Doctrine and Covenants 124

Jesus Christ

Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth. Doctrine and Covenants 124:1

The whole revelation is spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ to Joseph Smith. Every 'saith the Lord' and 'saith the Lord your God' that follows in this section (for example vv. 15, 32, 50-54, 69, 71, 101, 119, 135, 145) is His voice.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

Second Coming

And that I may visit them in the day of visitation, when I shall unveil the face of my covering, to appoint the portion of the oppressor among hypocrites, where there is gnashing of teeth, if they reject my servants and my testimony which I have revealed unto them. Doctrine and Covenants 124:8

The Lord promises a coming 'day of visitation' when He will unveil His face, a prophecy of His Second Coming when all will see Him and the wicked who rejected His servants will be judged.

• alludes to D&C 101:23 — The veil of the covering of His temple will be taken off and all flesh shall see Him together.

Second Coming

For the day of my visitation cometh speedily, in an hour when ye think not of; and where shall be the safety of my people, and refuge for those who shall be left of them? Doctrine and Covenants 124:10

Christ repeats His warning from His mortal ministry that He will come at an hour people do not expect, so His people must be ready.

• alludes to Matthew 24:44 — 'In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.'

Jesus Christ

And again, I say unto you that it is my will that my servant Lyman Wight should continue in preaching for Zion, in the spirit of meekness, confessing me before the world; and I will bear him up as on eagles' wings; and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name. Doctrine and Covenants 124:18–19

Lyman Wight is to confess Christ before the world, and the Lord promises to receive him unto Himself as He already received the martyred apostle David Patten. It echoes Christ's promises to confess those who confess Him and to receive His disciples unto Himself.

• alludes to Matthew 10:32 — Whoever confesses Christ before men, He will confess before His Father.
• alludes to John 14:3 — 'I will come again, and receive you unto myself.'

Jehovah

Most High — the supreme God who dwells in His holy house

And with iron, with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth; and build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein. Doctrine and Covenants 124:27–28

The Saints must build a temple so the Lord, the Most High, has a place to come and restore the fulness of the priesthood. This looks to the Lord coming to His temple, as He did in person in the Kirtland Temple.

• alludes to Malachi 3:1 — The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple.
• alludes to D&C 110:7-8 — The Lord accepts His house and promises to manifest Himself there to His people.

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant God of Israel, the premortal Christ

For, for this cause I commanded Moses that he should build a tabernacle, that they should bear it with them in the wilderness, and to build a house in the land of promise, that those ordinances might be revealed which had been hid from before the world was. Doctrine and Covenants 124:38

The same Lord speaking to Joseph Smith says He is the One who commanded Moses to build the tabernacle. This identifies the God of Moses, Jehovah, with Jesus Christ, who speaks in the Doctrine and Covenants.

• alludes to Exodus 25:8-9 — The LORD commands Moses to make a sanctuary after the pattern He shows him.
• the same title in D&C 110:3-4 — Jehovah, who appeared in the Kirtland Temple, is the One who was slain and lives again.

Jesus Christ

For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times. Doctrine and Covenants 124:41

The phrase 'dispensation of the fulness of times' comes from Paul, who taught that in that dispensation God will gather together all things in Christ. The temple ordinances Christ reveals belong to that gathering.

How we know: a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to Ephesians 1:10 — In the dispensation of the fulness of times God will gather together in one all things in Christ.

Savior

For I am the Lord your God, and will save all those of your brethren who have been pure in heart, and have been slain in the land of Missouri, saith the Lord. Doctrine and Covenants 124:54

The Lord declares Himself the God who will save the pure in heart who died for their faith in Missouri. Saving souls is the work of Jesus Christ the Savior.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

Resurrection

And again, verily I say unto you, I command you again to build a house to my name, even in this place, that you may prove yourselves unto me that ye are faithful in all things whatsoever I command you, that I may bless you, and crown you with honor, immortality, and eternal life. Doctrine and Covenants 124:55

The Lord promises to crown the faithful with immortality and eternal life, the gifts that come through His Resurrection and Atonement.

• alludes to Moses 1:39 — God's work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

Seed of Abraham

And as I said unto Abraham concerning the kindreds of the earth, even so I say unto my servant Joseph: In thee and in thy seed shall the kindred of the earth be blessed. Doctrine and Covenants 124:58

The Lord, who made the covenant with Abraham, renews its promise to Joseph Smith. Paul taught that the ultimate Seed through whom all nations are blessed is Christ; here the blessing flows through Joseph and his posterity as ministers of Christ's covenant.

• quotes Genesis 22:18 — In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
• interpreted by Galatians 3:16 — Paul says the promised seed is Christ.

Atonement

Let his family rejoice and turn away their hearts from affliction; for I have chosen him and anointed him, and he shall be honored in the midst of his house, for I will forgive all his sins, saith the Lord. Amen. Doctrine and Covenants 124:76

The Lord personally promises to forgive all of Vinson Knight's sins (and in v. 78 Isaac Galland's). Only Jesus Christ, through His Atonement, has power on earth to forgive sins.

• alludes to Mark 2:10 — The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.

Jesus Christ

Therefore, let my servant William put his trust in me, and cease to fear concerning his family, because of the sickness of the land. If ye love me, keep my commandments; and the sickness of the land shall redound to your glory. Doctrine and Covenants 124:87

Christ repeats word for word what He told His apostles the night before His death. The Lord of the Doctrine and Covenants is the same Jesus of the Gospels.

• quotes John 14:15 — 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.'

Jesus Christ

That whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Doctrine and Covenants 124:93

The sealing power the Lord gives Hyrum Smith is described in the words Jesus used when giving Peter the keys of the kingdom.

• quotes Matthew 16:19 — Jesus gives Peter the keys: whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.

Jesus Christ

Let my servant William Law also receive the keys by which he may ask and receive blessings; let him be humble before me, and be without guile, and he shall receive of my Spirit, even the Comforter, which shall manifest unto him the truth of all things, and shall give him, in the very hour, what he shall say. Doctrine and Covenants 124:97

Christ promises William Law the Comforter, echoing His mortal promises that the Holy Ghost would teach His disciples all things and give them what to say in the very hour.

• alludes to John 14:26 — The Comforter shall teach you all things.
• alludes to Luke 12:12 — The Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

Jesus Christ

And these signs shall follow him—he shall heal the sick, he shall cast out devils, and shall be delivered from those who would administer unto him deadly poison; Doctrine and Covenants 124:98–99

These are the signs the risen Christ promised would follow those who believe in Him. The serpent unable to reach the heel also recalls Christ's power over the serpent promised from the beginning.

• alludes to Mark 16:17-18 — The risen Lord: these signs shall follow them that believe.
• alludes to Luke 10:19 — Christ gives power to tread on serpents and scorpions.
• alludes to Genesis 3:15 — The serpent bruising the heel of the woman's seed.

King of Kings

Hosanna — 'save now', the praise shouted to the Messiah

Therefore, let my servant William cry aloud and spare not, with joy and rejoicing, and with hosannas to him that sitteth upon the throne forever and ever, saith the Lord your God. Doctrine and Covenants 124:101

William Law is to shout hosannas to the One enthroned forever. In Revelation both the Father on the throne and the Lamb receive this praise; hosanna was the cry that greeted Jesus as King.

• alludes to Revelation 5:13 — Blessing and glory unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
• alludes to Matthew 21:9 — The multitude cries Hosanna to the Son of David.

Jesus Christ

And when he shall prove himself faithful in all things that shall be entrusted unto his care, yea, even a few things, he shall be made ruler over many; Doctrine and Covenants 124:113–114

The Lord counsels Amos Davies with two of His own sayings from His mortal ministry: the parable of the talents and the teaching that the humble will be exalted.

• alludes to Matthew 25:21 — Faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.
• alludes to Luke 14:11 — He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Only Begotten Son

Only Begotten — the only child of the Father in the flesh

Verily I say unto you, I now give unto you the officers belonging to my Priesthood, that ye may hold the keys thereof, even the Priesthood which is after the order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of mine Only Begotten Son. Doctrine and Covenants 124:123

The higher priesthood is named 'after the order of mine Only Begotten Son.' It is Christ's own priesthood, and those who hold it act in His name and by His authority.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in D&C 107:2-4 — The Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God, called Melchizedek to avoid repeating His name.
• alludes to Alma 13:1-2 — Priests ordained after the order of His Son, in a manner that looked forward to His redemption.

Melchizedek

Melchizedek — king of righteousness

Verily I say unto you, I now give unto you the officers belonging to my Priesthood, that ye may hold the keys thereof, even the Priesthood which is after the order of Melchizedek, which is after the order of mine Only Begotten Son. Doctrine and Covenants 124:123

The verse explains that the order of Melchizedek is really the order of Christ. Melchizedek, the king of righteousness and priest of the Most High, is a type of Jesus, the eternal High Priest.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• interprets Hebrews 5:6 — Christ is a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
• interprets Genesis 14:18 — Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the most high God.

Jesus Christ

Which Twelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom upon the four corners of the earth, and after that to send my word to every creature. Doctrine and Covenants 124:128

The Twelve Apostles carry Christ's kingdom and word to every creature, the same commission the risen Jesus gave His first apostles.

• alludes to Mark 16:15 — Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Second Coming

Which quorum is instituted for traveling elders to bear record of my name in all the world, wherever the traveling high council, mine apostles, shall send them to prepare a way before my face. Doctrine and Covenants 124:139

The Seventy bear witness of Christ's name and prepare the way before His face, like John the Baptist did before His first coming. Their work readies the world for His return.

• alludes to Malachi 3:1 — My messenger shall prepare the way before me.
• alludes to Matthew 11:10 — Jesus applies 'prepare thy way before thee' to John the Baptist.

Jesus Christ

The above offices I have given unto you, and the keys thereof, for helps and for governments, for the work of the ministry and the perfecting of my saints. Doctrine and Covenants 124:143

Christ gives priesthood offices for the perfecting of His Saints, in the words Paul used for the gifts the ascended Christ gave His Church.

• alludes to Ephesians 4:11-12 — He gave apostles, prophets and others for the perfecting of the saints and the work of the ministry.
• alludes to 1 Corinthians 12:28 — Helps and governments set in the Church.