Doctrine and Covenants Commentary - Section 95

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
             SECTION 95

Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Kirtland, Ohio, June 1, 1833. HC 1:350-352. This revelation is a continuation of divine directions to build houses for worship and instruction, especially the House of the Lord. See Section 88:119-136 and Section 94.

     
    1-6, The saints are chastened for their failure to build the House of the Lord;
    7-10, The Lord desires to use his house to endow his people with power from on high;
    11-17, The house is to be dedicated as a place of worship and for the school of the apostles.
 1 VERILY, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I alove, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be bforgiven, for with the cchastisement I prepare a way for their ddeliverance in all things out of etemptation, and I have loved you—

 2 Wherefore, ye must needs be chastened and stand rebuked before my facea;

 3 For ye have sinned against me a very grievous sin, in that ye have not considered the great commandment in all things, that I have given unto concerning the building of mine ahouse;

 4 For the preparation wherewith I design to prepare mine apostles to aprune my vineyard for the last time, that I may bring to pass my bstrange act, that I may cpour out my Spirit upon all flesh—

 2a ye must needs be chastened and stand rebuked before my face Since man is but a fallen man as to the creature of the natural man, which is an enemy to God by its nature, man must be called unto that repentance which does turn the soul of man into that path in which the spirit doth govern and control its tabernacle. Thus man must be called unto repentance from the weakness of the natural man and be chastened and rebuked for the evil ways of the natural man. If not then God doeth not love us. When a parent does not care enough for a child to correct it into the paths of rightness, then that parent does not care for nor love that child for that parent does stand idlely by to see that childed 'spoiled' and come to ruin.
 5 But behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called but few of them are achosen.

 6 They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are awalking in bdarkness at noon-day.

 7 And for this cause I gave unto you a commandment that you should call your asolemn assembly, that your bfastings and your cmourning might come up into the ears of the Lord of dSabaoth, which is by interpretation, the ecreator of the first day, the beginning and the end.

 8 Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should abuild a house, in the which house I design to bendow those whom I have cchosen with power from on high;

 9 For this is the apromise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem.

 10 Nevertheless, my servants sinned a very grievous sin; and acontentions arose in the bschool of the prophets; which was very grievous unto me, saith your Lord; therefore I sent them forth to be chastened.

 11 Verily I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. aIf you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it.

 12 If you akeep not my commandments, the blove of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall cwalk in darkness.

 13 Now here is wisdom, and the amind of the Lord—let the house be built, not after the manner of the world, for I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world;

 14 Therefore, let it be built after the amanner which I shall show unto three of you, whom ye shall appoint and ordain unto this power.

 15 And the size thereof shall be fifty and five feet in width, and let it be sixty-five feet in length, in the inner court thereof.

 16 And let the lower part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for your sacrament offering, and for your preaching, and your fasting, and your praying, and the aoffering up of your most holy desires unto me, saith your Lord.

 17 And let the higher part of the inner court be dedicated unto me for the aschool of mine apostles, saith Son bAhman; or, in other words, Alphus; or in other words Omegus; even Jesus Christ your cLord. Amen.