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| The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while he was a prisoner int the jail at Liberty, Missouri, March 1839. HC 3:300-301. |
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5—7, All his perils and travails shall give him experience and be for his good; 8—9, The Son of Man hath descended below them all. | ||
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D&C 122:1 The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy
aname, and fools shall have thee in
bderision, and hell shall rage against
theea;
D&C 122:2 While the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek acounsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand. D&C 122:3 And thy apeople shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors.
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1a hell shall rage against thee Often some consider all the pursecution that Joseph Smith incurred and they ponder why, if Joseph was a prophet of God, was there such 'public' out cry against him. The truth of the matter is that the influence of Satan was set against Joseph Smith from fulfilling his mission and the spirit of the devil 'raged' in the hearts of men against Joseph Smith. If it were not so then one might have occassion to inquire whether Joseph were a true prophet or not, as the devil would not have worked so tirelessly or endlessly against him until he had accomplished his death. As it is, the great opposition which stood against Joseph Smith is but a testament of the truthfulness of his work and the man, that he was God's Prophet brought forth to issue in the work of the last despensation to the end of accomplishing and fulfilling the covenant of the fathers made from before the foundation of the earth from generation to generation from Adam to Enoch to Noah to Abraham to Joseph of Egypt and on until in the latter day, the pure blood of Ephraim did come forth in Joseph Smith Jr. to the end of bring forth to the world the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the fulfilling of the covenant of God with man which we call by the name of the Covenant of Abraham. | |
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D&C 122:4 And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into
bars and walls, thou shalt be had in ahonor; and but for a
small bmoment and thy voice shall be more terrible in the
midst of thine enemies than the fierce clion, because of
thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand by thee forever and ever.
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D&C 122:5 If thou are called to pass through atribulation;
if thou are in perils among false brethren; if thou are in
bperils among robbers; if thou are in perils by land or by
sea;
D&C 122:6 If thou are aaccused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can't you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to bprison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like cwolves for the blood of the lamb; D&C 122:7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the apit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the bdeep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to chedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of dhell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee aexperience, and shall be for thy good.
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D&C 122:8 The aSon of Man hath bdescended
below them all. Are thou greater than
he?a
D&C 122:9 Therefore, ahold on thy way, and the priesthood shall bremain with thee; for their cbounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy ddays are known, and thy years shall not be numbered lessa; therefore, efear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
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8a Are thou greater than he?
In section 121, which is also the Lord's word to Joseph Smith while in
Liberty Jail, the Lord compares Joseph Smith's suffering as to Job's and
states that Joseph was 'not yet as Job' in his suffering state. Whether this
referred to Joseph's need to be more humble, to have a greater testimony, to
submit more to the will of God or to actually suffer more is not known. The
Lord seems to state that of all Joseph's suffering, it could still be worse.
Here in section 122, the Lord now compares Joseph Smith to the Son of Man
ahd the Lord's ordeal of descending below and suffering greater than any have
so suffered. We know that Joseph Smith is not greater than the Lord and that
his suffering was not as great as was Jesus Christ's suffering. Yet one must
consider that the suffering which Joseph Smith endured was liken unto that of
Job and even Jesus Christ himself. Joseph Smith endured the persecution and
suffering at the hands of men in a testament of his work and life, just as
Job and Jesus Christ had so suffered for their work and testaments of God.
Further, unlike Job who was a 'common or ordinary man' of faith without a
significant role which required his death to be fulfilled in God's Great
Plan. But like unto Christ, Joseph Smith's life was required to stand as an
added testament of the plan of Salvation, and like unto Christ, he was a
martyr for the work and cause of God's Great Plan and design.
9a thy years shall not be numbered less Some seem to think that Joseph Smith's mission was not completed. But here we are told that the Lord had gaged the number of the years of Joseph Smith's life and that he would not die prematurely. Thus we are to understand that Joseph's mission and purpose was completed. And while Brigham Young carried on the work, Joseph work was done. Whether Joseph lived longer than the actual years needful for his ministry or not cannot be said, but we know that the Lord stated that 'his years would not be numbered less' than was required of his life and ministry. |
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