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SECTION 103Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, February 24, 1834. HC 2:36-39. this revelation was received after the arrival in Kirtland, Ohio, of Parley P. Pratt and Lyman Wight, who had come from Missouri to counsel with the Prophet as to the relief and restoration of the saints to their lands in Jackson County. |
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5—10, The saints shall prevail if they keep the commandments; 11—20, The redemption of Zion shall come by power, and the Lord will go before his people; 21—28, The saints are to gather in Zion, and those who lay down their lives shall find them again; 29—40, Various brethren are called to organize Zion's Camp and go to Zion; they are promised victory if they are faithful. | ||
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1 VERILY I say unto you, my friends,
behold, I will give unto you a revelation and commandment, that you may know
how to aact in the discharge of your duties concerning the
salvation and bredemption of your brethren, who have been
scattered on the land of Zion;
2 Being adriven and smitten by the hands of mine enemies, on whom I will pour out my bwrath without measure in mine own time.
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3 For I have suffered them thus far, that they might
afill up the measure of their
iniquitiesa, that their cup
might be full;
4 And that those who call themselves after my name might be achastened for a little seasona with a sore and grievous chastisement, because they did not bhearken altogether unto the precepts and commandments which I gave unto them. 5 But verily I say unto you, that I have decreed a decree which my people shall arealize, inasmuch as they hearken from this very hour unto the bcounsel which I, the Lord their God, shall give unto them.
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3a I have suffered them thus far, that
they might fill up the measure of their iniguities Why do the
righteous suffer? Here is the primary reason why the Lord allows the
wicked to so persecute the Lord's people. In the book of Alma the believers
were actually taken and burned so that the wicked might be fully ripe in
their iniquity that the wrath of the Lord might be fully justified against
them. This was the observation of Alma to Amulek. So it was tha the first
and prime reason that the Lord allowed the Missouri persectutions against
the saints was that the Lord would be justified in his actions against them.
4a that those who call themselves after my name might be chastened for aa little season So teach that the Missouri saints brought the persecutions upon themselves because they were 'wicked'. This is not so. The primary reason and cause is given in verse three, see the commentary above. Yet, the secondary reason was that the Lord would be able to give the saints expreience, that they might learn and come closer unto the Lord, that he might chasten them for a little season. Now none are perfect and the Lord is so able to thus give us experience as such because of our natural man position, to chasten us and if we endure it well, to then bless us more so accordingly. |
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6 Behold they shall, for I have decreed it, begin to
aprevail against mine benemies from this
very hour.
7 And by ahearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the bkingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is cgiven unto the saints, to dpossess it forever and ever.
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8 But inasmuch as they akeep not my
commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the
world shall prevail against them.
9 For they were set to be a alight unto the world, and to be the bsaviors of men; 10 And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as asalt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men.
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11 But verily I say unto you, I have decreed that your brethren
which have been scattered shall return to the alands of
their inheritances, and shall bbuild up the waste places of
Zion.
12 For after amuch tribulation, as I have said unto you in a former commandment, cometh the blessing. 13 Behold, this is the blessing which I have promised after your tribulations, and the tribulations of your brethren--your redemption, and the redemption of your brethren, even their restoration to the land of Zion, to be established, no more to be thrown down.
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14 Nevertheless, if they pollute their inheritances they shall be thrown down; for I will not spare them if they pollute their inheritances.
15 Behold, I say unto you, the aredemption of Zion must needs come by power;
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16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall
alead them like as Moses led the children of Israel.
17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the aseed of Abraham, and ye must needs be bled out of cbondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm. 18 And as your fathers were aled at the first, even so shall the redemption of Zion be.
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19 Therefore, let not your hearts faint, for I say not unto you
as I said unto your fathers: Mine aangel shall go up before
you, but not my bpresence.
20 But I say unto you: Mine aangels shall go up before you, and also my bpresence, and in time ye shall cpossess the goodly land.
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21 Verily, verily I say unto you, that my servant Joseph Smith,
Jun., is the aman to whom I likened the servant to whom the
Lord of the bvineyard spake in the parable which I have
given unto you.
22 Therefore let my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., say unto the astrength of my house, my young men and the middle aged—Gather yourselves together unto the land of Zion, upon the land which I have bought with money that has been consecrated unto me. 23 And let all the churches send up wise men with their moneys, and apurchase lands even as I have commanded them.
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24 And inasmuch as mine enemies come against you to drive you
from my goodly aland, which I have consecrated to be the
land of Zion, even from your own lands after these testimonies, which ye
have brought before me against them, ye shall curse them;
25 And whomsoever ye acurse, I will curse, and ye shall avenge me of mine enemies. 26 And my presence shall be with you even in aavenging me of mine enemies, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
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27 Let no man be afraid to lay down his alife
for my sake; for whoso blayeth down his life for my sake
shall find it again.
28 And whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple.
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29 It is my will that my servant aSidney
Rigdon shall lift up his voice in the congregations in the eastern countries,
in preparing the churches to keep the commandments which I have given unto
them concerning the restoration and redemption of Zion.
30 It is my will that my servant Parley P. Pratt and my servant Lyman Wight should not return to the land of their brethren, until they have obtained companies to go up unto the land of Zion, by tens, or by twenties, or by fifties, or by an hundred, until they have obtained to the number of five hundred of the astrength of my house.
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31 Behold this is my will; ask and ye shall receive; but men do
anot always do my will.
32 Therefore, if you cannot obtain five hundred, seek diligently that peradventure you may obtain three hundred. 33 And if ye cannot obtain three hundred, seek diligently that peradventure ye may obtain one hundred.
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34 But verily I say unto you, a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall not go up unto the land of Zion until you have obtained a hundred of the strength of my house, to go up with you unto the land of Zion.
35 Therefore, as I said unto you, ask and ye shall receive; pray earnestly that peradventure my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., may go with you, and preside in the midst of my people, and organize my kingdom upon the aconsecrated land, and establish the children of Zion upon the laws and commandments which have been and which shall be given unto you. 36 All victory and glory is brought to pass unto you through your adiligence, faithfulness, and prayers of faith.
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37 Let my servant Parley P. Pratt journey with my servant Joseph Smith, Jun.
38 Let my servant Lyman Wight journey with my servant Sidney Rigdon. 39 Let my servant Hyrum Smith journey with my servant Frederick G. Williams. 40 Let my servant Orson Hyde journey with my servant Orson Pratt, whithersoever my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., shall counsel them, in obtaining the fulfilment of these commandments which I have given unto you, and leave the residue in my hands. Even so. Amen.
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