LDS Doctrine and Covenants Critique
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The Doctrine and Covenants
SECTION 122
The word of the Lord to Joseph Smith the Prophet, while
a prisoner in the jail at Liberty, Missouri. This section is an excerpt
from an epistle to the Church written around March 22, 1839.
1–4, The ends of the earth will inquire after the name of Joseph Smith;
5–7, All his perils and travails will give him experience and be for
his good; 8–9, The Son of Man has descended below them all.
1 The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall
have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee; 2 While the
pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall
seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy
hand.
Note: Believers will rejoice over suffering for Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of
evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad,
for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets
who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
3 And thy people shall never be turned against thee by the testimony of traitors.
Note: Believers should expect suffering for preaching Jesus Christ.
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be
wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they
will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a
testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do
not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to
you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak,
but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:16-20
4 And although their influence shall cast thee into trouble, and into
bars and walls, thou shalt be had in honor; and but for a small moment
and thy voice shall be more terrible in the midst of thine enemies than
the fierce lion, because of thy righteousness; and thy God shall stand
by thee forever and ever.
Note: Believers will rejoice over suffering for Jesus Christ.
And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and
beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of
Jesus and let them go. So, they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for
His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not
cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. Acts 5:40-42
5 If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils
among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art
in perils by land or by sea;
Note: Peter did not agonize over being in prison.
Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass
some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the
sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded
further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened
Bread. So, when he had arrested him, he put him in prison and delivered
him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him
before the people after Passover. Peter was therefore kept in prison,
but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when
Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound
with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door
were keeping the prison. Acts 12:1-6
6 If thou art accused 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 prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for
the blood of the lamb;
Note: Paul and Silas were praising God in prison after having been beaten.
And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, “These men, being
Jews, exceedingly trouble our city; and they teach customs which are
not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.” Then the
multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off
their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they
had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding
the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put
them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But
at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and
the prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:20-25
7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of
murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast
into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce
winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the
elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws
of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son,
that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy
good.
Note: Jesus Christ wants believers to rejoice while being in prison for being a witness.
Now when there arose a great dissension, the commander, fearing lest
Paul might be pulled to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go
down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the
barracks. But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be
of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so
you must also bear witness at Rome.” Acts 23:10-11
8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?
Note: Paul preached Jesus Christ when he was given the chance while in prison.
“While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and
commission from the chief priests, at midday, O king, along the road I
saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and
those who journeyed with me. And when we all had fallen to the ground,
I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick
against the goads.’ So, I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am
Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I
have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a
witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which
I will yet reveal to you. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as
well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes,
in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of
Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an
inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ Therefore,
King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but
declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout
all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should
repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance. For these
reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand,
witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those
which the prophets and Moses said would come— that the Christ would
suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would
proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” Acts 26:12-23
9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with
thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known,
and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man
can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.
Note: Paul boldly preached Jesus Christ while in prison.
But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me
have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it
has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that
my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having
become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word
without fear. Philippians 1:12-14