Doctrine and Covenants 64
Historical Context
The weeks leading up to the reception of Doctrine and Covenants 64 were difficult for Joseph Smith and other Church leaders. There had been contention among the missionaries during the journey back from Missouri, and when Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland in late August, he found that several members of the Church in Kirtland had also wandered from the path. In the weeks following his return, the Church held several conferences in which those in apostasy were held accountable for their errors. According to the minutes of these meetings, several elders were “silenced,” a form of ecclesiastical punishment following the guidelines set forth in Doctrine and Covenants 42:74–93. Records show that at least three elders were silenced during these deliberations.
During this time Joseph Smith was also preparing to resume his translation of the Bible. In addition, other groups of Saints were preparing to depart for Missouri, to assist in building the city of Zion. This revelation addresses those Saints by emphasizing the importance of Missouri as the future place of Zion. It also addresses some of the lingering feelings of anger and bitterness felt on the journey from Missouri and the actions taken to quell the apostasy among the Saints in Kirtland.
“Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 11 September 1831 [D&C 64]
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 64:1–5
1 Behold, thus saith the Lord your God unto you, O ye elders of my church, hearken ye and hear, and receive my will concerning you.
2 For verily I say unto you, I will that ye should overcome the world; wherefore I will have compassion upon you.
3 There are those among you who have sinned; but verily I say, for this once, for mine own glory, and for the salvation of souls, I have forgiven you your sins.
4 I will be merciful unto you, for I have given unto you the kingdom.
5 And the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom shall not be taken from my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., through the means I have appointed, while he liveth, inasmuch as he obeyeth mine ordinances.
The Lord reiterates earlier revelations which emphasized that Joseph Smith held the keys necessary to provide guidance and direction to the entire Church (D&C 28:7; D&C 43:1–3). Each of these revelations also emphasized that Joseph’s leadership was conditional, based on his worthiness and obedience to the commandments. It is understandable that while the Church was relatively small and while Joseph Smith was struggling to lay the foundations of the Church that others saw his foibles and weaknesses on full display.
Latter-day Saints have never claimed infallibility in themselves or in their leaders. Indeed, in this revelation, Joseph Smith himself is singled out for his struggle to forgive others (D&C 64:7). At the same time, the Lord asks His disciples to heed the counsel given to the men and women placed in presiding roles, as long as they are keeping themselves worthy by obeying the Lord’s commandments. In an 1844 discourse Joseph Smith declared, “I never told you I was perfect—but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught—must I then be thrown away as a thing of naught? I enjoin for your consideration, add to your faith, virtue, love. . . . I testify that no man has power to reveal it, but myself, things in heaven, in earth and hell—and all shut your mouths for the future—I commend you all to God, that you may inherit all things.”
D&C 64:6–11
6 There are those who have sought occasion against him without cause;
7 Nevertheless, he has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness, who have not sinned unto death.
8 My disciples, in days of old, sought occasion against one another and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.
9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin.
10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.
11 And ye ought to say in your hearts—let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.
The disciples of Jesus Christ in all ages have struggled to forgive each other and have sometimes hindered the work through their weaknesses. We do not know exactly which disciples “in days of old” the Lord is referring to here, but the New Testament records several incidents in which the Lord’s disciples argued among themselves. In the Gospel of Mark, the Savior settled a dispute among his disciples who argued over “who should be the greatest” (Mark 9:33–34). His disciples engaged in subversion over ordinances, covenants, and missionary assignments (Acts 15:24, 39). Paul wrote that he “withstood [Peter] to the face” over the issue of circumcision (Galatian 2:11).
In our dispensation, the disciples have had disputes, and the Lord requires us to forgive. In this revelation, it is likely that the Lord is asking Joseph and the other Church leaders to forgive each other in relation to the difficulties surrounding their trip to Missouri. Joseph had a sharp disagreement with Bishop Edward Partridge (see commentary for D&C 58:13–18) while they were in Independence, and bad feelings lingered among several of the missionaries involved in the journey. The Lord urges them to forgive each other and continue with their work.
Joseph Smith at times struggled to forgive others who had wronged him. In December 1835 he was involved in an altercation with his youngest brother, William. Joseph criticized a debating society William had organized. Enraged, William physically assaulted Joseph, injuring him badly. Over the next two weeks the brothers sought to reconcile but kept bringing up hurt feelings and making the situation worse. Finally, on New Year’s Day, Joseph Smith Sr. called a family meeting to help the two brothers reconcile. Joseph Smith Jr. later wrote in his journal that as Father Smith spoke, “the spirit of God rested down upon us in mighty power, and our hearts were melted. . . . Br. William made an humble confession and asked my forgiveness for the abuse he had offered me and wherein I had been out of the way I asked his forgiveness, and the spirit of confession and forgiveness was mutual among us all.”
D&C 64:12–17
12 And him that repenteth not of his sins, and confesseth them not, ye shall bring before the church, and do with him as the scripture saith unto you, either by commandment or by revelation.
13 And this ye shall do that God may be glorified—not because ye forgive not, having not compassion, but that ye may be justified in the eyes of the law, that ye may not offend him who is your lawgiver—
14 Verily I say, for this cause ye shall do these things.
15 Behold, I, the Lord, was angry with him who was my servant Ezra Booth, and also my servant Isaac Morley, for they kept not the law, neither the commandment;
16 They sought evil in their hearts, and I, the Lord, withheld my Spirit. They condemned for evil that thing in which there was no evil; nevertheless I have forgiven my servant Isaac Morley.
17 And also my servant Edward Partridge, behold, he hath sinned, and Satan seeketh to destroy his soul; but when these things are made known unto them, and they repent of the evil, they shall be forgiven.
While forgiveness is essential in discipleship, accountability is also important. It is possible to forgive others and release the anguish inside, while still seeking for justice. In this case, the Lord asks for those who refused to repent to be brought before the Church to be held responsible for the difficulties they had caused. Of the three men named here, two of them, Isaac Morley and Edward Partridge, sought and received forgiveness. We do not know the precise nature of the difficulties with Isaac Morley and Ezra Booth, but the way in which they both responded to this correction in interesting.
Isaac Morley repented and began preparations to sell his farm and move his family to Missouri, where he suffered tribulation and persecution at the hand of mobs. At one point, he was one of six Latter-day Saint men who offered up his life for his friends. His family moved from Missouri to Illinois, then crossed the plains and helped settle the Sanpete Valley in Utah. Father Morley died as an honored patriarch among the Saints in Fairview, Utah, in 1865 (Who’s Who in the Doctrine and Covenants, 198–200). Ezra Booth, in contrast, only increased in bitterness toward the Church after his journey to Missouri. Within several months Booth’s anger led to violence against Joseph Smith. According to Apostle George A. Smith, Booth’s apostasy “culminated in collecting a mob who tarred and feathered Joseph Smith, and inflicted upon his family the loss of one of its members [Joseph Murdock Smith] at Hyrum, Portage county, Ohio.”
D&C 64:18–22
18 And now, verily I say that it is expedient in me that my servant Sidney Gilbert, after a few weeks, shall return upon his business, and to his agency in the land of Zion;
19 And that which he hath seen and heard may be made known unto my disciples, that they perish not. And for this cause have I spoken these things.
20 And again, I say unto you, that my servant Isaac Morley may not be tempted above that which he is able to bear, and counsel wrongfully to your hurt, I gave commandment that his farm should be sold.
21 I will not that my servant Frederick G. Williams should sell his farm, for I, the Lord, will to retain a strong hold in the land of Kirtland, for the space of five years, in the which I will not overthrow the wicked, that thereby I may save some.
22 And after that day, I, the Lord, will not hold any guilty that shall go with an open heart up to the land of Zion; for I, the Lord, require the hearts of the children of men.
The Lord provides counsel to Sidney Gilbert, Isaac Morley, and Frederick G. Williams about their respective properties and the best way for them to build Zion. While Sidney and Isaac are asked to begin settling their affairs in Kirtland so they can join the effort to build the city of Zion in Missouri, Frederick G. Williams is commanded to retain his farm, in order to “retain a stronghold in Kirtland, for the space of five years” (D&C 64:21). This instruction further extends the idea that in the grand design of the expansion of the Lord’s Church in the latter days, Missouri would be the center place, while Kirtland would serve as a stake of Zion.
The prophecy made here that Kirtland will serve as a stronghold for the Saints, but only for five years, is remarkably precise. Many of the most important events in the early Restoration took place in Kirtland during the five years following this revelation. The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, along with other vital priesthood quorums, were organized (D&C 107). Revelations on the nature of the Godhead (D&C 93) and the future state of the earth were given (D&C 101:22–40). Most importantly, Kirtland is where the first temple of the Church would rise, and in that temple the Savior, along with Moses, Elias, and Elijah, appeared and bestowed further priesthood keys on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery (D&C 109–110). However, Kirtland was a way station on the path to Zion, not the final destination.
Five years following this revelation, signs of great trouble within the Church began to appear. In the fall of 1836 Church leaders drew up a plan to create a bank in Kirtland to assist the poor and needy in obtaining lands and other necessities. The Kirtland Safety Society opened a few months later and quickly fell into difficulty. A nationwide economic panic led to the closure of hundreds of banks throughout the United States, and the Kirtland Safety Society was forced to close its doors in November of 1837. Many members of the Church were unable to reconcile Joseph Smith’s role as a prophet with the losses they suffered. Many began to call for his removal as President of the Church, declaring him to be a fallen prophet. Joseph Smith was finally forced to flee Kirtland in fear of his life on January 12, 1838. The five-year span of prosperity in Kirtland set down by the Lord turned out to be remarkably accurate.
D&C 64:23–25
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
24 For after today cometh the burning—this is speaking after the manner of the Lord—for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon.
25 Wherefore, if ye believe me, ye will labor while it is called today.
Brent L. Top, a former dean of religion at Brigham Young University, used the Lord’s statement about the time of His coming to demonstrate the meaning of the Savior’s words in D&C 64:23–25. He asked his students if they wanted to know the exact day of the Savior’s coming. He wrote,
The students usually shake their heads no and say, “We don't know the exact day”—demonstrating that they have heard loud and clear and understood what I have been teaching them. Then I push them a little more. “I'm serious,” I say. “I can tell you the exact day.” They push back. “No, you can’t. You’ve just been telling us that no one knows.” To which I respond, “Oh, yes, I can. And I will show you in the scriptures. You can go home and call your parents. You can tell your roommates. You can post it on social media. You can write it in your journal. You can ‘take it to the bank,’ so to speak. I can tell you the exact day!” That gets their attention (even though some laugh and think I am joking)! Then we turn to the sixty-fourth section of the Doctrine and Covenants and read the Lord’s own words: “Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
“For after today cometh the burning—this is speaking after the manner of the Lord—for verily I say, tomorrow all the proud and they that do wickedly shall be as stubble; and I will burn them up, for I am the Lord of Hosts; and I will not spare any that remain in Babylon” (D&C 64:23–24).
The point Brother Top makes in this demonstration is that “there is no point in speculating concerning the day and the hour. Let us rather live each day so that if the Lord does come while we are yet upon the earth we shall be worthy of that change which will occur as in the twinkling of an eye and under which we shall be changed from mortal to immortal beings. And if we should die before he comes, then—if our lives have conformed to his teachings—we shall arise in that resurrection morning and be partakers of the marvelous experiences designed for those who shall live and work with the Savior in that promised Millennium.”
D&C 64:26–33
26 And it is not meet that my servants, Newel K. Whitney and Sidney Gilbert, should sell their store and their possessions here; for this is not wisdom until the residue of the church, which remaineth in this place, shall go up unto the land of Zion.
27 Behold, it is said in my laws, or forbidden, to get in debt to thine enemies;
28 But behold, it is not said at any time that the Lord should not take when he please, and pay as seemeth him good.
29 Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord’s errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord’s business.
30 And he hath set you to provide for his saints in these last days, that they may obtain an inheritance in the land of Zion.
31 And behold, I, the Lord, declare unto you, and my words are sure and shall not fail, that they shall obtain it.
32 But all things must come to pass in their time.
33 Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Providing counsel to Newel K. Whitney and Sidney Gilbert, the Lord provides a simple reminder that it will take time to build Zion. The actions of the Saints at this time were planting seeds, many of which did not fully bloom in the Saints’ lifetimes. Even today we still wait for the fulfillment of the Lord’s promises made concerning Zion, the building up of the New Jerusalem, and a number of other events. Here the Lord simply affirms that His words will come to pass, although we operate on the timetable set by God and not by man. The Saints of the early Restoration laid the foundations for Zion, an effort requiring great sacrifices from them and their families. But the Lord reminds them that their sacrifices were seen and would bring them one step closer to the building of the Celestial City.
D&C 64:34–36
34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.
35 And the rebellious shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit the land.
36 For, verily I say that the rebellious are not of the blood of Ephraim, wherefore they shall be plucked out.
The scriptures are filled with promises made to the descendants of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, and the birthright child of Israel (1 Chronicles 5:1–2; Jeremiah 31:9). Moses gave a blessing to the children of Ephraim, saying, “His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh” (Deuteronomy 33:17). The Doctrine and Covenants in particular speaks of the blessings given to the descendants of Ephraim. The Lord identified the Book of Mormon as the “record of the stick of Ephraim” (D&C 27:5). A revelation given shortly after this one spoke of the other tribes of Israel bringing “forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants” (D&C 133:30).
Though Ephraim is considered the birthright tribe of the house of Israel, the Lord does not refer to the descendants of Ephraim as rulers but rather as servants. In Doctrine and Covenants 64 the Lord says that “the rebellious are not of the blood of Ephraim and will be plucked out” (D&C 64:36). Many who come into the Church are literal descendants of Ephraim and the other tribes, while many are not. The Lord does not distinguish between the two groups in the way He provides blessings to His children. The promises made to the fathers are important, but in the end, what the Lord requires of His servants is “the heart and a willing mind” (D&C 64:34).
D&C 64:37–40
37 Behold, I, the Lord, have made my church in these last days like unto a judge sitting on a hill, or in a high place, to judge the nations.
38 For it shall come to pass that the inhabitants of Zion shall judge all things pertaining to Zion.
39 And liars and hypocrites shall be proved by them, and they who are not apostles and prophets shall be known.
40 And even the bishop, who is a judge, and his counselors, if they are not faithful in their stewardships shall be condemned, and others shall be planted in their stead.
In several places in scripture the Lord gives the Saints the charge to assist in carrying out judgment upon the world. Speaking to the Nephite disciples, the Lord declared, “And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just. Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27). Urging the Saints to resolve their own differences rather than looking to outside sources, Paul wrote, “Know ye not that we shall judge the world?” and “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” (1 Corinthians 6:2–3). In both of these cases the Savior and Paul used the promise of a future judgment to motivate the Saints to live a virtuous life so that they can assist the Savior in judging the world without hypocrisy.
Ultimately the Savior is the judge of all men and women (2 Nephi 9:41). The Saints are called to assist in acting as His servants on earth to determine worthiness before sacred ordinances such as baptism, sealings, and other covenants can be extended. In all things the Savior seeks a fair judgment for all people based on their circumstances, light, and knowledge. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “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.’”
D&C 64:41–43
41 For, behold, I say unto you that Zion shall flourish, and the glory of the Lord shall be upon her;
42 And she shall be an ensign unto the people, and there shall come unto her out of every nation under heaven.
43 And the day shall come when the nations of the earth shall tremble because of her, and shall fear because of her terrible ones. The Lord hath spoken it. Amen.
The assurance given by the Lord in this revelation is that Zion will flourish. While trials and persecutions lay ahead of the Saints, the ending of the story is a happy one. The concept of Zion would expand beyond its beginning as a city built in Missouri to provide a home for the Saints to a recognition of Zion as a people spread throughout the globe (D&C 97:11). Zion flourishes whenever a new temple is dedicated, a new stake is created, or a new member is baptized. Decades after this prophecy was given to Joseph Smith, his nephew Joseph F. Smith remarked on its fulfillment:
Zion is, indeed, flourishing on the hills, and it is rejoicing on the mountains, and we also who compose it are gathering and assembling together unto the place appointed. I now ask this congregation if they cannot see that this prediction (which was made many years before the idea prevailed at all among this people that we should ever migrate and gather out to these mountain valleys) has been and is being literally fulfilled? If there were no other prophecy uttered by Joseph Smith, fulfillment of which could be pointed to, this alone would be sufficient to entitle him to claim of being a true prophet.
More than a century removed from Joseph F. Smith’s comments on the prophecy of Zion flourishing, we see its even greater fulfillment. Millions more Saints have made covenants, a handful of temples has grown to over one hundred and fifty dedicated houses of the Lord, and the members of the Church of the Lamb, though relatively few in number, are “armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14).
Footnotes
