Doctrine and Covenants 38

Jesus Christ

Jesus (Yeshua) — Jehovah saves; Christ — the Anointed One

Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; Doctrine and Covenants 38:1

The speaker names Himself outright: 'the Lord your God' of this revelation is Jesus Christ. That tells us who is talking in every verse that follows.

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

• the same title in D&C 39:1 — The next revelation opens with the same self-naming: the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ.
• the same title in D&C 43:34 — 'Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.'

The Great I AM

I AM — the self-existent One; the covenant name revealed to Moses (Jehovah)

Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; Doctrine and Covenants 38:1

Jesus Christ calls Himself the Great I AM, the name God gave Moses at the burning bush. It declares that the God of Moses is Jesus Christ.

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

• alludes to Exodus 3:14 — God tells Moses His name is I AM THAT I AM.
• alludes to John 8:58 — Jesus: 'Before Abraham was, I am.'
• the same title in D&C 39:1 — 'the Great I AM, even Jesus Christ.'

Alpha and Omega

Alpha and Omega — the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; the beginning and the end

Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; Doctrine and Covenants 38:1

Christ is the first and the last. He was there before everything began and He will be there at the end.

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

• the same title in Revelation 1:8 — 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord.'
• the same title in Revelation 22:13 — 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.'

The premortal Christ

Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before the world was made; Doctrine and Covenants 38:1–2

Christ testifies that He existed and saw all of eternity and the hosts of heaven before this earth was made, and that He knows all things. He is not a latecomer; He is eternal.

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

• alludes to John 17:5 — Jesus speaks of the glory He had with the Father before the world was.
• the same title in Moses 1:6 — 'all things are present with me, for I know them all.'

Creator of the world

I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me. Doctrine and Covenants 38:3

Jesus Christ says He spoke and the world was created. Under the Father's direction, He is the Creator.

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

• alludes to John 1:3 — 'All things were made by him.'
• the same event in Moses 1:33 — Worlds without number created 'by the Son, which is mine Only Begotten.'
• the same event in Hebrews 1:2 — The Son 'by whom also he made the worlds.'

Christ

Christ — the Anointed One (Greek Christos; Hebrew Messiah)

I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them. Doctrine and Covenants 38:4

He declares 'I am Christ' and says He is the one who received Enoch's city of Zion to Himself. Those who believe in His name belong to Him.

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

• the same event in Moses 7:69 — Zion is taken up into God's own bosom.
• the same event in Moses 7:21 — Zion taken up into heaven in process of time.

Advocate with the Father

Advocate — one who pleads the cause of another

I am the same which have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; and verily, I say, even as many as have believed in my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, by the virtue of the blood which I have spilt, have I pleaded before the Father for them. Doctrine and Covenants 38:4

Christ pleads for believers before the Father, and His case rests on the blood He shed in the Atonement. He is our defender, and He paid the price Himself.

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

• the same title in D&C 45:3-5 — 'Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father... Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin.'
• the same title in 1 John 2:1 — 'we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.'
• the same event in D&C 19:16-18 — Christ describes suffering and shedding blood for all.

Christ the Judge

But behold, the residue of the wicked have I kept in chains of darkness until the judgment of the great day, which shall come at the end of the earth; Doctrine and Covenants 38:5–6

Christ holds the wicked who will not hear His voice until the great day of judgment. He is the one who will judge.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Jude 1:6 — Angels 'reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.'
• the same title in John 5:22 — The Father 'hath committed all judgment unto the Son.'

The Second Coming

But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me; Doctrine and Covenants 38:7–8

Christ is already among His Saints though unseen, and He promises a day when the veil will tear and they will see Him and know that He is. Only the purified will be able to endure that day.

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

• alludes to Malachi 3:2 — 'who may abide the day of his coming?'
• the same event in D&C 67:10 — The veil shall be rent and you shall see me and know that I am.
• the same event in D&C 101:23 — The veil of the covering of my temple shall be taken off, and all flesh shall see me together.

The harvest at His coming

Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined. Doctrine and Covenants 38:12

This draws on Jesus's parable of the wheat and the tares. The angels are waiting for the Lord's command to begin the harvest at the end of the world.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Matthew 13:30 — 'gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.'
• the same event in D&C 86:5 — Angels crying unto the Lord day and night, ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields.

He will stand again upon the earth

And I have made the earth rich, and behold it is my footstool, wherefore, again I will stand upon it. Doctrine and Covenants 38:17–18

The Creator who once walked the earth promises He will stand on it again. When He comes, the land of promise will be free from its curse.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Isaiah 66:1 — 'the earth is my footstool.'
• the same event in Zechariah 14:4 — 'his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives.'

King and Lawgiver

Lawgiver — the One who gives the law His people live by

But, verily I say unto you that in time ye shall have no king nor ruler, for I will be your king and watch over you. Doctrine and Covenants 38:21–22

Christ promises that when He comes He will personally be His people's King and Lawgiver. Hearing His voice and following Him is how they become truly free.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Isaiah 33:22 — 'the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us.'
• alludes to John 10:27 — 'My sheep hear my voice... and they follow me.'
• the same event in D&C 41:4 — 'I will be your ruler when I come.'

Be one, as Christ is

Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine. Doctrine and Covenants 38:27

Christ says the parable shows what He is like: just, and no respecter of persons. Echoing His prayer that His followers be one, He teaches that people who are not united do not belong to Him.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to John 17:21-22 — Jesus prays 'that they all may be one... even as we are one.'

Promise of endowment from the risen Lord

Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high; Doctrine and Covenants 38:32

The risen Jesus once told His Apostles to wait until they were 'endued with power from on high.' Here He repeats that promise to His latter-day disciples.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Luke 24:49 — 'tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.'

The Lord (Jehovah)

Jehovah — the covenant God of Israel, the premortal Christ

And go ye out from among the wicked. Save yourselves. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Even so. Amen. Doctrine and Covenants 38:42

Christ repeats Isaiah's call for those who carry the Lord's sacred vessels to be clean. The Lord whose vessels they bear is Christ Himself.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• quotes Isaiah 52:11 — 'be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.'
• the same title in D&C 133:5 — The same charge given again.