Doctrine and Covenants 98
Historical Context
This revelation came just over two weeks after the Church printing office was destroyed in Jackson County, Missouri. Joseph Smith knew about the increasing tensions in Missouri, but it is practically impossible that he knew just how bad things had become. On July 9, 1833, Oliver Cowdery wrote a letter—no longer in existence—explaining the worsening relations between the Saints and their neighbors in Jackson County. Oliver likely expressed concerns over growing violence in Missouri. These concerns prompted Joseph Smith to write back to Oliver in a letter dated August 6, 1833. The August 6, 1833, letter contained the revelations that were later canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 94, 97, and 98. On July 15, 1833, shortly after Oliver sent his letter, a hostile group in Jackson County issued a manifesto declaring their intent to remove the Saints from the county “peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must.”
Although the Lord addresses the Kirtland Saints specifically in verses 19–21 and reproves them for their transgressions, it is likely that the instructions contained in Joseph’s letter were intended not only for the Saints in Missouri but also for the members of the Church in Kirtland as well. During this time, opposition to the Church was intensifying in the area around Kirtland. In late June 1833, a bishop’s court excommunicated Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, who then became a bitter enemy against the Church. In a different letter written a few days after this revelation, Joseph Smith wrote to leaders in Jackson County, telling them “we are suffering great persecution on account of one man by the name of Doctor Hurlburt[,] who has been expelled from the church for lewd and adulterous conduct, and to spite us he is lying in a wonderful manner and the people are running after him and giving him money to brake [sic] down Mormonism[,] which much endangers our lives at present.”
With both Church centers coming under increasing opposition, the Lord provided counsel about how the Saints should respond to their enemies. Oliver Cowdery arrived in Kirtland, having traveled from Missouri, two days after this revelation was sent to the Saints in Zion. Oliver’s arrival brought to light the full extent of the persecutions in Missouri. After hearing Oliver’s report, Joseph Smith immediately dispatched Elders Orson Hyde and John Gould to provide assistance and support to the Saints in Missouri. The difficulties surrounding the Saints in Missouri set off a chain of events that would occupy the Prophet’s time for the next year as he labored to help the Saints gain redress and return to their homes in Jackson County.
See “Historical Introduction,” Revelation, 6 August 1833 [D&C 98].
Verse-by-Verse Commentary
D&C 98:1–3
1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;
2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.
3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.
It is noteworthy that the first commandment the Lord gives to the Saints at this particularly trying time is “in everything give thanks” (D&C 98:1). Even in the midst of our most severe trials, gratitude helps alleviate the pain and sorrow that we feel. When Job found himself in the midst of the most severe trials imaginable—so severe that his wife urged him to “curse God, and die”—Job responded, “shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:9–10). God later compared Joseph Smith to Job (D&C 121:10) and told Joseph that his adversity and afflictions would be “but a small moment” (D&C 121:7). When we are confronted with challenges like the Saints were during this time, there are still things in our lives to be grateful for. Focusing on the good in our lives can help us gain the strength to overcome our current trials.
Secondly, the Lord urges the Saints to be patient in waiting for the Lord to answer their prayers. In the panicked moment of our trials, we often want an instant response from the Lord, but this type of response is not typically how the Lord works. When our prayers appear unanswered, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland offered this counsel, “Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don’t come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in good things to come.”
D&C 98:4–8
4 And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.
5 And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me.
6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
7 And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.
8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
The historical context of the phrase “the constitutional law of the land” refers to the laws and constitution of the United States of America at the time this revelation was given (1833). In a larger sense, Latter-day Saints in all countries “believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law” (Article of Faith 12). Joseph Smith taught that “the constitution of the United States is a glorious standard[;] it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner[;] it is to all those who are privileged with the sweets of its liberty like the cooling shades and refreshing waters of a great rock in a thirsty and a weary land. It is like a great tree under whose branches men from every clime can be shielded from the burning rays of an inclement sun.”
Joseph Smith’s sentiments regarding the Constitution do not mean, however, that the Constitution of the United States—or of any other country—is perfect and without flaw. President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “Our belief that the United States Constitution was divinely inspired does not mean that divine revelation dictated every word and phrase, such as the provisions allocating the number of representatives from each state or the minimum age of each. The Constitution was not ‘a fully grown document,’ said President J. Reuben Clark. ‘On the contrary,’ he explained, ‘we believe it must grow and develop to meet the changing needs of an advancing world.’” For example, the US Constitution allowed for legal slavery at the time Doctrine and Covenants 98 was given. But a revelation given only a few months later to Joseph Smith declared, “It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another” (D&C 101:79). The Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1865, later outlawed slavery.
D&C 98:9–10
9 Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn.
10 Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.
While the Church does not endorse specific candidates or political parties, it does urge its members to participate in the political process and seek out honest, wise, and good men and women to lead their communities and countries. In the Book of Mormon, King Mosiah warned, “For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to be committed, yea, and what great destruction!” (Mosiah 29:17). President Dallin H. Oaks taught that it is important for Saints to be involved in the political process of their homelands: “In the United States and in other democracies, political influence is exercised by running for office (which we encourage), by voting, by financial support, by membership and service in political parties, and by ongoing communications to officials, parties, and candidates. To function well, a democracy needs all of these, but a conscientious citizen does not need to provide all of them.”
In verse 10, the Lord also urges the Saints to diligently seek for good leaders. This counsel suggests that staying informed on current issues, candidates, and political movements is important. President Oaks also counseled, “There are many political issues, and no party, platform, or individual candidate can satisfy all personal preferences. Each citizen must therefore decide which issues are most important to him or her at any particular time. Then members should seek inspiration on how to exercise their influence according to their individual priorities. This process will not be easy. It may require changing party support or candidate choices, even from election to election.”
D&C 98:11–15
11 And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
12 For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.
13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name’s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.
14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.
15 For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me.
One of the most frustrating conditions in times of trial is the feeling of helplessness. We often feel helpless because we do not have all of the information regarding our situation or we cannot see all of the variables at play. The Lord in verse 12 points out that by design, He gives us information “line upon line, precept on precept.” This pattern of gaining information is part of the test we face in this life. It is impossible to fully know everything that we want to know in mortality. We may not be able to discern the motives of our antagonists, the cause of our sufferings, or the outcome of the events surrounding us. This lack of knowledge compels us to act in faith and trust God. There is a reason that faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel: we cannot know or control everything, so we must trust in God.
The great and final unknowable factor in this life is death and what happens after it. But regarding this mystery that all men and women must face, the Savior provides an assurance that death is not the end. The Savior assures the Saints that if they are asked to lay down their life for His cause, there will be a place prepared for them (D&C 98:14, 18). For those who die sincerely engaged in a noble cause, death is not the end of their existence but a gateway into eternal life. Being faithful to the gospel does not come with an assurance that you will be free from trials, but it does allow you to make choices about what your future state after this life will be.
D&C 98:16–18
16 Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;
17 And again, the hearts of the Jews unto the prophets, and the prophets unto the Jews; lest I come and smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be consumed before me.
18 Let not your hearts be troubled; for in my Father’s house are many mansions, and I have prepared a place for you; and where my Father and I am, there ye shall be also.
Though the Saints were victims of unjust persecution, they were not free from transgressions (see D&C 101:1–2). Many among the Saints may have felt justified in answering violence with violence. However, the Lord asks the Saints in verse 16 to seek a higher road, leave violent measures behind, and settle their conflicts peacefully.
The Lord makes an interesting allusion in these verses to Malachi’s prophesy about the return of Elijah and the turning of “the hearts of the children to the fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children” (D&C 98:16; Malachi 4:5–6). In 1833 the Saints’ understanding of the importance of temple work was only in its infancy. The Lord may be alluding here to the vital work of temple building and proxy ordinances for the dead that He intended to be carried out by the Latter-day Saints. The most important work of the last days is not found in violence, but in the peaceful work of connecting the roots and branches of humanity through the ordinances of the Lord’s house.
In the immediate context of section 98, finding peaceful solutions to challenges rather than incurring further violence was the Saints’ goal. However, the work carried out in temples allows the entire human family, long mired in violence and conflict, to at last be peacefully connected through the sacred covenants of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
D&C 98:19–22
19 Behold, I, the Lord, am not well pleased with many who are in the church at Kirtland;
20 For they do not forsake their sins, and their wicked ways, the pride of their hearts, and their covetousness, and all their detestable things, and observe the words of wisdom and eternal life which I have given unto them.
21 Verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will chasten them and will do whatsoever I list, if they do not repent and observe all things whatsoever I have said unto them.
22 And again I say unto you, if ye observe to do whatsoever I command you, I, the Lord, will turn away all wrath and indignation from you, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
Though section 98 is primarily thought to have been intended for the Saints in Missouri who were facing expulsion from their homes, in verses 19–21 the Lord also reproves the Saints in Kirtland for their transgressions. At this time there were only around 150 members of the Church in Kirtland, which was not nearly as many members as those in Missouri. The challenges the Kirtland Saints faced were different in nature from the Saints in Missouri, yet the Lord’s warning is the same: the wording used in verses 19–22 closely mirrors the warning given to the Saints in Missouri only a few days prior (see D&C 97:24–27). As with the Saints in Missouri, the Lord was speaking to the Kirtland Saints as a group. There were many individuals among the Saints in Kirtland keeping the commandments.
When we see another person or group amid difficulties, we can sometimes assume that their trials are brought on by their own faults. This small group of verses is a simple reminder that if we are not suffering, we should not take others’ suffering as evidence of our superiority. Our trials may yet await. It is important that we do not measure our own righteousness against the misfortune or suffering of others. Instead, we should approach the Lord as individuals, asking what we can do to follow His will in our own circumstances.
D&C 98:23–31
23 Now, I speak unto you concerning your families—if men will smite you, or your families, once, and ye bear it patiently and revile not against them, neither seek revenge, ye shall be rewarded;
24 But if ye bear it not patiently, it shall be accounted unto you as being meted out as a just measure unto you.
25 And again, if your enemy shall smite you the second time, and you revile not against your enemy, and bear it patiently, your reward shall be an hundred-fold.
26 And again, if he shall smite you the third time, and ye bear it patiently, your reward shall be doubled unto you four-fold;
27 And these three testimonies shall stand against your enemy if he repent not, and shall not be blotted out.
28 And now, verily I say unto you, if that enemy shall escape my vengeance, that he be not brought into judgment before me, then ye shall see to it that ye warn him in my name, that he come no more upon you, neither upon your family, even your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
29 And then, if he shall come upon you or your children, or your children’s children unto the third and fourth generation, I have delivered thine enemy into thine hands;
30 And then if thou wilt spare him, thou shalt be rewarded for thy righteousness; and also thy children and thy children’s children unto the third and fourth generation.
31 Nevertheless, thine enemy is in thine hands; and if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified; if he has sought thy life, and thy life is endangered by him, thine enemy is in thine hands and thou art justified.
The Lord’s law of retribution as given to ancient prophets is reiterated in verses 23–31. The Saints must first seek peace with their enemies and act in self-defense, not in aggression. They are asked to bear their trials patiently and seek nonviolent solutions to conflict. One figure who exemplified this approach was Bishop Edward Partridge, the leader of the Saints in Zion. On July 20, 1833, the day that a mob ransacked and destroyed the Church printing office, Bishop Partridge and Charles Allen were dragged by the mob to the public square near the courthouse in Independence. Bishop Partridge later related the events that followed:
I was stripped of my hat, coat and vest, and daubed with tar from head to foot, and then had a quantity of feathers put upon me; and all this because I would not agree to leave the county, and my home where I had lived two years.
Before tarring and feathering me, I was permitted to speak. I told them that the saints had had to suffer persecution in all ages of the world. That I had done nothing which ought to offend anyone. That if they abused me they would abuse an innocent person. That I was willing to suffer for the sake of Christ; but to leave the country I was not then willing to consent to it. By this time the multitude made so much noise that I could not be heard: some were cursing and swearing, saying call upon your Jesus, &c, &c; others were equally noisy in trying to still the rest, that they might be enabled to hear what I was saying.
Until after I had spoken, I knew not what they intended to do with me, whether to kill me, to whip me, or what else I knew not. I bore my abuse with so much resignation and meekness, that it appeared to astound the multitude, who permitted me to retire in silence, many looking very solemn, their sympathies having been touched as I thought; and, as to myself, I was so filled with the Spirit and Love of God, that I had no hatred towards my persecutors, or anyone else.
Bishop Partridge’s actions under these circumstances demonstrate the validity of the Lord’s counsel to the Saints. His meekness in the face of unjust persecution undoubtedly saved his life and may have spared the Saints even worse suffering than what they had already endured.
D&C 98:32–38
32 Behold, this is the law I gave unto my servant Nephi, and thy fathers, Joseph, and Jacob, and Isaac, and Abraham, and all mine ancient prophets and apostles.
33 And again, this is the law that I gave unto mine ancients, that they should not go out unto battle against any nation, kindred, tongue, or people, save I, the Lord, commanded them.
34 And if any nation, tongue, or people should proclaim war against them, they should first lift a standard of peace unto that people, nation, or tongue;
35 And if that people did not accept the offering of peace, neither the second nor the third time, they should bring these testimonies before the Lord;
36 Then I, the Lord, would give unto them a commandment, and justify them in going out to battle against that nation, tongue, or people.
37 And I, the Lord, would fight their battles, and their children’s battles, and their children’s children’s, until they had avenged themselves on all their enemies, to the third and fourth generation.
38 Behold, this is an ensample unto all people, saith the Lord your God, for justification before me.
These verses provide the Lord’s teaching on war. War can be justified given the conditions provided in verses 32–38. During a period of global war, the First Presidency (which at the time consisted of Heber J. Grant, J. Reuben Clark, and David O. McKay) issued a statement on war that reads as follows: “The Church is and must be against war. The Church itself cannot wage war, unless and until the Lord shall issue new commands. It cannot regard war as a righteous means of settling international disputes; these should and could be settled—the nations agreeing—by peaceful negotiation and adjustment.” While righteous men in the scriptures, such as Gideon, Captain Moroni, or Mormon, were skilled commanders and generals, they were also men of peace who fought for the right reasons. Speaking of the righteous Nephites, the Book of Mormon declares, “they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites, because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and this was not all—they were sorry to be the means of sending so many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world, unprepared to meet their God” (Alma 48:23).
Speaking in the April 1942 general conference in the midst of the Second World War, President David O. McKay outlined several principles surrounding the waging of just war: “There are, however, two conditions which may justify a truly Christian man to enter—mind you, I say enter, not begin—a war: (1) An attempt to dominate and to deprive another of his free agency, and, (2) Loyalty to his country. Possibly there is a third, viz., Defense of a weak nation that is being unjustly crushed by a strong, ruthless one.” President McKay added:
Paramount among these reasons, of course, is the defense of man’s freedom. An attempt to rob man of his free agency caused dissension even in heaven. . . . To deprive an intelligent human being of his free agency is to commit the crime of the ages. . . . So fundamental in man’s eternal progress is his inherent right to choose, that the Lord would defend it even at the price of war. Without freedom of thought, freedom of choice, freedom of action within lawful bounds, man cannot progress. . . . The greatest responsibility of the state is to guard the lives, and to protect the property and rights of its citizens; and if the state is obligated to protect its citizens from lawlessness within its boundaries, it is equally obligated to protect them from lawless encroachments from without—whether the attacking criminals be individuals or nations.
D&C 98:39–48
39 And again, verily I say unto you, if after thine enemy has come upon thee the first time, he repent and come unto thee praying thy forgiveness, thou shalt forgive him, and shalt hold it no more as a testimony against thine enemy—
40 And so on unto the second and third time; and as oft as thine enemy repenteth of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against thee, thou shalt forgive him, until seventy times seven.
41 And if he trespass against thee and repent not the first time, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.
42 And if he trespass against thee the second time, and repent not, nevertheless thou shalt forgive him.
43 And if he trespass against thee the third time, and repent not, thou shalt also forgive him.
44 But if he trespass against thee the fourth time thou shalt not forgive him, but shalt bring these testimonies before the Lord; and they shall not be blotted out until he repent and reward thee four-fold in all things wherewith he has trespassed against thee.
45 And if he do this, thou shalt forgive him with all thine heart; and if he do not this, I, the Lord, will avenge thee of thine enemy an hundred-fold;
46 And upon his children, and upon his children’s children of all them that hate me, unto the third and fourth generation.
47 But if the children shall repent, or the children’s children, and turn to the Lord their God, with all their hearts and with all their might, mind, and strength, and restore four-fold for all their trespasses wherewith they have trespassed, or wherewith their fathers have trespassed, or their fathers’ fathers, then thine indignation shall be turned away;
48 And vengeance shall no more come upon them, saith the Lord thy God, and their trespasses shall never be brought any more as a testimony before the Lord against them. Amen.
Even in the midst of the terrible persecutions facing the Saints in Missouri, the Savior asked the Saints to seek a path of reconciliation and forgiveness toward their enemies. Several years later, when contentions erupted between the Saints and their neighbors in Clay County, Missouri, Joseph Smith and other Church leaders provided similar counsel, writing:
We are sorry that this disturbance has broken out—we do not consider it our fault. You are better acquainted with circumstances than we are, and of course have been directed in wisdom. . . . We advise that you be not the first aggressors—give no occasion, and if the people will let you dispose of your property, settle your affairs, and go in peace, go. . . . You know our feelings relative to not giving the first offence, and also of protecting your wives and little ones in case a mob should seek their lives . . . Be wise, let prudence dictate all your counsels, preserve peace with all men, if possible, stand by the constitution of your country, observe its principles, and above all, show yourselves men of God, worthy citizens, and we doubt not, community ere long, will do you justice, and rise in indignation against those who are the instigators of your suffering and affliction.
Forgiveness, even for those who hurt us the deepest, is always the better course than retribution. We should also note that the Lord’s promise to avenge wrongs upon the third and fourth generations of those who are wicked is conditional as well. We believe that men and women will be punished for their own sins and not for those of their fathers (Article of Faith 2). It is true that grudges and sins are often passed from one generation to another, but we have an obligation to help heal these wounds, not perpetuate them. Justice must be left in the hands of the Lord.
Footnotes
