Doctrine and Covenants Commentary - Section 132

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
           SECTION 132

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Nauvoo, Illinois, recorded July 12, 1843, relating to the new and everlasting covenant, including the eternity of the marriage covenant, as also plurality of wives. HC 5:501—507. Although the revelation was recorded in 1843, it is evident from the historical records that the doctrines and principles involved in this revelation had been known by the Prophet since 1831.

    1—6, Exaltation is gained through the new and everlasting covenant;
    7—14, the terms and conditions of that covenant are set forth;
    15—20, Celestial marriage and a continuation of the family unit enable men to become gods;
    21—25, The strait and narrow way that leads to eternal lives;
    26—26, Law given relative to blasphemy against the Holy Ghost;
    28—39, Promises of eternal increase and exaltation made to prophets and saints in all ages;
    40—47, Joseph Smith is given the power to bind and seal on earth and in heaven;
    48—50, The Lord seals upon him his exaltation;
    51—57, Emma Smith is counseled to be faithful and true;
    58—66, Laws governing the plurality of wives are set forth.
D&C 132:1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you my servant Joseph, that inasmuch as you have inquired of my hand to know and understand wherein I, the Lord, justified my servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as also Moses, David and Solomon, my servants, as touching the principle and doctrine of their having many awives and bconcubines—
D&C 132:2 Behold, and lo, I am the Lord thy God, and will answer thee as touching this matter.
D&C 132:3 Therefore, aprepare thy heart to receive and bobey the instructions which I am about to give unto you; for all those who have this law revealed unto them must obey the same.

D&C 132:4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting acovenanta; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye bdamned; for no one can creject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
D&C 132:5 For all who will have a ablessing at my hands shall abide the blaw which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the worlda.
D&C 132:6 And as pertaining to the new and aeverlasting covenant, it was instituted for the fulness of my bglory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.

 4a a new and an everlasting covenant Though the specific covenant being revealed in this section is that of Celestial marriage. it does not stand alone, independant unto itself, but it is based upon all the other ordiances, principles and covenants of the fulness of the Gospel, which is the same as the everlasting covenant of God (see D&C 133:57). In man's pursuit of becoming like unto God, it is true that Celestial Marriage is the crowning ordiance which combines the Patriarch and Matriarch as an eternal family entity where the promise of eternal increase in the highest degree according to the law of eternal progression can be attained, and without it one does not enter into the highest degree of Celestial Glory to become As God Is. But his does not negate the need for the rest of the crucial ordinances which are upon that same path which leads to heaven that one must first have before that crowning ordinance. Thus when one speaks of 'Celestial Marriage', one automatically infers all of the required ordiances and performances which lead up to it. Thus the 'new and everlasting covenant' of Celestial Marriage is not without Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, participations in the Lord's Sacrament, Priesthood Ordination, or Temple Endowment. The are inherently a part of the whole of the matter and are thus also included in any consideration pertaining to that ordiance of Celestial Marriage. They are all a part of the 'Everlasting Covenant' of God and consitute the fulness of the gospel plan as presented by God before the foundation of the world.
 5a instituted from before the foundation of the world The Law and Plan of Eternal Progression, the Plan of Exaltation, the Fulness of the Gospel, the Everlasting Covenant of God, the plan of redemption and by whatever other name and perspective one wishes to state it under, was set forth and established before the foundation of the earth in the preexistence. It is God's eternal plan of salvation and exaltation whereby the immortality and eternal life of man is accomplished. It was presented and explained to us in the grand councils of heaven by the Father of our Spirits, as he set out the design to our understanding and our approving acceptance according to our free agency. There were those who did not accept it and rather rebelled against it and kept not their first estate, though totally illogical to contend against the will and work of God. In its ultimate objective, to become As God Is, man must enter into and keep all the ordinances, principles and commandments of God. And all such things that pertain unto it as stated in verse 7.
D&C 132:7 And verily I say unto you, that the aconditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, boaths, cvows, performances, connections, associations, or expectationsa, that are not made and entered into and dsealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is eanointed, both as well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy, by frevelation and commandment through the medium of mine anointed, whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this gpower (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this hpower in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the ikeys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force in and after the resurrection from the dead; for all contracts that are not made unto this end have an end when men are dead.

 7a All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations This extends to the required crucial ordinances, commandments and laws of God or all that pertains to the fulness of the Gospel Plan and our Eternal Progression. All must be done according to the proper way set forth by God and that is through the proper authority, authorization and ratification governed by Jesus Christ after the Order of the Son of God as varified by the Holy Ghost. There is no other way or means given under heaven which will be effective beyond the grave into the eternal world to come.
D&C 132:8 Behold, mine house is a house of aordera, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion.
D&C 132:9 Will I aaccept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my namea?
D&C 132:10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not aappointed?
D&C 132:11 And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father aordained unto you, before the world was?

 8a mine house is a house of order
 9a made in my name
D&C 132:12 I am the Lord thy God; and I give unto you this commandment—that no man shall acome unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my lawa, saith the Lord.
D&C 132:13 And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained of men, by athrones, or principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me or by my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall bnot remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your God.
D&C 132:14 For whatsoever things remain are by me; and whatsoever things are not by me shall be shaken and destroyed.

 12a no man shall come unto the Father but by me or by my word, which is my law
D&C 132:15 Therefore, if a aman marry him a wife in the world, and he marry her not by me nor by my word, and he covenant with her so long as he is in the world and she with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead, and when they are out of the world; therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are out of the world.
D&C 132:16 Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in amarriage; but are appointed angels in bheaven, which angels are ministering cservants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
D&C 132:17 For these angels did not abide my law; therefore, they cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity; and from henceforth are not gods, but are aangels of God forever and ever.

D&C 132:18 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife, and make a covenant with her for time and for all eternity, if that acovenant is not by me or by my word, which is my law, and is not sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, through him whom I have anointed and appointed unto this power, then it is not valid neither of force when they are out of the world, because they are not joined by me, saith the Lord, neither by my word; when they are out of the world it cannot be received there, because the angels and the gods are appointed there, by whom they cannot pass; they cannot, therefore, inherit my glory; for my house is a house of order, saith the Lord God.

D&C 132:19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man amarry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and beverlasting covenant, and it is csealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of dpromise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the ekeys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit fthrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb's gBook of Life, that he shall commit no hmurder whereby to shed innocent iblood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their jexaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the kseeds forever and ever.
D&C 132:20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from aeverlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be bgods, because they have call power, and the angels are subject unto them.

D&C 132:21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my alaw ye cannot attain to this glory.
D&C 132:22 For astrait is the gate, and narrow the bway that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the clives, and few there be that find it, because ye receive me not in the world neither do ye know me.
D&C 132:23 But if ye receive me in the world, then shall ye know me, and shall receive your exaltation; that awhere I am ye shall be also.
D&C 132:24 This is aeternal lives—to bknow the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath csent. I am he. Receive ye, therefore, my law.
D&C 132:25 aBroad is the gate, and wide the way that leadeth to the bdeaths; and many there are that go in thereat, because they creceive me not, neither do they abide in my law.

D&C 132:26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man marry a wife according to my word, and they are sealed by the aHoly Spirit of promise, according to mine appointment, and he or she shall commit any sin or transgression of the new and everlasting covenant whatever, and all manner of blasphemies, and if they bcommit no murder wherein they shed innocent blood, yet they shall come forth in the first resurrection, and enter into their exaltation; but they shall be destroyed in the flesh, but shall be cdelivered unto the buffetings of bSatan unto the day of eredemption, saith the Lord God.
D&C 132:27 The ablasphemy against the Holy Ghost, which shall bnot be cforgiven in the world nor out of the world, is in that ye commit dmurder wherein ye shed innocent blood, and assent unto my death, after ye have received my new and everlasting covenant, saith the Lord God; and he that abideth not this law can in nowise enter into my glory, but shall be edamned, saith the Lord.

D&C 132:28 I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the alaw of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was.
D&C 132:29 aAbraham received all things, whatsoever he received, by revelation and commandment, by my word, saith the Lord, and hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne.
D&C 132:30 aAbraham received promises concerning his seed, and of the fruit of his loins—from whose loins ye are, namely, my servant Joseph—which were to continue so long as they were in the world; and as touching Abraham and his seed, out of the world they should continue; both in the world and out of the world should they continue as innumerable as the cstars; or, if ye were to count the sand upon the seashore ye could not number them.
D&C 132:31 This promise is yours also, because ye are of aAbraham, and the promise was made unto Abraham; and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father, wherein he glorifieth himself.

D&C 132:32 Go ye, therefore, and do the aworks of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
D&C 132:33 But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father, which he made unto Abraham.

D&C 132:34 God acommanded Abraham, and Sarah gave bHagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
D&C 132:35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.

D&C 132:36 Abraham was acommanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not bkill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for crighteousness.
D&C 132:37 Abraham received aconcubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given unto him, and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and bJacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than which they were commanded, they have entered into their aexaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.

D&C 132:38 David also received amany wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
D&C 132:39 aDavid's wives and concubines were bgiven unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the ckeys of this power; and in none of these things did he dsin against me save in the case of eUriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath ffallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I ggave them unto another, saith the Lord.

D&C 132:40 I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an aappointment, and restore all things. Ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto you according to my word.
D&C 132:41 And as ye have asked concerning adultery, verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man areceiveth a wife in the new and everlasting covenant, and if she be with another man, and I have not appointed unto her by the holy banointing, she hath committed cadultery and shall be destroyed.

D&C 132:42 If she be not in the new and everlasting covenant, and she be with another man, she has acommitted adultery.
D&C 132:43 And if her husband be with another woman, and he was under a avow, he hath broken his vow and hath committed adultery.
D&C 132:44 And if she hath not committed adultery, but is innocent and hath not broken her vow, and she knoweth it, and I reveal it unto you, my servant Joseph, then shall you have power, by the power of my Holy Priesthood, to take her and agive her unto him that hath not committed badultery but hath been cfaithful; for he shall be made ruler over many.

D&C 132:45 For I have conferred upon you the akeys and power of the priesthood, wherein I brestore all things, and make known unto you all things in due time.
D&C 132:46 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you aseal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bbind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosoever sins you cremit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven.

D&C 132:47 And again, verily I say, whomsoever you bless I will bless, and whomsoever you curse I will acurse, saith the Lord; for I, the Lord, am thy God.
D&C 132:48 And again, verily I say unto you, my servant Joseph, that whatsoever you give on earth, and to whomsoever you agive any one on earth, by my word and according to my law, it shall be visisted with blessings and not cursings, and with my power, saith the Lord, and shall be without condemnation on earth and in heaven.

D&C 132:49 For I am the Lord thy God, and will be awith thee even unto the bend of the world, and through all eternity; for verily I cseal upon you your dexaltation, and prepare a throne for you in the kingdom of my Father, with Abraham your efather.
D&C 132:50 Behold, I have seen your asacrifices, and will forgive all your sins; I have seen your bsacrifices in obedience to that which I have told you. Go, therefore, and I make a way for your escape, as I caccepted the offering of Abraham of his son Isaac.

D&C 132:51 Verily, I say unto you: A commandment I give unto mine handmaid, Emma Smith, your wife, whom I have given unto you, that she stay herself and partake not of that which I commanded you to offer unto her; for I did it, saith the Lord, to aprove you all, as I did Abraham, and that I might require an offering at your hand, by covenant and sacrifice.
D&C 132:52 And let mine handmaid, Emma Smith, areceive all those that have been given unto my servant Joseph, and who are virtuous and pure before me; and those who are not pure, and have said they were pure, shall be destroyed, saith the Lord God.
D&C 132:53 For I am the Lord thy God, and ye shall obey my voice; and I give unto my servant Joseph that he shall be made ruler over many things; for he hath been afaithful over a few things, and from henceforth I will strengthen him.

D&C 132:54 And I command mine handmaid, Emma Smith, to abide and acleave unto my servant Joseph, and to none else. But if she will not abide this commandment she shall be bdestroyed, saith the Lord; for I am the Lord thy God, and will destroy her if she abide not in my law.
D&C 132:55 But if she will not abide this commandment, then shall my servant Joseph do all things for her, even as he hath said; and I will bless him and multiply him and give unto him an ahundredfold in this world, of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, houses and land, wives and children, and crowns of beternal lives in the eternal worlds.

D&C 132:56 And again, verily I say, let mine handmaid aforgive my servant Joseph his trespass; and then shall she be forgiven her trespasses, wherein she has trespassed against me; and I; the Lord thy God, will bless her, and multiply her, and make her heart to brejoice.
D&C 132:57 And again, I say, let not my servant Joseph put his property out of his hands, lest an enemy come and destroy him; for aSatan bseeketh to destroy; for I am the Lord thy God, and he is my servant; and behold, and lo, I am with him, as I was with Abraham, thy father, even unto his cexaltation and glory.

D&C 132:58 Now, as touching the law of the apriesthood, there are many things pertaining thereunto.
D&C 132:59 Verily, if a man be called of my Father, as was aAaron, by mine own voice, and by the voice of him that bsent me, and I have endowed him with the ckeys of the power of this priesthood, if he do anything in my name, and according to my law and by my word, he will not commit dsin, and I will justify him.
D&C 132:60 Let no one, therefore, set on my servant Joseph; for I will justify him; for he shall do the sacrifice which I require at his hands for his transgressions, saith the Lord your God.

D&C 132:61 And again, as pertaining to the law of the priesthood—if any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse aanother, and the first give her consent, and if he espouse the second, and they are virgins, and have vowed to no other man, then he is justified; he cannot commit adultery for they are given unto him; for he cannot commit adultery with that that belongeth unto him and to no one else.
D&C 132:62 And if he have aten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him, and they are given unto him; therefore is he justified.
D&C 132:63 But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to amultiply and replenish the earth according to my commandmenta, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the worldb, and for their exaltation in the eternal worldsc, that they may bear the souls of mend; for herein is the work of my Father continuede, that he may be fglorifiedb.

The Great Importance of Patriarchal Order 
 63a they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth according to my commandment God's commandment which was the greater commandment was for Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the Earth. And particular for Adam and God's law of Patriarchal Order to continue, it was of necessity for Adam to have male offspring. In fact for any family to conintue into it posterity the patriarchal order, it is of absolute importance to have male heirs. Of course Adam and Eve had to have daughters as well. But as more families had more children, it was not critical that each family had a least one girl for the family name and the Patriarchal Order did not descend through the daughters of man but it descended through the sons of man. And if a man had no sons, amen to the patriarchal order of that man.
 63b to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world
 63c for their exaltation in the eternal worlds
 63d that they may bear the souls of men Significantly diminished, though not totally forgotten, through the passage of the ages, is the importance for a family to have at least one sucessful male heir to carry on the family's name. In the ancient Hebrew world this was paramount. Even in British society it was deemed very important. Today in America, it is not as important but the sense of the matter remains somewhat the same. A family likes to have male heirs to carry on the name of the family. It seems that in God's Heaven and eternal scheme of things, this was no little matter of importance either.
 63e for herein is the work of my Father continued
 63f that he may be glorified
D&C 132:64 And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, if any man have a wife, who holds the keys of this power, and he teaches unto her the law of my priesthood, as pertaining to these things, then shall she believe and administer unto him, or she shall be destroyed, saith the Lord your God; for I will destroy her; for I will magnify my name upon all those who receive and abide in my law.
D&C 132:65 Therefore, it shall be lawful in me, if she receive not this law, for him to receive all things whatsoever I, the Lord his God, will give unto him, because she did not believe and administer unto him according to my word; and she then becomes the transgressor; and he is exempt from the law of Saraha, who administered to the law when I commanded Abraham to take aHagar to wife.
D&C 132:66 And now, as pertaining to this law, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will reveal more unto you, hereafter; therefore, let this suffice for the present. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega. Amen.
 65a the law of Sarah Now Sarah was barren (Genesis 11:30) and had no children. How then was Abraham to keep the commandment of God to multiply and replenish the earth? It was by Sarah giving unto Abraham another through whom he could have issue to fulfill the commandment of God. Rebekah (Genesis 25:21) as was also Rachel (Genesis 29:31). Thus one compelling reason for a plurality of wives would be in order that seed might be produced unto the Lord according to the commandments of the Lord, the one primary one being to multiply and replenish the earth.