Doctrine and Covenants 43
Historical Context
Joseph Smith received the revelation in section 43 shortly after his arrival in Ohio. The need for guidance seems to have arisen from a challenge to Joseph’s role as revelator for the entire Church. Similar to the controversy a few months earlier involving Hiram Page and his seer stone (see D&C 28), the question arose over who has the right to receive revelation on behalf of the Church. Church Historian John Whitmer later wrote of the incident, “About these days there was a woman by the name of Hubble who professed to be a prophetess of the Lord, and professed to have many revelations and knew that the Book of Mormon was true; and that she should become a teacher in the Church of Christ. She appeared very sanctimonious and deceived some, who were not able to detect her in her hypocrisy: others however had a spirit of discernment and her folies and abominations were made manifest. The Lord gave Revelation that the saints might not be deceived.”
We do not know the precise identity of the woman involved in the controversy. Whitmer may have been referencing Laura Fuller Hubble, the older sister of Edson Fuller, a man who had joined the Church and been ordained an elder. Another possibility is that he was referring to Louisa Hubbell, a convert from the Disciples of Christ who left the Church and rejoined her prior faith a few months after the revelation was received. Regardless of the identity of the prophetess in question, the incident represented a larger issue among the Saints in Kirtland. The issue centered around their confusion about spiritual manifestations and the nature of personal and ecclesiastical forms of revelation. Joseph Smith saw the need to establish the order of the Church among the new converts in Kirtland. Reflecting on the experience, he later wrote, “A woman came with great pretentions to revealing commandments, laws and other curious matters; and, as every person, (almost) has advocates for both theory and practice, in the various notions and projects of the age, it became necessary to inquire of the Lord.”
The dispute was only one of the struggles the new converts in Kirtland were experiencing. John Whitmer later noted,
The enemy of all righteous had got hold of some of those who professed to be his followers, because they had not sufficient knowledge to detect him in all his devices. He took a notion to blind their minds of some of the weaker ones, and made them think that an angel of God appeared to them, and showed them writings on the outside cover of the Bible, and on parchment, which flew through the air, and on the back of their hands, and many such foolish and vain things, others lost their strength, and some slid on the floor, and such like maneuvers, which proved greatly to the injury of the cause.”
During this time Joseph received several revelations that were intended to quell the controversies among the Saints and to create a house of order for the new converts. This revelation and several others given soon after (D&C 46, 50, 52) in particular show the gentle reasoning the Lord used to help His disciples find their way amid the challenges they faced. This was a time of stretching and growth for the Saints. While noting the challenges among them, John Whitmer also recognized the growing progress of the work, recording, “The Lord also worked and many embraced the work, and the honest in heart stood firm and immovable.”
“Historical Introduction,” Revelation, February 1831–A [D&C 43]
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 43:1–7
1 O hearken, ye elders of my church, and give ear to the words which I shall speak unto you.
2 For behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye have received a commandment for a law unto my church, through him whom I have appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations from my hand.
3 And this ye shall know assuredly—that there is none other appointed unto you to receive commandments and revelations until he be taken, if he abide in me.
4 But verily, verily, I say unto you, that none else shall be appointed unto this gift except it be through him; for if it be taken from him he shall not have power except to appoint another in his stead.
5 And this shall be a law unto you, that ye receive not the teachings of any that shall come before you as revelations or commandments;
6 And this I give unto you that you may not be deceived, that you may know they are not of me.
7 For verily I say unto you, that he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you before, to teach those revelations which you have received and shall receive through him whom I have appointed.
In a Church where every member has the promise of revelation, there must be rules and standards about how this guidance is received. Authoritative revelation must come within the boundaries of stewardship, and once again the Lord outlines these principles, this time for the new converts of the Church in Ohio.
In 1833 a situation similar to the controversy with “Mrs. Hubble” arose when John S. Carter, an elder of the Church in the eastern United States, wrote to Joseph Smith about disunity among the Saints in his area. He wondered specifically about a woman named Jane McManagal Sherwood, a convert in Benson, Vermont, who claimed she had received “visions of the Lord.” In response to this situation, Joseph Smith replied in a letter. The Prophet instructed, “It is contrary to the economy of God for any member of the Church or anyone to receive instruction for those in authority higher than themselves, therefore you will see the impropriety of giving heed to them, but if any have a vision or a visitation from an heavenly messenger it must be for their own benefit and instruction, for the fundamental principles, government, and doctrine of the church is invested in the keys of the kingdom.”
As it was in the days of Joseph Smith, so it is in our time. Every worthy member of the Church is entitled to receive revelation, but it must come within the proper stewardship and from those with the appropriate authority.
D&C 43:8–14
8 And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given.
9 And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me—
10 That inasmuch as ye do this, glory shall be added to the kingdom which ye have received. Inasmuch as ye do it not, it shall be taken, even that which ye have received.
11 Purge ye out the iniquity which is among you; sanctify yourselves before me;
12 And if ye desire the glories of the kingdom, appoint ye my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and uphold him before me by the prayer of faith.
13 And again, I say unto you, that if ye desire the mysteries of the kingdom, provide for him food and raiment, and whatsoever thing he needeth to accomplish the work wherewith I have commanded him;
14 And if ye do it not he shall remain unto them that have received him, that I may reserve unto myself a pure people before me.
The Book of Mormon provides specific details about how the ancient Saints worshipped together: “The church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (Moroni 6:5–6). Likewise, in these verses the Lord commands the Church to edify and instruct each other during the time they are assembled together.
While a spiritual connection to God is cultivated on an individual level, there are also great advantages to meeting regularly with other believers. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “In the Church we not only learn divine doctrine; we also experience its application. As the body of Christ, the members of the Church minister to one another in the reality of day-to-day life. All of us are imperfect; we may offend and be offended. We often test one another with our personal idiosyncrasies. In the body of Christ, we have to go beyond concepts and exalted words and have a real ‘hands-on’ experience as we learn to ‘live together in love.’”
While our personal studies and devotion draw us closer to God, being involved in the communities formed by Church members gives us great opportunities to act on the principles we are taught and to apply the principles of the gospel as we interact with our fellow saints.
D&C 43:15–22
15 Again I say, hearken ye elders of my church, whom I have appointed: Ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit;
16 And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken.
17 Hearken ye, for, behold, the great day of the Lord is nigh at hand.
18 For the day cometh that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven; the heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the trump of God shall sound both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping nations: Ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again.
19 Wherefore gird up your loins lest ye be found among the wicked.
20 Lift up your voices and spare not. Call upon the nations to repent, both old and young, both bond and free, saying: Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord;
21 For if I, who am a man, do lift up my voice and call upon you to repent, and ye hate me, what will ye say when the day cometh when the thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the earth, speaking to the ears of all that live, saying—Repent, and prepare for the great day of the Lord?
22 Yea, and again, when the lightnings shall streak forth from the east unto the west, and shall utter forth their voices unto all that live, and make the ears of all tingle that hear, saying these words—Repent ye, for the great day of the Lord is come?
While the Church values and upholds the importance of learning, the Lord also explains to the Church elders that they are sent forth to teach and not to be taught. Those with a charge to teach the gospel must ensure that their message is shared. They cannot afford to be caught up in arguments or debate. While those who teach are able to learn much about the faith and belief of the people they serve among, they also have a solemn obligation to lift up their voices and share the message of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter-days. Elder Anthon H. Lund taught,
We have only one object in view in going out amongst the nations, and that is to follow the Master’s instructions—to go out and teach men. That is our work. We do not go out to win battles as debaters; but we go out to teach men that which we have received, which we know is true. If men are not willing to receive it, that is their own concern, not ours. . . . The Elders do their duty, and leave the result to the Lord. Those who seek to debate with our Elders and thirst for the honor of beating them in argument, do not want to be taught, they simply want contention.
D&C 43:23–28
23 And again, the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven, saying: Hearken, O ye nations of the earth, and hear the words of that God who made you.
24 O, ye nations of the earth, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not!
25 How oft have I called upon you by the mouth of my servants, and by the ministering of angels, and by mine own voice, and by the voice of thunderings, and by the voice of lightnings, and by the voice of tempests, and by the voice of earthquakes, and great hailstorms, and by the voice of famines and pestilences of every kind, and by the great sound of a trump, and by the voice of judgment, and by the voice of mercy all the day long, and by the voice of glory and honor and the riches of eternal life, and would have saved you with an everlasting salvation, but ye would not!
26 Behold, the day has come, when the cup of the wrath of mine indignation is full.
27 Behold, verily I say unto you, that these are the words of the Lord your God.
28 Wherefore, labor ye, labor ye in my vineyard for the last time—for the last time call upon the inhabitants of the earth.
An essential part of understanding the Church’s missionary efforts comes from understanding the Lord’s commandments to warn the people. As explained in these verses, the Lord calls the people of the world to repentance through the voice of His servants, through ministering angels, and through the natural calamities which will exist in the last days. In the scriptures, natural disasters are often seen as manifestations of God’s punishment for wickedness. Such events can also be seen as a way of opening doors for the gospel, softening hearts, and bringing people to the Savior.
In 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroyed large parts of the city of New Orleans and ravaged the regions around the Gulf of Mexico in the United States. Speaking of the damage, President Gordon B. Hinckley noted, “Many have lost all they had. The damage has been astronomical. Literally millions have suffered. Fear and worry have gripped the hearts of many. Lives have been lost.” Listing the tragedy of the lives lost and property damaged in the hurricane, President Hinckley also noted,
With all of this, there has been a great outpouring of help. Hearts have been softened. Homes have been opened. Critics love to talk about the failures of Christianity. Any such should take a look at what the churches have done in these circumstances. Those of many denominations have accomplished wonders. And far from the least among these has been our own Church. Great numbers of our men have traveled considerable distances, bringing with them tools and tents and radiant hope. Men of the priesthood have given thousands upon thousands of hours in the work of rehabilitation. There have been three and four thousand at a time. There are some there tonight. We cannot say enough of thanks to them. Please know of our gratitude, of our love, and of our prayers in your behalf.
Disputing any notion of the hurricane damage being a punishment from God, President Hinckley also added, “Now, I do not say, and I repeat emphatically that I do not say or infer, that what has happened is the punishment of the Lord. Many good people, including some of our faithful Latter-day Saints, are among those who have suffered. Having said this, I do not hesitate to say that this old world is no stranger to calamities and catastrophes. Those of us who read and believe the scriptures are aware of the warnings of prophets concerning catastrophes that have come to pass and are yet to come to pass.”
The increasing calamities of the last days can be seen not simply as divine retribution but as a way to open doors and provide the men and women called of God with opportunities to spread the work of God through humanitarian service.
D&C 43:29–35
29 For in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment, and my people shall be redeemed and shall reign with me on earth.
30 For the great Millennium, of which I have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come.
31 For Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again he shall only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of the earth.
32 And he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire.
33 And the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire, and their end no man knoweth on earth, nor ever shall know, until they come before me in judgment.
34 Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.
35 Be sober. Keep all my commandments. Even so. Amen.
At the end of the revelation the Savior speaks of the Millennium, or the thousand years of peace following the Savior’s return to the earth (Isaiah 2:4; Revelation 20:4; D&C 29:11). It has long been an article of faith for the Latter-day Saints that “Christ will reign personally upon the earth” (Article of Faith 10). While peace in Christ can be achieved at any time or place, our belief in the return and reign of Christ is not figurative but literal. An editorial published in the Church periodical Times and Seasons in July 1842 declared,
It has been the design of Jehovah, from the commencement of the World, and is his purpose now, to regulate the affairs of the World in his own time; to stand as head of the universe and take the reins of government into his own hand. When that is done judgement will be administered in righteousness: anarchy and confusion will be destroyed, and “nations will learn war no more.” It is for want of this great governing principle that all this confusion has existed: “for it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps;” this we have fully shewn.
Footnotes
