Doctrine and Covenants 88
Historical Context
The revelation received on Christmas Day 1832 (D&C 87) must have been very disturbing for Joseph Smith and the Saints in Kirtland. The “prophecy on war,” as it has come to be known, contained striking predictions of a world full of turmoil and wars that would cause death and misery among the children of men. Only two days later, Joseph Smith received this revelation, which he described as “the Olive leaf which we have plucked from the tree of paradise” and “the Lord’s message of peace to us.” In contrast to the revelation on war, which is 8 verses long in the current Doctrine and Covenants, the “message of peace” is 141 verses long—currently the lengthiest revelation in this book of scripture.
Joseph Smith received the revelation over three days in two parts that were combined and published together in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants. Verses 1–126 were received on December 27 and 28 in the translation room of the Whitney store in Kirtland, Ohio, during a conference of high priests held in Kirtland. The minutes of the conference note that “Bro Joseph arose and said, to receive revelation and the blessings of heaven it was necessary to have our minds in on god and exercise faith and become of one heart and of one mind.” Joseph asked each of the brethren present to pray separately “for the Lord to reveal his will unto us concerning the upbuilding of Zion.” After this, each person in the room rose to share “his feelings, and determination to keep the commandments of God.” Joseph then began to dictate the revelation and continued until nine o’clock at night. Starting at 9am the following morning, he finished the first part of the revelation (D&C 88:1-126).
Verses 127–41 came on January 3, 1833, and were designated as “instructions [on] how to regulate the Elders school.” In the earlier part of the revelation, God instructed the Church to establish a school and also to build a “house of God” that would serve as a “house of learning” (D&C 88:119). Later in verses 117-141, God explains how to conduct the school in the house of the Lord. These instructions included the salutation that the elders gave when entering and the “ordinance of the washing of feet” (D&C 88:139). This section provides vital information about the nature and power of Jesus Christ, the signs of the times, and the resurrection of all people. It also contains the command to build the house of the Lord in Kirtland, a sacred structure where the truths and keys necessary to carry out temple work in the last days would be given, and a house where the Savior Himself would appear.
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 [D&C 88:1–126].
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 3 January 1833 [D&C 88:127–137].
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 88:1–5
1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you who have assembled yourselves together to receive his will concerning you:
2 Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the balms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
3 Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—
After the frightening prophecies found in Doctrine and Covenants 87, the Lord begins this revelation by again referring to Himself as “the Lord of Sabaoth,” or the “Lord of Hosts” (see commentary for D&C 87:7). In section 87, the title “Lord of Hosts” appears in the context of judgment coming down upon the heads of those who would persecute the Saints. Here, the “Lord of Hosts” is used to describe Jesus Christ as a being of infinite power, able to overthrow the forces of wickedness and provide the righteous with their reward. While Doctrine and Covenants 87 discusses a world descending in chaos, the first part of Doctrine and Covenants 88 (verses 1-118) explains the vast power and influence of the Lord. In a world that seems to be spinning out of control, the Savior asserts that He manages an entire universe through His power and that the struggles of our world are only a brief and temporary part of the Father’s grand plan. The righteous will eventually receive their reward and find their names in the book of the sanctified.
In the midst of these challenges, the Savior promises His disciples the peace of the Comforter, or the Holy Ghost. In the Gospel of John, the Holy Ghost is the First Comforter. Here, as in John, the Savior tells of another Comforter who brings with Him the promise of eternal life (John 14:16). In an 1839 discourse, Joseph Smith commented on the other Comforter spoken of here and in John 14. He said, “Now what is this other Comforter[?] It is no more or less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself[,] and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter, that when any man obtains this last Comforter he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him or appear unto him from time to time. Even he will manifest the Father unto him and they will take up their abode with him, and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him and the Lord will teach him face to face.”
The Holy Ghost, or the First Comforter, brings peace as we endure the trying conditions of our world. The Second Comforter, who is the resurrected Jesus Christ, brings an assurance of eternal life and exaltation in the next life, provided that a person does not commit the unpardonable sin (D&C 76:34–35).
D&C 88:6–13
6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
7 Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
8 As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made;
9 As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made;
10 And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.
11 And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings;
12 Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space—
13 The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.
Part of what makes this revelation “the Lord’s message of peace” is the explanation of the vastness of His power. Jesus Christ is a resurrected, glorified being with a body of flesh and bone (D&C 130:22). Jesus ascended up on high by overcoming death and gaining exaltation. He also descended below all things, enduring infinite suffering to provide salvation for all men and women (Alma 34:9–10). He is omniscient. He knows and comprehends all things. Paul and Alma both testified that through His experience and suffering, Jesus gained infinite compassion and understanding for the children of God.
Additionally, Jesus Christ is omnipresent. How can He have a physical body and yet be omnipresent? The answer is through the medium of the Light of Christ. The Light of Christ is different from the Holy Ghost. It is not a personage, but a force, or a power. James E. Talmage referred to it as the “‘divine essence’ by means of which the Godhead operates upon man and in nature.” President Joseph F. Smith explained,
The question is often asked, Is there any difference between the Spirit of the Lord and the Holy Ghost? The terms are frequently used synonymously. We often say the Spirit of God when we mean the Holy Ghost; we likewise say the Holy Ghost when we mean the Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost is a personage in the Godhead, and is not that which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. It is the Spirit of God which proceeds through Christ to the world, that enlightens every man that comes into the world, and that strives with the children of men, and will continue to strive with them, until it brings them to a knowledge of the truth and the possession of the greater light and testimony of the Holy Ghost.
Here the Light of Christ is not just referred to as the power “given to every man, that he may know good from evil,” though that is one of its most important functions (Moroni 7:16). It is the essence of light, the power that makes the universe a livable place. This power “fill[s] the immensity of space” and is that “which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed” (D&C 88:12–13). There is no more direct and comprehensive statement about the power of Jesus Christ anywhere in scripture. The testimony given here assures us that whatever challenges we face, with Christ as our Advocate, we can overcome them. For a being whose stewardship and power bring life to the universe and fills all things, the challenges we face are small by comparison.
D&C 88:14–16
14 Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead.
15 And the spirit and the body are the soul of man.
16 And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul.
After explaining the infinite immensity of His power, the Savior pivots to explain the intimate miracles He provides for our redemption. The “soul of man” is described here as “the spirit and the body” that is redeemed with physical resurrection. Resurrection serves as a major theme of this revelation, with the Lord explaining in detail when this blessing comes to all people.
In most verses in scripture, soul is used as another word for spirit. For instance, Abraham referred to our spirits in the premortal realm as souls (Abraham 3:23), and Alma referred to the deceased in the spirit world as souls awaiting resurrection (Alma 40:11–14). In D&C 88:16, “the redemption of the soul” is the reuniting of the spirit and the body, a gift given by Christ to all people. A unique trait of Latter-day Saint beliefs is the concept that the physical body functions not as a prison but as an essential component of an eternal being. James E. Talmage taught, “It is peculiar to the theology of the Latter-day Saints that we regard the body as an essential part of the soul. Read your dictionaries, the lexicons, and encyclopedias, and you will find that nowhere [in Christianity], outside of the Church of Jesus Christ, is the solemn and eternal truth taught that the soul of man is the body and the spirit combined.”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:
One of the “plain and precious” truths restored to this dispensation is that “the spirit and the body are the soul of man” (D&C 88:15; emphasis added) and that when the spirit and body are separated, men and women “cannot receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:34). Certainly that suggests something of the reason why obtaining a body is so fundamentally important to the plan of salvation in the first place, why sin of any kind is such a serious matter (namely because its automatic consequence is death, the separation of the spirit from the body and the separation of the spirit and the body from God), and why the resurrection of the body is so central to the great abiding and eternal triumph of Christ’s atonement. We do not have to be a herd of demonically possessed swine charging down the Gadarene slopes toward the sea to understand that a body is the great prize of mortal life, and that even a pig’s will do for those frenzied spirits that rebelled, and to this day remain dispossessed, in their first, unembodied estate.
D&C 88:17–26
17 And the redemption of the soul is through him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
18 Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for the celestial glory;
19 For after it hath filled the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God the Father;
20 That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified.
21 And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
22 For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory.
23 And he who cannot abide the law of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
24 And he who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a kingdom of glory. Therefore he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.
25 And again, verily I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law—
26 Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.
The Savior reaffirms His promise given in the Sermon on the Mount and the sermon at the temple that the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5; 3 Nephi 12:5). This promise is not a metaphor; the earth itself is part of the plan of salvation and will eventually be resurrected (quickened) and become the celestial kingdom for those who lived here and qualified for its blessings. The work of Jesus Christ saves not only the men and women who live on earth but the entire ecosystem. As the Lord here declares, “the earth abideth the law of the celestial kingdom” (D&C 88:25). How can a planet obey the celestial law? It obeys by simply fulfilling the measure of its creation.
Like us, the earth now exists in a fallen, telestial condition. In a vision, the ancient prophet Enoch “looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?” (Moses 7:48). The earth longs to be cleansed and to achieve its full potential as a celestial kingdom.
The cleansing of the earth will take place in two stages. First, upon Christ’s return, the earth “will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory” (Article of Faith 10). Christ will sweep all things telestial off the earth and destroy every corruptible thing (D&C 101:24–25). After a millennium of peace and a “little season” (D&C 29:22), the earth will die and be resurrected as a celestial kingdom. John saw “a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away” (Revelation 21:1). An earlier revelation given to Joseph Smith declares that “all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand” (D&C 29:24–25).
D&C 88:27–31
27 For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body.
28 They who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
29 Ye who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
30 And they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
31 And also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory shall then receive of the same, even a fulness.
A spiritual body is not the same thing as a spirit, or immaterial body. Paul spoke of a person being “raised a spiritual body,” adding, “there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44). In the context of this verse, a spiritual body is defined as a body that is not subject to corruption or death. Yet there are wide variances in the types of bodies given in the Resurrection. Speaking of resurrected bodies, Paul taught, “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. Also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial; but the glory of the celestial, one; and the terrestrial, another; and the telestial, another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory” (1 Corinthians 15:39–41; italics denote the Joseph Smith Translation of verse 40).
The mortal body continuously goes through cycles of decay and renewal, but it reflects the body we receive in the Resurrection. At a conference held in April 1843, Joseph Smith responded to a remark by Elder Orson Pratt “that a man’s body changes every seven years” by teaching, “there is no fundamental principle belonging to a human system that ever goes into another, in this world, or in the world to come; I care not what the theories of men are. We have the testimony that God will raise us up, and he has the power to do it, if any one supposes that any part of our bodies, that is, the fundamental parts thereof, ever goes into another body, he is mistaken.” Though Joseph Smith did not further elaborate on what he meant by the “fundamental principle” or the “fundamental parts,” it seems safe to say that the resurrected you will still be you. It is true that the components of our bodies change over time, but our bodies in the Resurrection will be a glorified version of ourselves while retaining the fundamentals that make us who we really are.
D&C 88:32–35
32 And they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received.
33 For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.
34 And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same.
35 That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still.
“They who remain” are those who will not receive celestial, terrestrial, or telestial glory but will still be resurrected. They are called “sons of perdition” in other revelations (D&C 76:32). These people will have their spirits reunited with their bodies, but with no glory, remaining “filthy still.” However, these individuals will have an advantage over the people who rebelled against God in premortality and did not receive a body (Revelation 12:4; D&C 29:36–38).
D&C 88:36–41
36 All kingdoms have a law given;
37 And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.
38 And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions.
39 All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified.
40 For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things.
41 He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever.
In a later discourse Joseph Smith would explain, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—
And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20–21). The same principle—that blessings, including the blessings of exaltation, come from our observance of the law—is taught here in verses 36–41. Each kingdom, celestial, terrestrial, and telestial, has different laws. In sacred texts, there is often a difference drawn between a rule and a law. The law of Moses, for example, contains hundreds of rules, or dos and don’ts, that together make up the law. The law is the entire collection of rules.
Accepting the law of the kingdom does not mean that a person perfectly obeys all the rules. The law of the celestial kingdom, perhaps best laid out in the sermons Jesus gave in Matthew 5–7 and 3 Nephi 12–14, is a demanding set of standards. To accept the celestial law does not mean, for instance, that you never get angry (Matthew 5:22; 3 Nephi 12:22) or that you never experience feelings of lust (Matthew 5:27; 3 Nephi 12:27). It simply means that we choose to use those rules as standards for governing our behavior and accept the consequences that come when we fail to live up to those standards. We determine our morality based on those standards and strive to live according to them. We first accept the grace of Christ and strive for forgiveness when we fall short.
One of the most beautiful teachings of this passage deals with the nature of God. While God loves us and wants us to live with Him in celestial glory, He does not force His laws upon us. All people possess the light of Christ, which gives them a basic sense of morality. God then seeks to increase the light already within us by teaching true principles and allowing the Holy Ghost to influence us. When we choose to recognize good principles and follow them, our freedom grows. Though laws are sometimes seen as constricting, they help us gain greater freedom. The more we obey the laws of God, the greater our sanctification grows and the more likely it becomes that we will live in the celestial kingdom with God. However, if we choose to abide by a lesser law, God will reward us according to that law.
D&C 88:42–45
42 And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons;
43 And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets.
44 And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are one year with God, but not with man.
45 The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God.
God is the great Lawgiver. Whether it is the moral laws that govern our daily interactions with each other or the laws of physics that govern the movement of planets in their orbits, the source of these laws is God Himself. The order of the universe is one of the great proofs of the existence of God. When confronted by the anti-Christ Korihor, Alma argued: “All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator” (Alma 30:44).
However, we should not assume that the way the laws function for us here on earth is the way they function in all parts of God’s creations. The formula given in verse 44, which equates all minutes, hours, weeks, months, and years as being “one year with God,” contradicts other formulations of time given in the scriptures if it is taken literally (see Abraham 3:4; Facsimile 2:1, Moses 3:17; Abraham 5:13; Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8). The overall message of these verses appears to be that time works differently for God than it does for mortal men and women on earth. Rather than taking all of these statements literally, it is probably best to look to the statement of Alma the Younger that “all is as one day with God, and time only is measured unto men” (Alma 40:8).
D&C 88:46–50
46 Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
47 Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.
48 I say unto you, he hath seen him; nevertheless, he who came unto his own was not comprehended.
49 The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him.
50 Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the true light that is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound.
Some might argue that God is incomprehensible to mortal minds, but both ancient and modern scripture argue to the contrary. The majesty and breadth of God’s power and dominions might be incomprehensible to a mortal, but the character, attributes, and perfections of God are something that a mortal can and must comprehend in order to fully exercise faith in Him. Jesus taught, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). Joseph Smith taught that “if men do not comprehend the character of God[,] they do not comprehend themselves.” God promises in verse 49 that at some future time (most likely after our resurrection), we will be able to comprehend everything about the nature of God.
Joseph Smith further expounded on this subject in an 1834 letter written to the Church:
God has created man with a mind capable of instruction, and a faculty which may be enlarged in proportion to the heed and diligence given to the light communicated from heaven to the intellect; and that the nearer man approaches perfection, the more conspicuous are his views, & the greater his enjoyments, until he has overcome the evils of this life and lost every desire of sin; and like the ancients, arrives to that point of faith that he is wrapped in the glory and power of his Maker and is caught up to dwell with him. But we consider that this is a station to which no man ever arrived in a moment: he must have been instructed into the government and laws of that kingdom by proper degrees, till his mind was capable in some measure of comprehending the propriety, justice, equity, and consistency of the same.
D&C 88:51–61
51 Behold, I will liken these kingdoms unto a man having a field, and he sent forth his servants into the field to dig in the field.
52 And he said unto the first: Go ye and labor in the field, and in the first hour I will come unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my countenance.
53 And he said unto the second: Go ye also into the field, and in the second hour I will visit you with the joy of my countenance.
54 And also unto the third, saying: I will visit you;
55 And unto the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.
56 And the lord of the field went unto the first in the first hour, and tarried with him all that hour, and he was made glad with the light of the countenance of his lord.
57 And then he withdrew from the first that he might visit the second also, and the third, and the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.
58 And thus they all received the light of the countenance of their lord, every man in his hour, and in his time, and in his season—
59 Beginning at the first, and so on unto the last, and from the last unto the first, and from the first unto the last;
60 Every man in his own order, until his hour was finished, even according as his lord had commanded him, that his lord might be glorified in him, and he in his lord, that they all might be glorified.
61 Therefore, unto this parable I will liken all these kingdoms, and the inhabitants thereof—every kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and in its season, even according to the decree which God hath made.
One pair of commentators has labeled this passage “the parable of the multitude of kingdoms.” This passage, along with others in modern revelation, serves to illustrate that God is not just the God of the whole earth but the Ruler of the universe. There are a multitude of worlds among the creations of God, and many are inhabited by the sons and daughters of God (D&C 76:24). When the Lord spoke unto Moses, He explained:
Worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many. But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. (Moses 1:33–35)
Each of these worlds undoubtedly has its own history and literature and hosts a multitude of cultures as complex and beautiful as the ones in our world. But the gospel is fundamentally the same no matter where it is taught, and the people of other worlds “are sav’d by the very same Saviour of ours; And, of course, are begotten God’s daughters and sons, By the very same truths, and the very same pow’rs.” The gospel pattern remains the same— on all of these worlds, God calls prophets who teach and testify of the power of Jesus Christ to save. The work is much bigger in scope than we can conceive. However, the scriptures are clear that even though the work of Christ is infinite, on an individual level it is still intimate for each of us.
D&C 88:62–73
62 And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—
63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
65 And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
66 Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness—in the wilderness, because you cannot see him—my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.
67 And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
68 Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.
69 Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.
70 Tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom.
71 And let those whom they have warned in their traveling call on the Lord, and ponder the warning in their hearts which they have received, for a little season.
72 Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them.
73 Behold, I will hasten my work in its time.
The Lord shifts here from teaching about the nature of the universe to addressing more earthly concerns among the Saints. The Lord promises that if they will sanctify themselves and make their minds single to the glory of God, “he will unveil his face unto [them]” (D&C 88:68). He also commands them to call a “solemn assembly” (D&C 88:70). Both of these commandments are linked to the construction of the first temple of the Church in Kirtland, Ohio.
Within two weeks of receiving this revelation, Joseph Smith wrote to the Saints in Missouri to tell them about the plans to build a temple in Kirtland. In a letter written on January 11, 1833, Joseph wrote to William W. Phelps to inform him “that the Lord commanded us in Kirtland to build an house of God, & establish a school for the Prophets, this is the word of the Lord to us.” A few years later in a meeting with the newly called Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Joseph instructed:
We must have all things prepared and call our solemn assembly as the Lord has commanded us, that we may be able to accomplish his great work: and it must be done in God[’]s own way, the house of the Lord must be prepared, and the solemn assembly called and organized in it according to the order of the house of God . . . it is calculated to unite our hearts, that we may be one in feeling and sentiment and that our faith may be strong, so that Satan cannot over throw us, nor have any power over us,—the endowment you are so anxious about you cannot comprehend now, nor could Gabriel explain it to the understanding of your dark minds, but strive to be prepared in your hearts, be faithful in all things that when we meet in the solemn assembly that is such as God shall name out of all the official members, [we] will meet, and we must be clean every whit.
The commandment to hold a solemn assembly and the promise that the Lord would unveil His face were both fulfilled during the events surrounding the dedication of the Kirtland Temple (see D&C 109–110).
D&C 88:74–80
74 And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
75 That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.
76 Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.
77 And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom.
78 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand;
79 Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms—
80 That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you.
The commandment to “teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (D&C 88:77) was given to the leading elders of the Church but has also been applied to the importance of education for Latter-day Saints. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “For members of the Church, education is not merely a good idea—it’s a commandment.” The Lord instructs His disciples to gain learning on a number of subjects, both secular and spiritual. Disciples with educated minds are better prepared to “magnify” their callings (D&C 88:80).
President Gordon B. Hinckley echoed the same message: “You need all the education you can get. Sacrifice a car, sacrifice anything that is needed to be sacrificed to qualify yourselves to do the work of the world.” While education is a commandment and great blessing in our lives, there is no specific field or discipline held above any other. President Hinckley emphasized this when he taught, “The Lord wants you to educate your minds and hands, whatever your chosen field. Whether it be repairing refrigerators, or the work of a skilled surgeon, you must train yourselves. Seek for the best schooling available. Become a workman of integrity in the world that lies ahead of you. I repeat, you will bring honor to the Church and you will be generously blessed because of that training.”
D&C 88:81–85
81 Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.
82 Therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon their own heads.
83 He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
85 That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.
The phrase “among the Gentiles” is a reference to all nations. The term Gentile, referring to any group of people to whom missionaries are sent forth to preach, is common in the Book of Mormon, which was written to “Jew and Gentile” (title page of the Book of Mormon; D&C 109:60). One of the purposes of missionary work is to warn as many people as possible of the coming calamities linked to the Second Coming of the Savior.
Joseph Smith commented on this passage when he spoke to the Twelve Apostles in 1835. He taught, “When you are endowed and prepared to preach the gospel to all nations[,] kindred[s,] and tongues in their own languages[,] you must faithfully warn all and bind up the testimony and seal up the law (D&C 88:84)[;] and the destroying angel will follow close at your heels and execute his tremendous mission upon the children of disobedience, and destroy the workers of iniquity, while the saints will be gathered out from among them and stand in holy places ready to meet the bride groom when he comes.”
D&C 88:86–94
86 Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.
87 For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.
88 And after your testimony cometh wrath and indignation upon the people.
89 For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall upon the ground and shall not be able to stand.
90 And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
91 And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people.
92 And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
93 And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all people shall see it together.
94 And another angel shall sound his trump, saying: That great church, the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God, that shed their blood—she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea—behold, she is the tares of the earth; she is bound in bundles; her bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready to be burned. And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations shall hear it.
While the revelation given on Christmas Day, 1832 (D&C 87), emphasized the man-made wars and calamities of the last days, this passage emphasizes upheavals within nature before the Second Coming. The description of the natural disasters here closely parallels the signs of the times given in chapters 7–22 of the book of Revelation. Doctrine and Covenants 77, the most valuable guide we have to understanding the book of Revelation, only explains the symbols of John’s revelation up to chapter 11. However, in Doctrine and Covenants 88, verses 86–107 provide a guide to the second half of the book of Revelation. While it does not directly interpret the symbolism in the book of Revelation, this portion does further clarify and explain the second half of Revelation. The language used in this passage also parallels the signs of the times given in many other revelations (see D&C 29:14; 43:18–25; 45:26, 42, 48; 133:22, 49; Joel 2:10, 31; 3:15–16; Matthew 24:29–31; Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:23–37; Revelation 11:13).
Accompanying the commotion of the earth is the rise of the great church, Babylon, the mother of fornications. This church will persecute the Saints and gain power and influence among the children of men until the Savior intervenes. The “great sign” in verse 93 that appears in heaven is also referenced by the Savior (Mathew 24:30; Luke 21:25–27).
In his time, the Prophet Joseph Smith cautioned against latching onto only a single sign or a small collection of signs and instead urged members to look at the signs collectively. When Hiram Redding, a resident of Ogle County, Illinois, claimed to have seen the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, Joseph Smith wrote back:
I shall use my right, and declare, that notwithstanding Mr. Redding may have seen a wonderful appearance in the clouds, one morning about sun-rise, (which is nothing very uncommon in the winter season) he has not seen the sign of the son of man, as foretold by Jesus; neither has any man, nor will any man, till after the sun shall have been darkened and the moon bathed in blood, for the Lord hath not shown me any such sign, and, as the prophet saith, so it must be: Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. (See Amos 3: 7). Therefore, hear this, O earth, the Lord will not come to reign over the righteous, in this world, in 1843, nor until every thing for the bridegroom is ready.
D&C 88:95–102
95 And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour; and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord shall be unveiled;
96 And the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quickened and be caught up to meet him.
97 And they who have slept in their graves shall come forth, for their graves shall be opened; and they also shall be caught up to meet him in the midst of the pillar of heaven—
98 They are Christ’s, the first fruits, they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.
99 And after this another angel shall sound, which is the second trump; and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ’s at his coming; who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to men in the flesh.
100 And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump; and then come the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found under condemnation;
101 And these are the rest of the dead; and they live not again until the thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth.
102 And another trump shall sound, which is the fourth trump, saying: There are found among those who are to remain until that great and last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still.
Concerning the “silence in heaven for the space of half an hour” that is mentioned in verse 95, Elder Orson Pratt said, “Whether the half hour here spoke [sic] is according to our reckoning – thirty minutes, or whether it be according to the reckoning of the Lord[,] we do not know. We know that the word hour is used in some portions of the scriptures to represent quite a lengthy period of time . . . During the period of silence all things are perfectly still; no angels flying during that half hour; no trumpets sounding; no noise in the heavens above; but immediately after this great silence the curtain of heaven shall be unfolded as a scroll is unfolded.”
Verses 96–102 describe in succession the multiple resurrections that will take place after the return of Christ to the earth. The “first fruits” of the Resurrection will be caught up to meet Christ as He descends from the heavens (2 Thessalonians 4:16–17). After they descend, the second trump shall sound, and those who accepted Christ in the world of spirits shall come forth from their graves as well. We consider both of these groups to be in the First Resurrection, or the resurrection of celestial and terrestrial beings. The third trump is then sounded for the spirits of those who “are found under condemnation,” or telestial beings, who are not resurrected until the end of the millennium (D&C 88:100–101). Finally, those who are “filthy still,” or the sons of perdition, also receive their part in the Resurrection (D&C 88:102).
D&C 88:103–107
103 And another trump shall sound, which is the fifth trump, which is the fifth angel who committeth the everlasting gospel—flying through the midst of heaven, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people;
104 And this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth—for every ear shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying: Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, forever and ever; for the hour of his judgment is come.
105 And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the sixth angel, saying: She is fallen who made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication; she is fallen, is fallen!
106 And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the seventh angel, saying: It is finished; it is finished! The Lamb of God hath overcome and trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
107 And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.
At the sounding of the fifth trump, “every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess” the power of Jesus Christ. All people will acknowledge Christ’s victory, and those mortal men and women that remain on earth, both celestial and terrestrial beings, will see Christ as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This does not mean, however, that other religions will not exist on the earth at the beginning of the Millennium. On one occasion Brigham Young taught, “In the millennium men will have the privilege of being Presbyterians, Methodists, or Infidels, but they will not have the privilege of treating the name and character of Deity as they have done heretofore. No, but every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father that Jesus is the Christ.” All the mortals who remain will be just according to the light and truth they have been given. But not all will choose to receive the fulness of the gospel, including all the ordinances necessary for exaltation (D&C 76:77).
The beautiful reunion of Christ with His people is described in more detail in a revelation God gave to Joseph Smith just a few months before (See D&C 133:36–45).
D&C 88:108–116
108 And then shall the first angel again sound his trump in the ears of all living, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the mighty works of God in the first thousand years.
109 And then shall the second angel sound his trump, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and the mighty works of God in the second thousand years—
110 And so on, until the seventh angel shall sound his trump; and he shall stand forth upon the land and upon the sea, and swear in the name of him who sitteth upon the throne, that there shall be time no longer; and Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years.
111 And then he shall be loosed for a little season, that he may gather together his armies.
112 And Michael, the seventh angel, even the archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of heaven.
113 And the devil shall gather together his armies; even the hosts of hell, and shall come up to battle against Michael and his armies.
114 And then cometh the battle of the great God; and the devil and his armies shall be cast away into their own place, that they shall not have power over the saints any more at all.
115 For Michael shall fight their battles, and shall overcome him who seeketh the throne of him who sitteth upon the throne, even the Lamb.
116 This is the glory of God, and the sanctified; and they shall not any more see death.
The seven angels described in verses 108–110 will then sound seven trumps, each representing one thousand years of the earth’s existence (D&C 77:6–7). This process is described as a review of the history of men and women during each of the thousand-year periods, including “the secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and the mighty works of God” (D&C 88:109). Not only will the future destiny of the earth and its people become clear but any fog surrounding humanity’s past will be dispelled as well. At last we will have a true accounting of the history of the world (D&C 101:32–33).
Verse 110 also speaks of Satan’s restrictions during the Millennium. Satan will be bound through the combined power of God and the righteousness of the people who will live in the Millennium. The Apostle John described the binding of Satan, writing, “I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season” (Revelation 20:1–3).
The seal that binds Satan will be kept in place because of the righteousness of the men and women who will live in the Millennium. Nephi explained that “because of the righteousness of his [God’] people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth” (1 Nephi 22:26). That Satan is loosed at the end of the thousand years implies that there may be some kind of apostasy at the end of the Millennium that allows Satan to gain power again for a brief space of time.
We do not know how long Satan will be unrestrained at the end of the Millennium. Some scriptural commentators have speculated that it may be another thousand years. What is clear is that this is the final conflict, the last gasp of Satan’s power. Michael, the great prince who holds the keys of salvation under the direction of Christ (D&C 78:16), will lead the charge against Satan and banish him once and for all from the earth. The earth will then become a celestial kingdom and our eternal home (D&C 88:16–31, 116).
D&C 88:117–126
117 Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you.
118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
120 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.
121 Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.
122 Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.
123 See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
126 Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.
In verses 117–19, the Lord repeats His command to call a solemn assembly and gives a direct commandment to build a house of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, and order—in short, a house of God. The Saints fulfilled this commandment by constructing the house of the Lord in Kirtland, the first temple of this dispensation. In the months before and after the dedication of the Kirtland temple, many members of the Church received instruction within its walls. A small group of men also received some of the preparatory ordinances of the temple. As outlined here, the Kirtland Temple was not only a place for ordinances and instruction but was also a multipurpose facility in which worship meetings, school, and other Church functions could be held. Every chapel, seminary building, university, and temple in the Church can trace its lineage back to this first house of the Lord built in Kirtland.
To prepare the Saints to receive a temple in their midst, the Lord outlines a program of behavior intended to ready them for this blessing. In keeping with instructions already given in other revelations, the Lord gives commandments for the Saints’ spiritual health in parallel with ones regarding the Saints’ temporal health. For example, the Lord gives a commandment to His disciples to have charity for each other and follows it with a commandment to receive the proper amount of rest. In all things, the spiritual and temporal are mingled together to create a holistic approach toward healthy living. The Lord commands His people to seek learning “even by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). He indicates that the Saints should study the best works of literature, science, and art alongside the sacred books of scripture. Rather than becoming anti-intellectual, the Saints are commanded to embrace the best in all branches of learning.
D&C 88:127–133
127 And again, the order of the house prepared for the presidency of the school of the prophets, established for their instruction in all things that are expedient for them, even for all the officers of the church, or in other words, those who are called to the ministry in the church, beginning at the high priests, even down to the deacons—
128 And this shall be the order of the house of the presidency of the school: He that is appointed to be president, or teacher, shall be found standing in his place, in the house which shall be prepared for him.
129 Therefore, he shall be first in the house of God, in a place that the congregation in the house may hear his words carefully and distinctly, not with loud speech.
130 And when he cometh into the house of God, for he should be first in the house—behold, this is beautiful, that he may be an example—
131 Let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees before God, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant.
132 And when any shall come in after him, let the teacher arise, and, with uplifted hands to heaven, yea, even directly, salute his brother or brethren with these words:
133 Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother through the grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all the commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, forever and ever. Amen.
Doctrine and Covenants 88:127–41 consists of a separate revelation received a few days later on January 3, 1833. It was most likely combined with the first revelation because it commands Joseph Smith and his associates to set up a “school of the prophets” in the house of God (D&C 88:136). The School of the Prophets would eventually meet in the Kirtland temple, but the Saints began organizing it almost immediately after receiving this revelation. The School of the Prophets was the beginning of an educational structure that would eventually come to include all of the quorums and organizations affiliated with the Church, all of whom regularly meet in classes to receive instruction and inspiration.
Over the next few years, several different schools were organized in Kirtland and Missouri. The initial School of the Prophets met from January 23 to April 1, 1833, in an upper room of the Newel K. Whitney store in Kirtland. Joseph Smith presided over the school and selected Orson Hyde to be its teacher. This school consisted of a small group, probably never exceeding twenty-five people. Zebedee Coltrin, a member of the school, recalled that the teacher “saluted the brethren with upheld hands” as they entered and “they also answered with uplifted hands.” Attending the school was a holy activity for those involved, with Coltrin remembering that “before going to school we washed ourselves and put on clean linen.” Members of the school came fasting at sunrise and remained until around four o’clock in the evening.
Dramatic spiritual manifestations occurred in this School of the Prophets. Zebedee Coltrin shared the following experience, which occurred in one of the meetings of the School of the Prophets:
At one of these meetings after the organization of the school . . . Joseph having given instructions, and while engaged in silent prayer, kneeling, with our hands uplifted[,] each one praying in silence, no one whispered above his breath, a personage walked through the room from east to west, and Joseph asked if we saw him. I saw him and suppose the others did[,] and Joseph answered[, “]that is Jesus, the Son of God, our elder brother.[”] Afterward Joseph told us to resume our former position in prayer, which we did. Another person came through; he was surrounded as with a flame of fire. He [Brother Coltrin] experienced a sensation that it might destroy the tabernacle as it was of consuming fire of great brightness. The Prophet Joseph said this was the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. I saw Him.
When asked about the kind of clothing the Father had on, Brother Coltrin said:
I did not discover his clothing[,] for he was surrounded as with a flame of fire, which was so brilliant that I could not discover anything else but his person. I saw his hands, his legs, his feet, his eyes, nose, mouth, head and body in the shape and form of a perfect man. He sat in a chair as a man would sit in a chair, but this appearance was so grand and overwhelming that it seemed I should melt down in his presence, and the sensation was so powerful that it thrilled through my whole system and I felt it in the marrow of my bones. The Prophet Joseph said: [“]Brethren, now you are prepared to be the apostles of Jesus Christ, for you have seen both the Father and the Son and know that they exist and that they are two separate personages.[”]
D&C 88:134–141
134 And he that is found unworthy of this salutation shall not have place among you; for ye shall not suffer that mine house shall be polluted by him.
135 And he that cometh in and is faithful before me, and is a brother, or if they be brethren, they shall salute the president or teacher with uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer and covenant, or by saying Amen, in token of the same.
136 Behold, verily, I say unto you, this is an ensample unto you for a salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the prophets.
137 And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the Spirit shall give utterance in all your doings in the house of the Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary, a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit to your edification.
138 And ye shall not receive any among you into this school save he is clean from the blood of this generation;
139 And he shall be received by the ordinance of the washing of feet, for unto this end was the ordinance of the washing of feet instituted.
140 And again, the ordinance of washing feet is to be administered by the president, or presiding elder of the church.
141 It is to be commenced with prayer; and after partaking of bread and wine, he is to gird himself according to the pattern given in the thirteenth chapter of John’s testimony concerning me. Amen.
The Lord emphasized holiness in the School of the Prophets through the ordinance of the washing of the feet. This touching ordinance is described in some detail in the Gospel of John. After the Last Supper, Jesus “pour[ed] water into a basin, and began to awash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” John recalled that Simon Peter at first resisted the ordinances, pleading, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Jesus, emphasizing the importance of the act, answered Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” In return, Simon Peter replied, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” After the ordinance was completed, the Savior instructed the Apostles, saying, “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you” (John 13:3–15).
Following the instructions given in verses 139–141 and the pattern set down in the thirteenth chapter of John, the ordinance of the washing of the feet was carried out in the first meeting of the School of the Prophets on January 23, 1833. The minutes of that meeting described the act as follows:
Wednesday January 23rd. Meet agreeable to adjournment. Conference opened with Prayer by the President [Joseph Smith, Jr.] and after much speaking, praying, and singing, all done in tongues, [we] proceeded to washing hands, faces & feet in the name of the Lord as commanded of God, each one washing his own, after which the president girded himself with a towel and again washed the feet of all the Elders, wiping them with the towel. [After] his father present[ed] himself, the President asked of him [Joseph Smith, Sr.] a blessing before he would wash his feet, which he obtained by the laying on of his father’s hands, pronouncing upon his head that he should continue in his Priest’s office until Christ come.
At the close of which scene, Br. F[rederick] G. Williams, being moved upon by the Holy Ghost, washed the feet of the President as a token of his fixed determination to be with him in suffering or in rejoicing, in life or in death, and to be continually on his right hand, in which thing he was accepted. The President said after he had washed the feet of the Elders, “as I have done, so do ye; wash ye therefore one another’s feet,” pronouncing at the same time through the power of the Holy Ghost that the Elders were all clean from the blood of this generation, but that those among them who should sin willfully after they were thus cleansed and sealed up unto eternal life should be given over unto the buffetings of Satan until the day of redemption. Having continued all day in fasting and prayer before the Lord, at the close they partook of the Lord’s supper, which was blessed by the president in the name of the Lord. All ate and drank and were filled, then [they] sang a hymn and went out.
Footnotes
