The Know

By March 1831, Joseph Smith had been working on an inspired translation and revision of the Bible for about nine months. During that time he had worked his way through much of the book of Genesis, early chapters of which were later included in the Pearl of Great Price as the Book of Moses. On March 7, however, Joseph Smith received a revelation directing him to turn his translation efforts to the New Testament (see Doctrine and Covenants 45:60–62).

This commandment was given after a lengthy exposition regarding the Second Coming and the events that must occur before Jesus returns. This commandment was also received with the promise “that ye may be prepared for the things to come. For verily I say unto you, that great things await you” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:61–62). Indeed, that promise would be fulfilled when Joseph Smith worked on the translation of the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24 in the following months—a discourse that the Lord Himself referenced extensively throughout the revelation canonized as Doctrine and Covenants 45.

For instance, before commenting on various portions of the Olivet Discourse, the Lord told Joseph, “I will show it plainly as I showed it unto my disciples as I stood before them in the flesh” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:16). Because of the lengthy discussion of the discourse that follows, Steven C. Harper has rightly observed that this section “is a commentary on one of the most complicated and contested passages of the Bible. . . . Section 45 is the only source on earth in which the Savior of the world interprets and applies his own Olivet discourse.”1

As such, comparisons between this revelation and the Olivet Discourse reveal additional details and insights for modern readers that can help them understand the Day of the Lord and the signs and events that will lead up to that moment. It can also help modern readers better understand other passages in the Bible that the Lord referred to in this revelation.

For example, just as He did when He gave the Olivet Discourse in mortality, Jesus also referenced various Old Testament prophecies regarding the Day of the Lord, such as those from Joel or Daniel.2 One additional Old Testament prophet cited—but not named—in this revelation is Zechariah. Jesus especially refers to three passages from this prophet that likewise refer to the Day of the Lord and the Savior’s ultimate triumph, as seen in the table below.

In Zechariah 12–14, Zechariah offers significant insight to some of the events that will occur during the Second Coming. Indeed, some scholars have noted that passages and themes from Zechariah 13–14 are also referenced in Mark’s account of the Olivet Discourse in Mark 13, further connecting the two prophecies.3 As such, it is not surprising to see the Lord explicitly connect these passages in section 45 as well.4

One clear connection between these two passages, for example, is the setting. Zechariah 14:4–5 prophesies that the Lord will come to the Mount of Olives and cause it to divide in two, allowing Israel to flee from their enemies and be saved by the Lord. In Matthew 24, Jesus is teaching on this mountain about the events leading up to His triumphant return. While Jesus makes no clear reference to His return to the Mount of Olives in that sermon, ancient Christians understood that Jesus would return to the Mount of Olives, just as an angel taught the Apostles (see Acts 1:11–12).

The Lord then refers to another prophecy in Zechariah 13. While Zechariah 13:6 was originally a part of a larger prophecy referring to the end of false prophets (another theme found in the Olivet Discourse), the Lord adapts the language to fit a new context.5 Now, rather than referring to a false prophet who was cast out by the faithful believers, “wounded in the house of my friends” refers to Jesus Christ—one who was mistakenly identified as a false prophet during His mortal ministry but still remembered the covenants He had made with Israel and had come to save them and bring them back into His presence.

The wounds He received in the house of His friends are furthermore connected to wounds that Israel gave the Lord in Zechariah 12:10. Moreover, this passage was cited in John 19:37 to specifically refer to the wounds Jesus received as He was crucified, and these wounds further identifying Jesus as the Messiah. Stephen E. Robinson and H. Dean Garrett note that Israel recognizing Jesus as their Savior would begin “the long-awaited collective repentance and conversion of the Jews. This is not repentance for the death of Christ, for these Jews are not guilty of that. Rather, it is the same repentance that all who come unto Christ must go through.”6

The Why

When Doctrine and Covenants 45 was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, Joseph observed, “Many false reports, lies, and foolish stories were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith.” The persecution the Saints would face would only grow more bitter as time went on, but nonetheless this revelation was received “to the joy of the saints who had to struggle against every thing that prejudice and wickedness could invent.”7

This revelation, in short, was given to cheer the Saints and reinvigorate their hope in the Savior’s promises to be with them as they sought to establish Zion. Even though many events foretold in the Olivet Discourse and section 45 could naturally be read as terrifying, the underlying context behind the significance of these signs for the Saints is one of hope. Steven C. Harper summarized:

Section 45 laces together the dispensations of Enoch, the Savior and his apostles, and the fulness of times. Overwhelming wickedness and pending calamities are common themes in each. Always the outnumbered righteous seek safety, peace, and refuge. They seek Zion. Section 45 gives coherence to the past, present, and future. We see in it the Lord's plans and purposes being accomplished. Without it the world might seem like a violent, purposeless mess. With it we need not be troubled, for we can see that Zion rises in contrast to the world and that calamities portend the fulfilment of Christ's promises that Zion is about to be established.8

The inclusion of Zechariah’s prophecies in this revelation would have also been pertinent to the Saints in Kirtland in the context of Zechariah’s book as a whole. Prophesying shortly after the return of Israel from its Babylonian captivity, Zechariah was one of the prophets who encouraged the Israelites to focus on rebuilding the temple in order to welcome the blessings of God. Through Zechariah, the Lord also emphasized themes of repentance, divine protection, and the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom and the coming of the Messiah. These were many of the same themes that would define the Saints in coming years, as they sought to build temples in Independence, Missouri, and Kirtland, Ohio; continually repented and relied on God for protection; prepared for the coming of the Messiah; and waited for the ultimate victory of God’s kingdom.

Ultimately, by incorporating Zechariah’s prophecies and the Olivet Discourse into Doctrine and Covenants 45, the Lord was able to shed further light on the events that Zechariah and the mortal Christ spoke about.9 Furthermore, the Lord was able to show that Zechariah’s prophecies would be fulfilled in a way designed to give the Saints hope: just as the wicked would war against the ancient and modern people of Zion, the Lord promises that He will always remember His covenant and rescue His people. As the Saints faced increased persecution, He did indeed remember them and deliver them from their enemies.