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March 1829 Before this time, the previous revelations referred to God in the 3rd person. It seems that from this time on, Joseph became bold enough to start speaking in the voice of God, in the first-person. |
1 BEHOLD, I say unto you, that as my servant Martin Harris has desired a witness at my hand, that you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., have got the plates of which you have testified and borne record that you have received of me; | |
2 And now, behold, this shall you say unto him--he who spake unto you, said unto you: I, the Lord, am God, and have given these things unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and have commanded you that you should stand as a witness of these things; | |
3 And I have caused you that you should enter into a covenant with me, that you should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded you; and you have no power over them except I grant it unto you. | |
4 And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished. | 4
This verse seems to say God will give other gifts to Joseph after he's finished the Book of Mormon "translation." But, in the original version of this revelation found in the Book of Commandments, it says, "and he has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift" (BoC 4:2). |
5 Verily, I say unto you, that woe shall come unto the inhabitants of the earth if they will not hearken unto my words; | 5
This verse says that woe will come to those who will not hearken unto God's words. Only about 2 percent of the population of the United States and about 0.2 percent of the population of the world is Mormon (much less if you go by numbers who claim to be Mormon). Currently places with stable governments and economies tend to refuse to hearken unto the words the Mormon Church claims are the words of God. The countries where the inhabitants seem to be hearkening unto the words of the Church (in terms of lots of baptisms) tend to be countries enduring political and economic strife. |
6 For hereafter you shall be ordained and go forth and deliver my words unto the children of men. | |
7 Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible that you should show them all these things which I have committed unto you. | |
8 Oh, this unbelieving and stiffnecked generation--mine anger is kindled against them. | |
9 Behold, verily I say unto you, I have reserved those things which I have entrusted unto you, my servant Joseph, for a wise purpose in me, and it shall be made known unto future generations; | |
10 But this generation shall have my word through you; | |
11 And in addition to your testimony, the testimony of three of my servants, whom I shall call and ordain, unto whom I will show these things, and they shall go forth with my words that are given through you. | |
12 Yea, they shall know of a surety that these things are true, for from heaven will I declare it unto them. | |
13 I will give them power that they may behold and view these things as they are; | |
14 And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness--clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners. | 14
While technically the Lord could use whatever words he would like to, it is strange that his words in modern revelation would be so unoriginal and highly dependent on the text of the KJV bible. A cynical person might see this as Joseph trying to get his followers to accept these revelations as being from God by simply using familiar biblical language. Compare this verse with "the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness" to Acts 7:38 with "that was in the church in the wilderness". It also parallels "the woman fled into the wilderness" in Revelation 12:6 or at least one interpretation of that allegory. Next compare whith verse with "clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" to Solomon's Song 6:10 with "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners". |
15 And the testimony of three witnesses will I send forth of my word. | |
16 And behold, whosoever believeth on my words, them will I visit with the manifestation of my Spirit; and they shall be born of me, even of water and of the Spirit-- | |
17 And you must wait yet a little while, for ye are not yet ordained-- | 17
The original revelation as provided in Chapter 4 of the Book of Commandments is said to be given in March 1829. Then, more than 5 years later, this verse in D&C was added saying Joseph must wait because he has not been ordained. This raises the question, "why?" Joseph had been ordained long before the D&C was published in 1835, so why would God insert this warning, long after the fact? |
18 And their testimony shall also go forth unto the condemnation of this generation if they harden their hearts against them; | |
19 For a desolating scourge shall go forth among the inhabitants of the earth, and shall continue to be poured out from time to time, if they repent not, until the earth is empty, and the inhabitants thereof are consumed away and utterly destroyed by the brightness of my coming. | |
20 Behold, I tell you these things, even as I also told the people of the destruction of Jerusalem; and my word shall be verified at this time as it hath hitherto been verified. | |
21 And now I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more; | |
22 And that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain. | |
23 And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the man that desires the witness-- | |
24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see. | |
25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man. | |
26 And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say. | |
27 But if he deny this he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned. | |
28 And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken. | |
29 And if this be the case, I command you, my servant Joseph, that you shall say unto him, that he shall do no more, nor trouble me any more concerning this matter. | |
30 And if this be the case, behold, I say unto thee Joseph, when thou hast translated a few more pages thou shalt stop for a season, even until I command thee again; then thou mayest translate again. | |
31 And except thou do this, behold, thou shalt have no more gift, and I will take away the things which I have entrusted with thee. | |
32 And now, because I foresee the lying in wait to destroy thee, yea, I foresee that if my servant Martin Harris humbleth not himself and receive a witness from my hand, that he will fall into transgression; | |
33 And there are many that lie in wait to destroy thee from off the face of the earth; and for this cause, that thy days may be prolonged, I have given unto thee these commandments. | |
34 Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee. | |
35 And if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up at the last day. Amen. | |
