Section 64
Background Information
As explained before, the designation of Independence, Missouri as the site for the city of Zion was underwhelming for many of the saints. Many of the saints became disillusioned by the prospect. Disappointment and frustration also arose from the failure in preaching and converting the Lamanites. As noted in section 49, the establishment of Zion would be marked, in part, by the Lamanites "flourishing" in the wilderness. As the saints longed for Zion, conversion among the Lamanites would've lifted their hearts and increased their expectations in the coming Zion.
Ezra Booth was one man who expressed his frustration and disillusionment with JS. Booth complained that he and his companion, Issac Morley, had to walk to Missouri while JS, Sidney Rigdon, and others traveled by stagecoach and canal. Booth also witnessed a conformation between Edward Partridge and JS over the quality of the land that the church selected to purchase. Booth found JS's conduct with Partridge unbecoming as a Christian.
In addition to the growing contention and disputations among the saints, September 1831, the date this revelation was given, was a busy and stressful time for the saints -- particularly JS, who was deeply involved in raising funds for the land purchases in Zion. Adding further to the chaos was the fact that JS and others, who were living on Issac Morley's farm had to find new housing in consequence of the Lord's revelation in section 63 for Morley to sell his farm. JS also was experiencing increasing amount of persecution in the Kirtland area and so he was eager to reside elsewhere.
On September 12, 1831, the Prophet with his wife Emma and their four-month old adopted twins moved to the home of John and Elsa Johnson in the township of Hiram, Portage County, Ohio, about thirty miles southeast of Kirtland. The Smiths occupied a single room in the two-story Johnson farmhouse. For six and a half months—September 12, 1831 through March 1832—Hiram would serve as temporary headquarters of the Church. While Joseph was in Hiram, many saints traveled there to meet with him and seek his counsel. While there, he did much work on his inspired revision of the King James Bible. Also in Hiram several important conferences were held, and sixteen revelations were received (sections 1, 65, 67, 68, 69, 71, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 99, and 133) including the memorable vision recorded in section 76. Arguably, this six-month period in Hiram was a most significant era in the history of the Church.
The day before Joseph moved to Hiram, September 11, 1831, he received section 64. Among other things, section 64 contains an important commandment upon which many of us may stumble—the commandment to forgive one another. In this section, which is directed to the elders of the church, the Lord expresses his mercy in forgiving the elders for sins while also addressing the unjustified attacks lobbed against JS, which the Lord says were "without cause."
Section
6 There are those who have sought occasion against him [JS] without cause; 7 Nevertheless, he has sinned [The Lord acknowledges that "without cause" doesn't mean that JS was free from sin. Likely means that the elders had no grounds to accuse JS, when they were not clean themselves]; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death [see DC 76:35] . 8 My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil [it is evil to accuse and not forgive each other] they were afflicted and sorely chastened. 9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin [see Matthew 6:14-15].
- Verse 6: Sinned Unto Death
- Death, here, refers to spiritual death (more on this later). Christ refers to this sin unto death as "blasphemy" against the Holy Ghost. Many theologians have argued over the meaning of this term. However, JS also had this to say about the "sin against the Holy Ghost":
- All sins shall be forgiven except the sin against the Holy Ghost; for Jesus will save all except the sons of perdition. What must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin? He must receive the Holy Ghost, have the heavens opened unto him, and know God, and then sin against him. After a man has sinned against the Holy Ghost, there is no repentance for him. He has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it; he has got to deny Jesus Christ when the heavens have been opened unto him, and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it; and from that time he begins to be an enemy. This is the case with many apostates of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When a man begins to be an enemy to this work, he hunts me; he seeks to kill me, and never ceases to thirst for my blood. He gets the spirit of the Devil-- the same spirit that they had who crucified the Lord of Life,--the same spirit that sins against the Holy Ghost. You cannot save such persons; you cannot bring them to repentance: they make open war like the Devil, and awful is the consequence.
- JS outlines four conditions that must be must in order for one to sin against the Holy Ghost. First, the person must have received the Holy Ghost (through repentance and baptism of fire). Second, the heavens must be opened up to him. Third, he must know God (be an heir to eternal life, see John 17:3). Fourth, and then sin against God. JS later clarifies what it means to "sin" against God. It doesn't mean to make a mistake. Instead, to "sin against" God is to "deny" God.
- Section 76 expounds the same truth:
- 31 Thus saith the Lord concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers thereof, and suffered themselves through the power of the devil to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power— 32 They are they who are the sons of perdition, of whom I say that it had been better for them never to have been born; 33 For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity; 34 Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come— 35 Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father, having crucified him unto themselves and put him to an open shame. 36 These are they who shall go away into the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels— 37 And the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power;38 Yea, verily, the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord, after the sufferings of his wrath.
- Those who sin against the Holy Ghost can't be forgiven not because God is unmerciful. But it's because they have openly and flagrantly rejected truth. They are intentionally choosing darkness over light. They can't be forgiven because they won't repent. And thus their spirit is shut out from the Lord, which is spiritual death.
- Verse 8: Afflicted and Sorely Chastened
- Failure to forgive will lead to chastening. One who refuses to forgive loses the Spirit (see verse 16). Without the Spirit, he is unable to discern between good and evil -- "condemning for evil that thing in which there was no evil." (see verse 16) Because evil choices lead to negative consequences, those who choose evil due to their lack of discernment will inevitably encounter the consequences of their actions -- which will cause affliction. And the Lord will allow it to happen in order that they might learn.
- Further note that the Lord explain that his disciples of old failed to forgive each other in their hearts. What this means is that while they may have said to the other that he is forgiven, they still held onto the grudge. And for this, the spirit was grieved and they were left to their own devices, which lead to their own suffering.
- Verse 9: The Greater Sin
- The Lord forgives each and everyone of us our trespasses against him. He therefore expects each of us to forgive those who have offended us. If we persist in holding a grudge against another individual who offends us, but who has confessed and repented of any wrong doing in the affair, our continuing to hold a grudge will render us unfit for God's forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15). Moreover, the failure to forgive is, an essence, an act of judgment. By failing to forgive, we have set a moral standard, which our offender has not met. We have communicated that "because you acted in this way, you are not worthy to receive my forgiveness." Thus we are taking upon the role of condemner's instead of saviors -- working against God's plan of redemption. And thus we receive the greater sin.
- Verse 15: Edward Booth
- The day after this revelation was received, Booth denounced the church and published a series of nine letter in the Ohio Star, explaining the "Mormon Delusion." Issac Morely, on the other hand, quickly repented and did not leave the church. Six months later, Booth joined the mob that tarred and feathered JS in Hiram, Ohio. After that event, little is known of Booth and he died in obscurity.
- Verse 16: Sought Evil In Their Hearts
- Note what the sin of Booth and Morley was. It was that they "sought evil in their hearts." To shift from a telestial to a terrestrial and celestial level, is that the those in the later category are mindful of where their heart is at. Telestial living concerns voluntary acts. But the higher law is focused on what our heart is centered in. Through this revelation, the Lord repeats the admonition to watch the heart. This is because the heart is the seat of desire and action. Once we've stopped sinning outwardly, our next task is to keep the heart pure.
- Verse 18: Sidney Gilbert
- One commentator explained: "Sidney Gilbert is commanded to return to Missouri and resume his calling as a church agent. He had established a mercantile store there which served also as the bishop’s storehouse. He will take sections 63 and 64 with him to Zion, along with other news, information, and instructions (see verse 19)."
- Verse 21: Frederick G. Williams
- One commentator explained: "Williams earlier had informally consecrated his farm to the Church, and several members were then living on it, but he still held legal title to it. In May 1834 he deeded this farm to the Church without remuneration. Apparently the Lord wanted the Church to retain a foothold in Kirtland for five more years in part because of his desire to see the saints have the blessings of the temple. This revelation was received September 11, 1831. Five years later, the Kirtland Temple had been dedicated, and the Church was beginning to experience a devastating apostasy."
- Verses 26-28: It Is...Forbidden, To Get In Debt"
- One commentator explained: "One of the issues being raised at this time by Ezra Booth and other critics of Joseph Smith was that the Lord had forbidden the saints to incur debts as individuals, while at the same time the Church was collectively going into debt to acquire property in Kirtland and Zion. Here the Lord explains that while individual members are forbidden to contract debts to their enemies, the Lord will do as he pleases (see verses 28-29). The Lord issues and revokes commandments according to our needs, but he is not himself bound by his commandments to us, nor can his agents go wrong when they obey his instructions."
- Verse 35: Cut Off
- Before Zion is established, the Lord will "prune" his vineyard. Pruning refers to trials and challenges. The Lord will try his saints to see who is willing to abide by His law. Those who are, are the inheritors of Zion. The coming trials -- which are beginning -- serves many purposes. One purpose is to show the wicked and the foolish the consequences of their actions, that thereby they might learn wisdom. Another purpose is that the Lord will use the chaos to be unleashed as a way to refine His people, just like the Lord used Jospeh's captivity in Egypt at the ands of his brothers as a way to refine Jospeh from being a bit presumptuous, into a leader who saved the Egyptians and his family from the famine. In is through this refinement where the Lord will remove those who are lukewarm in their commitment or who follow the Lord for selfish reasons. This will leave only the true followers of God to remain. And being the true followers, the city of Enoch, which will mirror the people of Zion, will return to the earth, establishing the city of Zion (see Moses 7: 62-63)
- Verse 36: The Rebellious Are Not of the Blood of Ephraim
- As an initial matter, note that the Lord juxtaposes the obedient with the rebellious. The inference, then, is not those who are not obedient are rebellious.
- As declared in Deuteronomy 33, the role of Ephraim is to gather the tribes together. This is the blessings of his birthright, which Jospeh received and was passed to Ephraim due to Reuben's transgression (see Jeremiah 31:9; Psalms 60:7 --"Ephraim...is the strength of mine head."). To gather the tribes, the righteous people of Ephraim, whether thought literal blood or adoption, will assist the Lamanites in establishing Zion (see Ether 13:8). In fact, the Lamanites are a crucial component of the gathering, which is why the early church was so eager to convert them and why they were discouraged when they didn't have success. Yet, to be part of Ephraim, one must obey the Lord. Being part of Ephraim is secured through righteousness, not blood, or status within the church. Those who have not offered a sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit are the rebellious. And no matter how much "blood" they have of Ephraim or their success, position, and worldly prosperity, if they are not obedient, they are the rebellious and are not of Ephraim -- thus they are cut off.
Section 65
- Verses 3-5: Voice Crying
- In verses 3-5 the voice makes five utterances: 1) Prepare; 2) Pray; 3) Make Known; 4) Call; and 5) Be Prepared. Let's look at each individually
- Prepare: The first utterance is the prepare the way of the Lord. The voice clarifies what it means. To prepare the way of the Lord is make the world ready for the coming of the Bridegroom (Jesus). We make ready the way through repenting and calling for others to repent. We also make the way ready by becoming Zion people. This means that we seek for the gift of Charity, so that we are full of love towards all people. It also means that seek and receive correction from the Lord to become better people. The more we improve, the more we acculturate to celestial living. Finally, to make read requires us to remain faithful and to not let the allure of Babylon detract us from our pursuit of Godliness.
- Pray: By praying to the Lord, we grow closer to the Lord and therefore are able to make His wonderful works known to the world. Holy men of old and holy men (and women) of today are people of mighty prayer. This is because is the where God's will is made know through the subordination of our will to the Lord.
- Make Known: The world lies in sin because they don't know the truth. God's impact on the world is largely predicated how much His people share and disseminate truth about Him. This is one reason why God guards his reputation very seriously. Those who profess His name must bear his name in righteousness and goodness, otherwise God's name and character will be associated with evil. Our job is to acquire as much knowledge we can about God and then share that with those who are living at lesser light so those living at the lower light can advance.
- Call: To call upon the Lord is to request from Him to come. When we call upon the Lord, we are inviting Him into our lives. The Lord's kingdom long to come to earth, but the people of earth must be ready. The people become ready when they can abide in His presence. The Old Testament is clear on this point: it is no light thing to come into God's presence. Moses and Isaiah, both righteous men, were terrified when they entered in the Lord's presence.
- Be Prepared: Before the Kingdom of Heaven can join with the Kingdom of God, Babylon must be removed. Sadly all of us have benefited from Babylon and it has become our home. We've established our identity here, raised our families, gained an education, and made a living. We've been able to take advantage of the innovations made available to us and enjoy a standard of living unknown to previous generations. Yet, we must not think this world is it. As followers of the Most High, we are to look for the time when Heaven will join with the earth. But before this happens, that which does not mirror the association and pattern of heaven will be removed. In other words, heaven comes when the earth is like heaven. The Lord will create heaven on earth by allowing Babylon to destroy itself. Fortunately, in the act of destroying itself, we will become collateral. We must be prepared by ensuring that our faith is solid in the rock of salvation and that what comes will refine us, instead of hardening our hearts.
- The Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed. The mustard seed is small, but brings forth a large tree, and the fowls lodge in the branches. The fowls are the angels. Thus angels come down, combine together to gather their children, and gather them. We cannot be made perfect without them [the angels, hosts of heaven], nor they without us; when these things are done, the Son of Man will descend, the Ancient of Days sit; we may come to an innumerable company of angels, have communion with and receive instruction from them (TPJS, 159).
- Verse 6: Kingdom of God...Kingdom of Heaven
- The Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven are distinct entities.
- The Kingdom of God is established "where there is a prophet, a priest, or a righteous man unto whom God has given His oracles..." (See TPJS, 272). The oracles of God are the revelations of God to man that reveal God's will (272).
- Where the oracles of God (revelations of God that reveal His will), there the Kingdom of God is found. Entrance into the Kingdom of God is through baptism of fire to receive the Holy Ghost.
- Baptism is a sign to God, to angels, and to heaven that we do the will of God, and there is no other way beneath the heavens whereby God hath ordained for man to come to Him to be saved, and enter into the Kingdom of God, except faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism for the remission of sins, and any other course is in vain; then you have the promise of the gift of the Holy Ghost. (TPJS, 198)
- It is often taught that the Church today is the Kingdom of God. This is not accurate. And this is for two reasons. First, there are those in the Church who, despite having hand laid upon their heads, have not received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Second, it is also not accurate because Joseph Smith links the establishment of the Kingdom of God with the holding oracles, not the existence of a church.
- As touching the Gospel and baptism that John preached, I would say that John came preaching the Gospel for the remission of sins; he had his authority from God, and the oracles of God were with him, and the kingdom of God for a season seemed to rest with John alone... (TPJS, 272)
- This fact further explains why the Lord is so focused on the heart. It's about what we do that brings us into the Kingdom of God.
- In short, it is more accurate to say that the Kingdom of God consists of those who are the righteous and have been born again.
Section 66
Background Information
On October 29, 1831, William E. McLellin ((in church history his name has been variously spelled McLellan and M’Lellin) wrote in his journal, “The Lord condecended to hear my prayr and give me a revelation of his will, through his prophet or Seer (Joseph).”
McLellin was born in Tennessee about 1806. According to JS, he had a “superficial education” and “more learning than sense” but a “good flow of language,” and he had worked as a teacher in several different schools. His first encounter with the church came when he heard the gospel preached by Elders Samuel H. Smith and Reynolds Cahoon in Paris, Illinois. in the summer of 1831. Subsequently, he wound up his business affairs and followed these elders to Kirtland where, after some missed encounters, eventually met JS on October 25. There he sought to learn the will of the Lord regarding himself. On October 29 Joseph Smith received section 66 in Hiram, Ohio, dictating it to William McLellin, who acted as scribe.
Writing of this experience on another occasion seventeen years later (after he had apostatized) William McLellin said:
From this conference I went home with the Prophet, and on Saturday, the 29th, I received through him, and wrote from his mouth a revelation concerning myself. I had expected and believed that when I saw Brother Joseph, I should receive one: and I went before the Lord in secret, and on my knees asked him to reveal the answer to five questions through his Prophet, and that too without his having any knowledge of my having made such request. I now testify in the fear of God, that every question which I had thus lodged in the ears of the Lord of Sabbaoth, were answered to my full and entire satisfaction. I desired it for a testimony of Joseph’s inspiration. And I to this day consider it to be an evidence which I cannot refute (Ensign of Liberty, of the Church of Christ, 61).
Section
1 Behold, thus saith the Lord unto my servant William E. McLellin—Blessed are you, inasmuch as you have turned away from your iniquities [false beliefs], and have received my truths [receiving truth is how we turn for our iniquities. These two things go hand-in-hand.], saith the Lord your Redeemer, the Savior of the world, even of as many as believe on my name. 2 Verily I say unto you, blessed are you for receiving mine everlasting covenant [baptism of fire and the reception of the Holy Ghost], even the fulness of my gospel, sent forth unto the children of men, that they [children of men] might have life and be made partakers of the glories which are to be revealed in the last days, as it was written by the prophets and apostles in days of old.
3 Verily I say unto you, my servant William, that you are clean [i.e., justified], but not all [not sanctified]; repent, therefore, of those things which are not pleasing in my sight, saith the Lord, for the Lord will show them unto you. 4 And now, verily, I, the Lord, will show unto you what I will concerning you [After receiving the Holy Ghost, the Lord, through the Spirit, will reveal His will for us], or what is my will concerning you. 5 Behold, verily I say unto you, that it is my will that you should proclaim my gospel from land to land, and from city to city, yea, in those regions round about where it has not been proclaimed. 6 Tarry not many days in this place; go not up unto the land of Zion as yet; but inasmuch as you can send, send; otherwise, think not of thy property. 7 Go unto the eastern lands, bear testimony in every place, unto every people and in their synagogues, reasoning with the people. 8 Let my servant Samuel H. Smith go with you, and forsake him not, and give him thine instructions; and he that is faithful shall be made strong in every place; and I, the Lord, will go with you. [Here, McLellin is called by the Lord to preach in the east with Samuel H. Smith, JS' younger brother]
- Verse 3: The Lord Will Show Them Unto You
- Like McLellin, we should ask the Lord to reveal where we fall short. Improvement comes by identify our flaws. The Lord will show us those flaws. The humble are those who seek for the Lord's correction because they know that growth comes from learning. The Lord's statement to McLellin is that while he had repented of his known sins, he must seek out the Lord to reveal to him his unknown sins -- thus moving along the path of sanctification. As a reminder, cleanliness and holiness refer to different conditions.
9 Lay your hands upon the sick, and they shall recover [William McLellin’s journal entries for this mission record some remarkable healings]. Return not till I, the Lord, shall send you. Be patient in affliction. Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 Seek not to be cumbered [distracted]. Forsake all unrighteousness. Commit not adultery—a temptation with which thou hast been troubled. 11 Keep these sayings, for they are true and faithful; and thou shalt magnify thine office, and push many people to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads [the calling of the tribe of Ephraim].
12 Continue in these things even unto the end, and you shall have a crown of eternal life at the right hand of my Father, who is full of grace and truth. [If McLellin magnifies his calling, then he will receive eternal life, see Alma 13] 13 Verily, thus saith the Lord your God, your Redeemer, even Jesus Christ. Amen.
Note About McLellin's Life After Section 66
McLellin was later chosen to be one of the twelve Apostles and was ordained on February 15, 1835. However, soon thereafter, McLellin's chinks in his faith started to manifest. While serving a mission after having been ordained an apostle to the Twelve, he wrote a letter to leadership Kirtland censuring the church Presidency [1]. He was disfellowshipped as a result. However, on returning to Kirtland in September, he confessed to the council of the First Presidency, was forgiven, and he was returned to full fellowship.
In May 1838, he was brought before the bishop's court in Far West, Missouri, where he admitted that he he had no confidence in the Presidency of the Church. He also admitted that he had stopped praying and stopped keeping the commandments, indulging himself in his sinful lusts. As a consequence, he was excommunicated for unbelief and apostasy. After his excommunication, he attempted to establish a church on his own but was unsuccessful.
He also took part with the mob in Missouri in robbing, pillaging, and expelling the saints from Missouri. While Joseph and others were being held prisoner in Richmond, Missouri, during their trial, historical sources state that:
McLellin, who was a “large and active man,” went to the sheriff and asked for permission to flog the Prophet. Permission was granted on condition that Joseph would fight. The sheriff made this request known to Joseph, who consented to fight if his irons were removed. McLellin then refused to fight unless he could have a club—to which Joseph readily agreed. But the sheriff would not allow them to fight on such unequal terms.
While Joseph was in Liberty Jail, McLellin and others robbed Joseph’s house and stable of considerable property.
After the events in Missouri, he lifted in different placed, later settling himself in Independence, Missouri. He became a doctor and died in obscurity at the age of 77, holding to the belief that the Lord would “establish the Church of Christ shortly, and then if they will accept me, I’ll unite with them!!! Notable despite his apostasy from the church, he never denied the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Three years before his death he wrote a letter to his friend stating:
I have set to my seal that the Book of Mormon is a true, divine record and it will require more evidence than I have ever seen to ever shake me relative to its purity… When a man goes at the Book of M. he touches the apple of my eye. He fights against truth-against purity-against light-against the purist, or one of the truest, purist books on earth… Fight the wrongs of L.D.S.ism as much as you please, but let that unique, that inimitable book alone.
He further advised his friend to “cease your opposition and strife against the Book, …for you might just as well fight against the rocky mountains as the Book!!”
[1] During the early church, there were men who were ordained apostles but who were not ordained to the quorum of the Twelve. In other words, it was common for one to be an apostle but not part of the Twelve apostles.
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