto salvation. 59 For the Lord shall be in their midst [those who have received the Holy Ghost], and his glory shall be upon them [those who have received the Holy Ghost], and he will be their king and their lawgiver.

• Verse 56 -- Parable of Ten Virgins
• The parable features 5 virgins who were wise and stored up enough oil for their lamps and five who were unwise and didn't store up enough oil. A notable detail of the parable of the ten virgins is that the 10 virgins are separate from the world to begin with. We know this because the 10 virgins were all aware of the wedding invitation. The important details is not everyone who was aware of the wedding took the steps to secure the required amount of oil. The wedding invitation is a metaphor for the second coming of Christ -- particularly the gathering of the saints in Zion when Christ arrives. 
• Applied to us, the 10 virgins are us -- either LDS or Christians, whichever way you want to view it. The five foolish virgins do not represent the world because the world is not thinking about the second coming of Christ, only Christians are. What this means is that just because one is a Christian and believes in Christ, does not mean they'll be attending the feast. Only those who have allowed the Holy Spirit to guide them to the acquisition of truth will be attending the wedding feast. The accumulation of oil represents the accumulation of light and truth. 
• Although the parable seems harsh because the wise virgins don't share the oil, I believe what the Lord is trying to convey is the fact that everyone who wants to attend the "wedding feast" must gain the oil on their own through diligence and obedience. This type of thing can't simply be shared. 
• Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught the following: “Salvation is a personal matter. It comes only to those who keep the commandments and whose souls are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. No man can keep the commandments for and on behalf of another; no one can gain the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit in his life and give or sell that holy oil to another. Every man must light his own lamp with the oil of righteousness which he buys at the market of obedience.” (Mortal Messiah, 3:468)
• The reason why the truth can't be shared is because a large part of enduring the end times is the acquiring of light and truth. Light and truth will provide the proper perspective and understanding to be able to endure the great tribulations that precede Zion. But this kind of knowledge, which involve the mysteries of God, can only be understand and obtained through patience, diligence, and heed. It is not something that can be dispensed all at once. 
• It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. 10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full. 11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell [chains of hell refers to ignorance, allowing Satan to have power of the person] (Alma 12: 9-11).
• John the Baptist came prepared the way for the Lord by dispensing greater light and truth than the Jews had been aware of. This knowledge then allowed John's followers to identify when the Savior came. There is a reason why some of Christ's disciples (such as John and Philip) were disciples of John the Baptist before they were Christ's. It's because John the Baptist prepared the way for them -- and for others. Once John was killed, his followers went to Christ. 
• It is through the dissemination of truth that the Lord will gather His elect in the end times. 
• And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem. (Moses 7:62)
• The Lord will send truth forth to counter the growing degrees of darkness that invade the minds of the people. 

60 And now, behold, I say unto you, it shall not be given unto you to know any further concerning this chapter [Matthew 24, which JS was translating], until the New Testament be translated [the Lord won't reveal anything more about the events he prophesied about in Matthew 24 until JS completes the New Testament], and in it all these things shall be made known; 61 Wherefore I give unto you that ye may now translate it [the New Testament], that ye may be prepared for the things to come [apparently JS' translation of the NT would serve to prepare the saints for future events]. 62 For verily I say unto you, that great things await you; 63 Ye hear of wars in foreign lands; but, behold, I say unto you, they are nigh, even at your doors, and not many years hence ye shall hear of wars in your own lands. [This prophecy undoubtedly refers to the Civil War, at this time still thirty years away, and perhaps also to other wars we have not yet experienced (see D&C 38:29-32; 87:1-8).]

64 Wherefore I, the Lord, have said, gather ye out from the eastern lands, assemble ye yourselves together ye elders of my church; go ye forth into the western countries, call upon the inhabitants to repent, and inasmuch as they do repent, build up churches unto me [the Lord specifically addresses the elders of the church in verse 24. This is because the elders are the ones called to preach repentance]. 65 And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you. 66 And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God; 67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion. 68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety. [Eventually the hatred and strife against men will be so great that those who are wicked will take up arms and fight against each others. Those who refuse must flee to Zion]. 69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another. 

• Verse 68: Take Up His Sword
• The accounts in the Book of Mormon concerning the destruction of the Nephites and Jaredites serve as a model for what the end times will be like. Both these groups received tremendous blessings and were held to a higher standard. However, they rejected the light and truth and as a consequence become a depraved people. Their depravation led them to hatred which eventually led to fighting and bloodshed. 
• Likewise, the Lord has blessed the United States, in particular, with great and abundant blessings. The US is the most prosperous nation ever. Through the blessings of the Lord, the US has been able to reach heights that previous societies couldn't even imagine. But like the Jaredites and Nephites, the nation as a whole as denied its maker and the people have turned their hearts away from hearkening to His voice.   
• Consequently, they have elected darkness over light. The degree of darkness embraced is commensurate with the degree of light obtained. Since the US has received (or had the change to receive greater light) as the restored gospel was given to this nation and the Lord has protected this nation from invasions and massive destruction, the rejection of the light will result in greater darkness (See Jacob 2:34). The result is will be anger and hatred towards each other -- eventually leading to violence and wars. Only the righteous, who have love in their hearts, will refrain from fighting. 
• Verse 69: Those Who Will Not Be At War
• JS taught: Without Zion, and a place of deliverance, we must fall, because the time is near when the sun will be darkened, and the moon turn to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, and the earth reel to and fro. Then, if this is the case, and if we are not sanctified and gathered to the places God has appointed, with all our former professions and our great love for the Bible, we must fall. We cannot stand. We cannot be saved, for God will gather out his saints from the Gentiles, and then comes desolation and destruction, and none can escape except the pure in heart who are gathered (TPJS, 71).

70 And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand. 71 And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy [Isaiah likens this "gathering out" to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt]. 72 And now I say unto you, keep these things from going abroad unto the world until it is expedient in me, that ye may accomplish this work in the eyes of the people, and in the eyes of your enemies, that they may not know your works until ye have accomplished the thing which I have commanded you; 73 That when they shall know it, that they may consider these things. 74 For when the Lord shall appear he shall be terrible unto them, that fear may seize upon them, and they shall stand afar off and tremble. 75 And all nations shall be afraid because of the terror of the Lord, and the power of his might. Even so. Amen.