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| The Deconstruction of Leviathan. Dore’s English Bible. Image Source: Wikimedia Commons. |
Note: Due to an increasingly busy schedule, I'm not sure if I'll be able to complete the remaining sections. Except for section 138, there is not much more that I can add than what I've done so far. My goal is to eventually compile all the commentary for the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants into a PDF, that way the reader does not have to scroll through the different dates to find the commentary. I will also finish the commentary for the remainder of the Book of Mormon that I was unable to do and add that into the PDF However, I am not sure when I'll have the PDF completed and it very likely will not be ready for another year.
Section 133
Background Information
As one scholar put it, "section 133 ends what section 1 began." Section 133 was received on November 3, 1831, two days after section 1 (the preface) for the Book of Commandments (now Doctrine and Covenants) was received. Section 133 was received at a conference of elders of the Church held between November 1 and 12, 1831. The November 1831 conference at Hiram, Ohio, planned to publish 10,000 copies of Joseph’s revelations as A Book of Commandments for the Government of the Church of Christ. Joseph began to edit the revelations, and Oliver Cowdery made plans to take them to Independence, Missouri, for publication by William Phelps on the Church’s press. Joseph’s history says that
It had been decided by the conference that Elder Oliver Cowdery should carry the commandments and revelations to Independence, Missouri, for printing, and that I should arrange and get them in readiness by the time that he left, which was to be by— or, if possible, before—the 15th of the month [November]. At this time there were many things which the elders desired to know relative to preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering; and in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November, 1831, I inquired of the Lord and received the following important revelation, which has since been added to the book of Doctrine and Covenants, and called the Appendix (HC, 1:229).
Section 133 was first published in the The Evening and the Morning Star, and was accompanied by the following introduction:
Indeed it is a source of joy to us, to know, that all the prophecies and promises which are contained in them, which have not been fulfilled, will come to pass. The saints may lift up their heads and rejoice, for their redemption will soon be perfected. Soon the curtain of heaven will be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and they will see their Lord face to face. In view of these coming scenes, they may lift up their heads and rejoice, and praise his holy name, that they are permitted to live in the days when he returns to his people his everlasting covenants, to prepare them for his presence. (A Prophecy Given to the Church of Christ, March 7, 1831,” The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1832, 1, JSP).
Section 133 deals largely with events of the end times, but is an "excalat[ion[ of the apocalyptic tone of section 1". It continues the same sub-themes found in section 1. These are “Prepare ye,” “Flee out of Babylon,” “The Lord is surely going to come,” and “Go out, ye elders, and prepare the people for what is to come.” It announces that Christ will dramatically come soon. He will come to judge all that forget God, including the ungodly Latter-day Saints. So the Saints should prepare for his coming by sanctifying their lives and becoming Zion. “Go ye out from Babylon,” the Lord says again and again, solidifying the dualistic “Zion versus Babylon” classification he chose in sections 1 and 133 to frame the Doctrine and Covenants. Zion will be rescued when the Lord comes. Babylon will be destroyed.
As noted above, this section was given to answer the elders' questions concerning the preaching of the gospel and the gathering of Israel. Section 133 answers these questions by emphasizing that the Saints must flee out of Babylon, with the only alternative location being Zion (D&C 133:12). It also explains that the elders are to rescue any who will repent, sending them first to the Gentiles and then to the Jews. Although other revelations provide more detail on how the elders are to preach repentance, section 133 emphasizes why and when, while setting the tone for the Lord's work of gathering.
To a fledgling group of fallible Latter-day Saints gathered in a private home, it sets forth an audacious scope of covering the globe with the restored gospel. It reiterates Christ’s great commission to take the gospel to every creature so that each can decide whether to repent or not. Moreover, there is no time to lose. The revelation’s urgent tone emphasizes that Christ soon comes to judge an apostate world—Babylon. (Harper, Steven C.. "Section 133." In Doctrine and Covenants Contexts, 357-359).
Section
1 Hearken, O ye people of my church, saith the Lord your God, and hear the word of the Lord concerning you— 2 The Lord who shall suddenly come to his temple; the Lord who shall come down upon the world with a curse to judgment; yea, upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you. 3 For he shall make bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of their God.
- Verse 2: The Lord Shall Suddenly Come to His Temple
- This is a quote from Malachi 3:1 -- 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.
- Verse 3: Make Bare His Holy Arm
- This verse comes from Isaiah 52:10 -- 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.
- Why does the Lord mean by making bare his holy arm? On its face, the phrase indicates that the Lord, by making bare, is not holding anything back. That is, nothing is hidden. The imagery of the "arm" is a motif in the people to represent power and strength. Turning to the Bible itself, the phrase is used by Moses in describing how God saved the Israelites -- "with a mighty and outstretched arm." (see Deuteronomy 4:34; 5:15). At the same time, the Lord’s “arm” occurs frequently in conjunction with mention of his “hand.”
- Exodus 3: 19 -20 -- And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
- Exodus 6:6 -- Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments...
- Exodus 15: 16 -- Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
- This phrase is also used in the other book in the pentateuch and the book of the prophets, where God hand and arm are used to signify his power and strength. Thus, the arm of the Lord is a metaphor to represent the Lord's power. Apparently, this is also how church leaders understood this expression:
- Wilford Woodruff:
- "He is in the midst of this people, and that he will contend for the rights of his Saints, and will ward off every weapon which is formed against Zion. So far at least we have been sustained; the arm of Jehovah has been made bare in our behalf ever since we have been in these valleys, and all Israel whose eyes are open to see, and whose minds can comprehend the dealings of God with his people, know it."
- Joseph Smith: JS used it in the context of the Lord providing protection for His Saints when he prayed at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple:
- "But if they will not, make bare thine arm, O Lord, and redeem that which thou didst appoint a Zion unto thy people" (D&C 109:51).
- However, unlike the Lord's deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians, which was only seen exclusively by a limited group of people (i.e., the Egyptians and Israelites) the Lord's salvation in the end time will be available for the whole world to see. When all is said and done, the Lord's final work to gather and save his people will be the new exodus, one told for all eternity. What a time to be alive! For the days are approaching of which the ancients saw and foretold.
4 Wherefore [In light of the Lord coming to his temple and saving his people, his people are to prepare], prepare ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves [His people prepare for the establishment of Zion by sanctifying themselves -- i.e., making themselves holy]; gather ye together, O ye people of my church, upon the land of Zion, all you that have not been commanded to tarry.
- Verse 4: Sanctify Yourselves
- As stated above, the coming years will be something -- both tremendously difficult but also spiritually rewarding. Great signs and wonder will appear in both the heaven and earth, the the Lord's spirit will be poured out in great abundance. Supernatural miracles will no longer be something we read in the scriptures or have indirectly heard from others, but will be every present in the lives of his people who possess faith, with the culminating event being God's power in gathering his people to Zion and protecting it from its enemies.
- But as the Lord exhorts in verse 4, we must be prepared. And we prepare ourselves through sanctification. One commentator explained:
- A person is sanctified as they receive gifts of the Spirit—increments of the attributes of Christ—through their obedience to law. To be sanctified is to receive these spiritual gifts. A second element to sanctification is to have increments of one’s natural self removed—the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost. This process is intimately associated with spiritual growth. How do we best prepare for the Lord’s second coming? It is simply to establish a pattern in our lives of continuous spiritual growth—receiving these incremental attributes of Christ through constantly striving to be obedient—and then to continue that pattern unrelentingly. There should be no thought of making special preparations for his coming. Rather, we must be ready constantly, through constant striving to obey the commandments, as is made clear in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).
- To add my own comments: each and everyday we are deciding whether we are preparing for Zion or not by the actions -- even the small ones -- we take everyday. Our character is formed by our repeated action which form into habits, and which habits become part of our nature. It this these acton which fix our destiny.
- If reading the scriptures or praying is a chore right now, it'll be even more of a burden when there will be more things occupying your time -- such as food, shelter, earning money, etc -- and will be even more difficult since the resources available today to understand them won't be as readily available. If you justify being dishonest in you dealings with your fellow men, whether it be your boss, co-worker, or friend, who's to say it will improve when being charitable and self-less will come at a greater cost than currently?
- To begin the process of sanctification, our heart must be set fully upon the Lord, as it is our heart that will shape our perceptions and govern our desires.
- Every human heart has decided on something that is your main love, main hope...What does you heart look to? What is the most important thing to your heart? What have you decided that if I have that life will be happy, life be secure, then I will know that I am something? You made that decision in your heart and everything is determined by that. Your thoughts, the way you perceive things, the way you understanding things, the way you think, the way you feel, and the way you act...Whatever you heart has decided is its ultimate love determines all the ways you make choices in your life. (Timothy Keller, The Wellspring of Wisdom)
- Sanctification is the process solidifying our full love for God -- and nothing else.
- Verse 4: All You That Have Not Been Commanded to Tarry
- This call is to the Kirtland saints. Some of them had been "commanded to tarry" in Kirtland Ohio. A greater number of them were called upon to establish Zion in the New Jerusalem of Jackson County. While history tells how their Zion was not redeemed as expected, the call for the people of the Church to gather to the stakes of Zion and sanctify themselves in preparation for the Second Coming is more pressing now than it was in 1831
5 Go ye out from Babylon. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. 6 Call your solemn assemblies, and speak often one to another. And let every man call upon the name of the Lord. 7 Yea, verily I say unto you again, the time has come when the voice of the Lord is unto you: Go ye out of Babylon; gather ye out from among the nations, from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 8 Send forth the elders of my church unto the nations which are afar off; unto the islands of the sea [islands of the seas refers to the continents, see verse 23]; send forth unto foreign lands; call upon all nations, first upon the Gentiles, and then upon the Jews.
- Verse 6: Call Your Solemn Assemblies
- As one commentator explained:
- A solemn assembly is a special gathering of the Church, or a representative body thereof, for extraordinary sacred worship, blessing, or instruction (Ludlow, Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 3:1380-81). these are usually held in the temples of the Church. Inasmuch as there were no temples as yet constructed in the latter days for this purpose, this commandment also implies a preliminary obligation to build temples at Kirtland and Independence.
9 And behold, and lo, this shall be their cry [Preaching of the servants sent out to call repentance], and the voice of the Lord unto all people: Go ye forth unto the land of Zion, that the borders of my people may be enlarged, and that her stakes may be strengthened, and that Zion may go forth unto the regions round about. 10 Yea, let the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to meet the Bridegroom; behold and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord.
11 Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour. 12 Let them, therefore, who are among the Gentiles flee unto Zion. 13 And let them who be of Judah flee unto Jerusalem, unto the mountains of the Lord’s house. 14 Go ye out from among the nations, even from Babylon, from the midst of wickedness, which is spiritual Babylon. 15 But verily, thus saith the Lord, let not your flight be in haste, but let all things be prepared before you; and he that goeth, let him not look back lest sudden destruction shall come upon him.
16 Hearken and hear, O ye inhabitants of the earth. Listen, ye elders of my church together, and hear the voice of the Lord; for he calleth upon all men, and he commandeth all men everywhere to repent. 17 For behold, the Lord God hath sent forth the angel crying through the midst of heaven, saying: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight, for the hour of his coming is nigh— 18 When the Lamb shall stand upon Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 19 Wherefore, prepare ye for the coming of the Bridegroom; go ye, go ye out to meet him. 20 For behold, he shall stand upon the mount of Olivet, and upon the mighty ocean, even the great deep, and upon the islands of the sea, and upon the land of Zion.
- Verse 18: [The] Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand
- This is a reference to Revelation 7.2-4 and Revelation 14: 1-4:
- And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.[14] These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
- In a previous post, I discussed the significance of the imagery of having the Father's name written on their foreheads. There, I pointed out one the imagery's significance draws for the language used to describe the High Priest. However, I've also found additional quotes by church leaders that shed light on the literal meaning of the sealing in the foreheads
- On the 13 August 1843 Joseph preached a sermon at the funeral of Judge Elias Higbee. The following are the journal accounts of Franklin D. Richards and William Clayton, two associates of Joseph Smith who recorded Joseph’s teaching:
- Franklin D. Richards: I will send Elijah the Prophet and he shall reveal the covenants of the Fathers to the children and of the Children to the Fathers that they may enter into Covenant with each other, lest I come & smite the whole Earth with a curse. What is the seal spoken of in Rev. 7:3? Find it out if you can. I will not reveal it now but will drop an idea that I have never revealed concerning Election connected with the sealing of the servants of God in the fore or top of the head.
- William Clayton: Went to meeting heard J[oseph] preach on 2 Peter 3:10-11, being a funeral sermon on the death of E. Higbee. When speaking of the passage, “I will send Elijah the prophet &c,” he said it should read “and he shall turn the hearts of the children to the covenant made with their fathers.” Also where it says “and they shall seal the servants of God in their foreheads &c,” it means to seal the blessing on their heads, meaning the everlasting covenant, thereby making their calling & election sure. When a seal is put upon the father and mother it secures their posterity so that they cannot be lost but will be saved by virtue of the covenant of their father.
- Bruce R. McConkie: John here sees 144,000 of these kings and priests, 12,000 from each tribe, converted, baptized, endowed, married for eternity, and finally sealed up unto eternal life, having their calling and election made sure. (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:492)
- Another interesting observation concern the number 144 thousand. I've taken this number to be literal. That is, that in the end times and after Zion is established, there will be 144k high priests who are given special power to administer the everlasting gospel.
- However, scholar Richard Draper suggests that the number might not be literal. He basis his theory on the fact that section 77 (which talks about the 144k thousand) does not mention a specific number, but instead notes that "the group is composed of high priests who have a special calling 'to administer the everlasting gospel' and 'to bring as many as will come to the church of the Firstborn'". He further notes that 12 represent the priesthood and the "Biblical people squared a number to amplify its symbolic meaning. Thus, 144 suggests a fullness of priesthood authority. But John is not satisfied with that. He gives the image a superlative quality by multiplying 1,000, representing completeness. In this way he shows the strength and breadth of the priesthood in the latter days, in this dispensation that is, indeed, the dispensation of the fullness of times. During this period that complete priesthood authority will operate. It is little wonder that as the world spurns this authority, it will be condemned.." (Opening the Seven Seals: the Vision of John the Revelator, (1991), p. 83)
- Verse 20: Stand Upon the Mount of Olivet (Olives)
- The standing of the Lord upon the Mount of Olives has reference to the passage in Zechariah 14:
- 2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. 6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: 7 But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light. 8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. 9 And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one.
21 And he [The Lord] shall utter his voice out of Zion, and he shall speak from Jerusalem, and his voice shall be heard among all people; 22 And it shall be a voice as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, which shall break down the mountains, and the valleys shall not be found. 23 He shall command the great deep, and it [the great deep] shall be driven back into the north countries, and the islands shall become one land; 24 And the land of Jerusalem and the land of Zion shall be turned back into their own place, and the earth shall be like as it was in the days before it was divided. 25 And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh.
- Verse 23: He Shall Command the Great Deep
- The phrase "great deep" connects to the creation narrative in Genesis, where the author records: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
- The Hebrew word translated as deep is tahom, and it has the meaning of deep abyss. In this case, the deep abyss is a water abyss. It represents the chaos waters. As a side note, the imagery of chaos water is a strong motifs in the Bible, and the writers of the Bible play of this imagery many times. The Psalmists is particularly fond of this imagery to describe the chaos that encompasses his life.
- For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. 13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. 14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. 15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers. (Psalm 74)
- Jonah also draws on this imagery when he writes:
- The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. (Jon 2:5)
- In Genesis, God, through the power of his word, order the chaos waters by dividing them with a "firmament."
- 6 ¶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
- Here, we learn that God used a a "firmament" to divide the waters above and the waters below. The term "firmament" is obscure and I when I read Genesis I had no idea what this meant. That was until I learned the Hebrew term, which is raqia. Raqia is the noun and comes from the verb raqa, which means to hammer out, smooth, spread. The raqia’ is a solid blue dome above, which has the cosmic waters above, which are released through windows! God thus divided the chaos waters by separating them through a solid blue dome. There are water above and waters below. And order is established by separating the chaotic elements.
- The point is discussing this is not dwell on whether or not there were primordial chaos waters when God created the world, but to focus on the imagery of a deep watery abyss that Christ is drawing on to describe his ordering of the world during the end times, which he refes to as the "great deep." Apocalyptic authors use the imagery of flooding water to describe the Lord's judgment. By using this imagery, they are likely pointing out how the end times is the result of chaos overriding order due to the compounded sins of humanity. For instance, the Lord in Ezekiel, describing the end times, writes:
- Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep [tahom] for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.
- When the Lord says in verse 23 that he will command the great deep, he is saying that the Lord's will order the chaos once again. And the ordering of chaos occurs after Zion and Jerusalem are established (indicating that chaos won't abate until that time). Further observe that the Lord will order the chaos waters the same why he did when he created the world: through the power of his word.
- Verse 23: Driven Back Into the North Countries
- In the same verse, the deep waters are driven back to the North Countries. What does this mean? Again, to understand we have to go back to the Biblical geography. "North countries" refers to the land of Bashan which was the place of Baal worship. As Michael Heiser puts it,
- It was a divine mountain, the place where Baal held council as he ruled the gods of the Canaanite pantheon. Baal’s palace was thought to be on “the heights of Tsapanu/Zaphon.”… In Ugaritic texts, Baal is “lord of Zaphon” ( baʿal tsapanu). He is also called a “prince” ( zbl in Ugaritic). Another of Baal’s titles is “prince, lord of the underworld” ( zbl baʿal ʾarts)….The physical north, therefore, was associated with the terror of tyrants bent on Israel’s destruction.
- The north countries then is a stand-in to refer to an evil place. Again, in apocalyptic literature, the end time tyrant (represented as Assyria and Babylon) come from the "north." Similarly, in the battle of Gog and Magog, the enemies of Zion come from the north.
- The imagery of the Lord driving the chaos waters back to the north countries signifies that the Lord will command the chaos to return from where it came. Further note that the chaos water are never eliminated, rather they are confined in the "north countries" -- the place of evil. Perhaps outer darkness?
- Understanding this will also make the meaning of verses 26-35 clearer.
26 And they who are in the north countries [see commentary for verse 23] shall come in remembrance before the Lord; and their prophets shall hear his voice, and shall no longer stay themselves; and they [those in the north countries] shall smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their presence. 27 And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the great deep. 28 Their enemies shall become a prey unto them, 29 And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be a thirsty land. 30 And they shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants. 31 And the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at their presence. 32 And there shall they fall down and be crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim. 33 And they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. 34 Behold, this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim and his fellows. 35 And they also of the tribe of Judah, after their pain, shall be sanctified in holiness before the Lord, to dwell in his presence day and night, forever and ever.
- Verse 26: Smite the Rocks, and the Ice Shall Flow Down...
- Orson Pratt explained:
- To show that they come with power, they come on a highway cast up for them; the ice feels the power of God and flows down, making room for them; and the barren deserts of the north, wherever they may go and need water, will yield forth pools of living water to quench their thirst. As they come to sing in the height of Zion, the everlasting hills, this great Rocky Mountain range, extending from the arctic regions south to the central portions of America, will tremble beneath the power of God at the approach of that people. Then will be fulfilled the saying of David, that the mountains shall skip like rams, and the little hills like lambs, before his people. The very trees of the field will clap like hands, as the Psalmist David has said. Then will be fulfilled the passage that was quoted yesterday by brother Woodruff-"Sing O heavens, be joyful O earth, and break forth into singing O mountains, for the Lord hath redeemed his people," &c. And when they get to Zion they will begin to say-"The place is too strait for me, give place to me that I may dwell;" then the saying will go forth-"Behold I was a captive. Zion was a captive, moving to and fro, tossed to and fro, and not comforted. Behold I was left alone." But where have this great company been, where has this mighty host come from? They have come from their hiding place in the north country; they have been led thence by the Prophets of the Most High God, the Lord going before their camp, talking with them out of the cloud, as he talked in ancient days with the camp of Israel, uttering his voice before his army, for his camp will be very great. So says the Prophet Joel, and his prophecy will be fulfilled. When they return to Zion to sing in the height thereof, "They will fall down there and be crowned with glory by the hands of the servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim." (JD, 18: 25 - 26)
- Verse 29: Barren Deserts and Pools of Living Waters
- Once commentator notes: The Lord will restore the earth to its paradise like state as shown in the experience of the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve walked with the Lord. Eden, a prototypical temple, will extend throughout all of creation.[35] It is through Christ that Adam and Eve can act as the true stewards of creation, and in the words of Genesis “dress and keep” the whole world, a set of words used to describe the duties of those that officiate in temples anciently.[36] For in this way, Adam and Eve are temple priests, caring for all of creation under the direction of Jehovah.
36 And now, verily saith the Lord, that these things might be known among you, O inhabitants of the earth, I have sent forth mine angel flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel, who hath appeared unto some and hath committed it unto man, who shall appear unto many that dwell on the earth. 37 And this gospel shall be preached unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people. 38 And the servants of God shall go forth, saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come; 39 And worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters— 40 Calling upon the name of the Lord day and night, saying: O that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. 41 And it shall be answered upon their heads; for the presence of the Lord shall be as the melting fire that burneth, and as the fire which causeth the waters to boil.
- Verses 41-44: The Presence of the Lord Shall Be As the Melting Fire..."
- The Bible describes God as a “consuming fire” (Deut. 4:24), his glory consuming everything corrupt and unholy (D&C 63:34;101:23-24). JS explained, “God Almighty Himself dwells in eternal fire; flesh and blood cannot go there, for all corruption is devoured by the fire,” but a resurrected being, “flesh and bones quickened by the Spirit of God,” can. Heaven, not hell, is the realm of everlasting burnings, a view contrasting with the popular conception of hell as a place of fire, brimstone, and searing heat. Heat is a characteristic of God’s glory (D&C 133:41-44).
- See Isaiah 64: 1-4:
- Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, 2 As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! 3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. 4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
- 2 Peter 3 echos this concept:
- 9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
- Revelation 18: 8-9:
- Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning
- Orson Pratt also taught:
- The earth is to be cleansed by fire; in other words, the elements are to be melted with fervent heat. This is the declaration of several of the prophets... You know how wax melts when exposed to the influence of heat. So, when the Lord comes, will the elements melt and the mountains flow down at his presence with fervent heat. This will cleanse the earth as it was cleansed in the days of Noah, only by another element called fire. This is typical of the cleansing of those who embrace the plan of salvation. After you have been immersed, as this earth was, in the water, and been cleansed and received the remission of your sins, you also have the promise of baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, by which you are purified, as well justified and sanctified from all your evil affections, and you feel to love God and that which is just and true, and to hate that which is sinful and evil. Why? Because of this sanctifying, purifying principle that comes upon you, by the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. So must this earth be baptized by fire, it must be cleansed from all sin and impurity. Will it be filled with the Holy Ghost? Yes. These elements that melt like wax before the presence of the Lord will again be filled with his Spirit and will be renewed, and the earth itself will be full of the knowledge of God as the waters cover the channels of the great deep. (JD, 16: 319)
42 O Lord, thou shalt come down to make thy name known to thine adversaries, and all nations shall tremble at thy presence— 43 When thou doest terrible things, things they look not for; 44 Yea, when thou comest down, and the mountains flow down at thy presence, thou shalt meet him who rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, who remembereth thee in thy ways. 45 For since the beginning of the world have not men heard nor perceived by the ear, neither hath any eye seen, O God, besides thee, how great things thou hast prepared for him that waiteth for thee.
46 And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea, from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? 47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save. 48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat. 49 And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.
- Verses 46-48: Red in His Apparel
- As one commentator explained:
- Latter-day Saints usually envision Christ wearing white robes at his second coming (see 3 Nephi 11:8). However, this is not the case and these verses indicate that he will be dressed in red. His red apparel has symbolic meaning that cuts two-ways. For the wicked, the redness of Christ’s apparel at his second coming indicates that he comes as a judge and as a conqueror, to slay the wicked with the sword of his mouth. Christ the conqueror will symbolically be drenched in the blood of the wicked, which the great judge exacts from them as a just penalty for their crimes and iniquities. For the wicked, the day of the Lord will be “dreadful,” and the blood with which Christ is symbolically covered will be their blood, spilled as he tramples his enemies underfoot in the great day of his vengeance.
- On the other hand, for the righteous, the redness of Jesus’ robe at his second coming will symbolize his own blood, shed by him at every pore in Gethsemane and upon Calvary. The redness of his robe will be symbolic of his redeeming blood and atoning sacrifice.
- As Elder Neal A. Maxwell observed:
- “Having bled at every pore, how red His raiment must have been in Gethsemane, how crimson that cloak! No wonder, when Christ comes in power and glory, that He will come in reminding red attire (see D&C 133:48), signifying not only the winepress of wrath, but also to bring to our remembrance how He suffered for each of us in Gethsemane and on Calvary!”
50 And his voice shall be heard: I have trodden the wine-press alone, and have brought judgment upon all people; and none were with me; 51 And I have trampled them in my fury, and I did tread upon them in mine anger, and their blood have I sprinkled upon my garments, and stained all my raiment; for this was the day of vengeance which was in my heart. 52 And now the year of my redeemed is come; and they shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness, and according to his loving kindness, forever and ever.
53 In all their afflictions he was afflicted. And the angel of his presence saved them; and in his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them, and bore them, and carried them all the days of old; 54 Yea, and Enoch also, and they who were with him; the prophets who were before him; and Noah also, and they who were before him; and Moses also, and they who were before him; 55 And from Moses to Elijah, and from Elijah to John, who were with Christ in his resurrection, and the holy apostles, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall be in the presence of the Lamb. 56 And the graves of the saints shall be opened; and they shall come forth and stand on the right hand of the Lamb, when he shall stand upon Mount Zion, and upon the holy city, the New Jerusalem; and they shall sing the song of the Lamb, day and night forever and ever.
57 And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity—58 To prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord’s errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise, and the little one become a strong nation, and two shall put their tens of thousands to flight. 59 And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thresh the nations by the power of his Spirit. 60 And for this cause these commandments were given; they were commanded to be kept from the world in the day that they were given, but now are to go forth unto all flesh— 61 And this according to the mind and will of the Lord, who ruleth over all flesh.
62 And unto him that repenteth and sanctifieth himself before the Lord shall be given eternal life. 63 And upon them that hearken not to the voice of the Lord shall be fulfilled that which was written by the prophet Moses, that they should be cut off from among the people. 64 And also that which was written by the prophet Malachi: For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
65 Wherefore, this shall be the answer of the Lord unto them: 66 In that day when I came unto mine own, no man among you received me, and you were driven out. 67 When I called again there was none of you to answer; yet my arm was not shortened at all that I could not redeem, neither my power to deliver. 68 Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea. I make the rivers a wilderness; their fish stink, and die for thirst. 69 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and make sackcloth their covering. 70 And this shall ye have of my hand—ye shall lie down in sorrow. 71 Behold, and lo, there are none to deliver you; for ye obeyed not my voice when I called to you out of the heavens; ye believed not my servants, and when they were sent unto you ye received them not. 72 Wherefore, they sealed up the testimony and bound up the law, and ye were delivered over unto darkness.
- Verse 66: In the Day...No Man Among You Received Me
- We receive the Lord by becoming like him, but first we have to overcome the natural man. CS Lewis put it this way:
- Christianity asserts that we are going to go on forever...Now there are a great many things that wouldn’t be worth bothering about if I was only going to live eighty years or so, but I had better bother about if I am going to go on living forever. Perhaps my bad temper or my jealousy are getting worse so gradually that the increase in my lifetime will not be very noticeable but it might be absolute hell in a million years. In fact, if Christianity is true, hell is precisely the correct technical term for it. Hell begins with a grumbling mood, always complaining, always blaming others, but you are still distinct from it. You may even criticize it in yourself and wish you could stop it. But there may come a day when you can no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood or to even enjoy it, but just the grumble itself going on and on forever like a machine. It is not a question of God ‘sending us’ to hell. In each of us there is something growing, which will *be* Hell unless it is nipped in the bud. (Mere Christianity)
- Sadly, many portray the love of God as being so encompassing as to tolerate sin. God is love. But his love does not extend to allowing those who haven't become like him to dwell where he dwells, otherwise the wicked would pollute heaven turning it into hell by their lustful desire and selfish behavior. Zenos' allegory of the vineyard illustrates this principle perfectly: bad fruit corrupts good tress. If God allowed this to happen, then those who are righteous will suffer at the hands of the wicked. This would be unjust and unloving. God's love is manifested through his mercy and grace. Mercy, in giving us time to repent. And grace, in pouring out his spirit to aide us through the challenges of life and endowing us with greater power.
- Verse 70: Ye Shall Lie Down in Sorrow
- This passage has reference to the third servant song of Isaiah, found in Isaiah 50.4-11. This reads as follows:
- 4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back. 6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 7 For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. 8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. 10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. 11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow.
73 These shall go away into outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth. 74 Behold the Lord your God hath spoken it. Amen.
Section 134
Background Information
This section was written in the summer of 1835 while JS and Frederick G. Williams was serving missions in the Michigan. While they were gone, Oliver Cowdery, who the Assistant President of the Church, was left in charge of Kirtland.
On August 17, 1835, a general assembly of priesthood leaders convened in Kirtland, Ohio, to listen to OC and Sidney Rigdon present the Doctrine and Covenants for their approval (the first edition, the Book of Commandments, was published in 1833). Oliver introduced the book and its contents to the assembled councils, after which the priesthood leaders unanimously testified of their satisfaction with the work. In the meeting Oliver Cowdery and William W. Phelps presented two additional documents for inclusion in the Doctrine and Covenants: first, a statement on marriage, and second, the declaration “containing certain principles or items upon laws in general and church government [D&C 134].
The statement on marriage contained the following verse: “Inasmuch as this Church of Christ has been reproached with the crime of fornication and polygamy: we declare that we believe one man should have one wife, and one woman, but one husband, except in case of death, when either is at liberty to marry again” (D&C [1835] 101:4). This document was later removed by Orson Pratt and replaced with section 132 in 1876.
The another document, which is section 134 titled “Of Governments and Laws in General" might have been written either primarily or exclusive by OC but the authorship is unknown. Scholars believe the seciton was written by OC because the language "mirrors articles produced when he served as the editor of the Church newspapers The Evening and the Morning Star and the Northern Times." Although because we aren't sure, I will refer to the author of section 134 as the writer.
The assembly “accepted and adopted” it, too, for inclusion, and thus section 134, though not a revelation, became canonized as part of the Doctrine and Covenants. Although JS was away, he endorsed it in April 1836. Several years later, Joseph included the declaration in its entirety in a letter to the editor of the Chester County Register and Examiner. Joseph signed his name at the end of the letter and changed all of the “we believe” statements to “I believe.
In addition to the canonization of this document, it's "vital" to understand the context in which section 134 originated. As Casey Paul Griffiths explain,
...the context surrounding Doctrine and Covenants 134 was the continuing difficulties of the Church in Missouri. The Saints in Missouri were forcibly evicted from their homes in Jackson County, Missouri in the Fall of 1833. When Doctrine and Covenants 134 was written the Saints in Missouri were refugees in nearby Clay County, but still held hopes to return to their lands in Jackson County. Daniel Dunklin, the governor of Missouri, expressed sympathy toward the plight of the Saints. At the time slavery was legal in Missouri, and some of the persecutions against the Saints came in part because the Church newspaper The Evening and Morning Star published several articles which were interpreted as supporting the abolition of slavery and encouraging the migration of free blacks to the state. Doctrine and Covenants 134 does not denounce abolition, but it does announce a policy of non-interference on the question. This part of the declaration may have been written to help soothe the fears of Missouri leaders who feared the Saints planned to interfere with slave holders (see Doctrine and Covenants 134:12). (Historical Introduction,” Appendix 4: Declaration on Government and Law, circa August 1835 [D&C 134], JSP)
Although the document is not revelation and thus its principles it espouses are not binding truths upon us, it is worthy of study and consideration, as it outlines the principles of government and providers framework for understanding the relationship between secular government and religion.
Section
1 We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society.
- Verse 1: Governments Instituted...For the Benefit of Man
- As Casey Paul Griffiths notes, "The statement that “governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man” does not imply that all governments were instituted of God, just the general concept of government." Underlying this thought is Lockean political theory, which argued that the purpose of government is to enforce the social contract and protect the natural rights of man. Government was to ensure that society was ordered through it laws.
- To understand this better, it's important to understand the framework that Locke and other enlightenment philosophers were operating. For Locke there were two states or conditions of man: state of nature and state of war. In state of nature, there was no governing body, there was anarchy and no order or rules to guide human behavior, natural law (God given law) govern us. In a state of war, which is one of enmity and destruction, each person is filled with malice and violence. The state of war occurs when people exert unwelcome force on other people interfering with their own natural right and freedom without common authority. When one man uses force to deprive another of his life, health, possessions, or property, it becomes a state of war. In this state, people are justified in self-defense and protecting their rights.
- The role of government is to protect those natural rights in a way that avoids war. This is called civil society. In a civil society, our natural rights of liberty and property is protected by the government. The government is the authority that sets things in order, not humans. We place the authority to a legislative and executive power and must abide by the laws set forth by the government
- The point is that the role of government does serve a good in that it protects the rights (in theory) of the people, thereby allowing society to flourish through the protection of property interest and liberty (i.e., the good and safety of society). When government does this it is instituted of God. Thus laws, when enacted righteously, serve to circumscribe the conduct of man, giving him a chance to flourish and also govern himself morally. However, government is a benefit if it enacts righteous laws. It is a burden if immoral or unjust laws are enacted. Hence why verse 1 makes clear that men are held accountable before God in "making laws and administering (carrying them out)..."
- God's objective is Zion, a society that is governed by divine law. But God uses governments to establish a peaceful society where his divine law has a chance to take root in a people.
- In addition to likely having a basis in Lockean theory, the writer is also drawing from Paul's and Peter's statement concerning government.
- Paul: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be [referring to government powers] are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (Romans 13:1), emphasis added.
2 We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate [unbroken/unpolluted] as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life
- Verse 2: No Government Can Exist in Peace, Except...
- To establish peace, government must secure for the individual the freedom of conscience, right to property and protection of life. Brigham Young taught:
- The volition of the creature is free; this is a law of their existence and the Lord cannot violate his own law. ... This is a law which has always existed from all eternity, and will continue to exist throughout all the eternities to come. Every intelligent being must have the power of choice. (Improvement Era, 1949, Vol. Lii. July, 1949. No. 7)
3 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign. [1828 dictionary defines equity as"the impartial distribution of justice... [it] is the treating of a person according to justice and reason. Equity, as used in verse 3, does not refer to the social justice definition of equity where everyone is to have equal outcomes.]
- Verse 3: Civil Officers and Magistrates
- 1828 definition for magistrate: "A public civil officer, invested with the executive government or some branch of it. In this sense, a king is the highest or first magistrate as is the President of the United States. But the word is more particularly applied to subordinate officers, as governors, intendants, prefects, mayors, justices of the peace, and the like."
4 We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable [1828: capable of being corrected] to him [God], and to him [God] only, for the exercise of it [religion], unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.
- Verse 4: That Men Are Amendable to Him
- According to verse 4, the exercise of religion is subject unto God and not secular government unless that religion causes its adherents to "infringe upon the rights and liberties of others." Although the verse doesn't expressly state it, the presumption (based on the ending of verse 4) is that if a religion causes its adherents to infringe upon other rights, secular government is justified to intervene. Nevertheless, government does not have the right to prescribe rules of worship so as to dictate what people believe or how they worship.
- The key distinction is that the government is not to police thoughts, but actions that infringe upon the rights of others. And although not expressly stated, the implication is that if a person's thoughts led to infringing on the rights of others, then government is justified to intervene. An Article in the 1987 by Arvo Van Alstyne, expressed it this way
- Freedom to formulate one's own beliefs in accordance with private conscience, uncoerced by fear of governmental sanctions, and to conform one's conduct to those beliefs, allows sweeping scope to the 'moral agency' of mankind. Moreover, where this freedom is recognized, it necessarily follows that one believer may freely seek to persuade others, by noncompulsory means, to a similar view. According to Alma, the 'virtue of the word of God,' when preached by the Spirit, had 'a great tendency' to lead people to righteous living; it even had a 'more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword' or any other external influence. (Alma 31:5.)...
- The difficulty with the concept of freedom of expression, of course, arises from the need, in a variety of situations, to regulate illegal actions. Ideas can be expressed in both words and conduct, and the two are frequently intermingled; it is often difficult to isolate cause from effect, to determine whether public disorders have resulted from words used by a speaker or from the reactions of his listeners. Yet the distinction needs to be made, in order to preserve the integrity of the constitutional command that freedom of speech not be interfered with. 'We believe ... that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.' (D&C 134:4.)...
- This basic distinction between ideas and conduct is verified by the experience recorded in the thirtieth chapter of Alma. Korihor, the anti-Christ, came preaching throughout the land of Zarahemla, teaching the people that the fundamental doctrines upon which their government was based were nothing but foolish traditions, mere falsehoods promulgated by the priests and teachers of the people for the sake of personal gain. Some of the good citizens of Zarahemla, being offended by these false and vicious doctrines, made a citizen's arrest, bringing Korihor before Alma, the prophet and chief judge. Alma, however, refused to use the power of government to punish Korihor, since, as the record points out, 'there was no law against a man's belief; for it was strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.' (Alma 30:7)" (Just and Holy Principles': An Examination of the U.S. Constitution," Ensign, Aug. 1987, 9)
5 We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience. [Although governments have the right to enact laws for public interest, it must not come at the expense of the freedom of conscience]
- Verse 5: Holding Sacred the Freedom of Conscience
- An important theme throughout this declaration is the importance of maintaining the freedom of conscience -- for one to believe what he will. God intends to reveal all the truth he possess to us. He also desires for us to search our and discover light and truth in our lives. Fundamental to this search is the protection of one's beliefs. This is because each person needs to space to "work out" their understanding. And none are to be compelled to do so, for such is contrary to the nature of heaven. History has also shown what happens when beliefs are forced upon a people. Bad things.
- Additionally, it's important to give people this freedom because humans are limited in their understanding and so what can be considered correct in one era may be viewed wrong in another. If society imposes a dogmatic belief into the body politic that it must believe X, it creates rigidity and stagnation -- antithetical to progress and advancement. We saw this during the Catholic's church insistence that the earth was the center, not the sun. Fortunately, we had courageous men who challenged this dogma at the risk of their own lives. But if no one did, our society would likely not be where it's at today in terms of its advances.
- Truth is progressive. What this means is that as our knowledge increases about the world, our blind spots are uncovered and previous understanding, in light of greater understanding, are shown to be not completely accurate. Just look at how much our understanding of the universe as expanded since scientist took began taking space seriously in the 1920s. And not biologist at that time understood what DNA or how brain chemistry regulated behavior. This discoveries have been made because scientist are permitted (even expected) to challenge conventional understanding and to push the envelope by identifying phenomenon that contradicts it.
- Freedom of conscience, which is the freedom to believe, is sacrosanct. Each of us needs space to think through our beliefs and explore them, so long as acting on them doesn't harm others. But what is considered harm, or legal injury, is a tricky thing. Clear examples are the Warren Jeffs of society who decided to put their belief into action, leading to the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women and the satiating of the lustful appetites of men. But challenging examples arise with Nephi's killing of Laban. Although this event took place in a different society, there is the truth that Nephi held a belief (that he should kill Laban) and acted upon, which harmed Laban.
- While not intending to get into a deep legal and theological discussion about this incident, the point is that it's not easy to circumscribe this principle into bright-line rules of conduct. Fortunately, we haven't had any issue with Christians talking the law into their own hands. But what we do have is a troubling trend in western liberal-democracy to equate emotional agitation or offense to tantamount to a serious offense. This trend seems to be taking us in the wrong direction. Fortunately, in the United States we haven't (yet) crossed the rubicon into equating emotional offense with a legal injury, but other countries have.
- As I speak, there is a Finnish bishop of the Lutheran church who has been charged with incitement against a group of people, which stem from a 2004 booklet published by Luther Foundation Finland (the legal entity behind the ELMDF) which articulates historic Christian teaching on human sexuality. The article reads:
- The booklet argues that homosexual activity must be identified as sin by the church on the basis of the teachings of Scripture. The author, Dr. Päivi Räsänen—a Finnish Member of Parliament—further argues that a failure to recognize sin as sin undermines the very need for a Saviour...
- The International Lutheran Council has earlier expressed concern about the investigation of Lutherans in Finland for upholding historic Christian teaching. That concern is deepening. “Recent actions in Finland have created an international scandal which continues to grow,” said Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, General Secretary of the International Lutheran Council. “The implications of the decision to charge Juhana Pohjola and Päivi Räsänen are clear: if the authorities are willing to do this to a respected pastor, reverend doctor, and Bishop Elect, as well as a Member of Parliament and former Minister of the Interior, then that sends a message of fear and intimidation to everyone in Finland who follows the Scripture’s teaching on human sexuality.” (https://ilc-online.org/2021/04/30/finnish-bishop-elect-charged-over-historic-christian-teachings-on-human-sexuality/)
- Not only will churches be the causality, as the spreading of the gospel will be muted and hindered, it also open the door for further restriction of beliefs that have nothing to do with religion. For instance, it's likely that laws in certain countries will make it a crime for someone to believe that there are only two genders. Other laws will also arise arbitrarily restricting other expressions of belief. Strangely, what will take us into the neo-dark ages is not Christianity, but a corrupted form of secularism, which will have stifled progression because it has fettered the spirit to inquire.
6 We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men owe respect and deference, as without them [rulers and magistrates] peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror [Again, this draws from Lockean legal theory discussed in verse 1]; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker. [Again, this draws from Lockean legal theory discussed in verse 1. Government's purpose is to regulate, or order (see 1828 definition) society and without them there would be anarchy and "terror".]
7 We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.
- Verse 7: We Believe... That Governments...Are Bound to Enact Laws For...
- Government is to protect freedom of religion and don't have right to deprive people of to practice their religion freely unless that religion shows disregard for the laws and is seditious against the government. Consider Peter's statement to the church:
- 13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (1 Peter 2).
8 We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.
9 We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied. [This articulates the separation between church and state principle that underlies liberal-democracy]
10 We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct [e.g., excommunication], according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world’s goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. [Religious society can't be the adjudicator of legal violations, nor should they have the power to be able to deprive life, liberty, or property from their members] They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship. [This is the only power religious institutions should have.]
11 We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded. [If one can't make an immediate appeal to the laws to find relief and their lives, those of others, or their property is jeopardy (due to unlawful assaults or encroachment) then they are justified in defending themselves.]
12 We believe it just to preach the gospel to the nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save themselves from the corruption of the world; but we do not believe it right to interfere with bond-servants, neither preach the gospel to, nor baptize them contrary to the will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with or influence them in the least to cause them to be dissatisfied with their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government allowing human beings to be held in servitude.
