Doctrine Covenants 43 45 Doctrine Covenants 43 The

Doctrine & Covenants 43 -45

Doctrine & Covenants 43 “The Lord Shall Utter His Voice Out of Heaven” Doctrine & Covenants 43: 1 -3 “Mrs. Hubble” • Professed to be a prophetess of the Lord and to have received many revelations. • She said that she knew the Book of Mormon was true and that she should become a teacher in the Church of Christ. • She was sanctimonious and deceived some who were not able to detect her in her hypocrisy. However others, had the spirit of discernment and her follies and abominations were made manifest (History of the Church, 1: 154). • She thought she knew more than the Prophet which caused many members to be bewildered by her different claims.

what Sidney Rigdon and others literally saluted her with they called the “kiss of charity!” Twice within the period of six months the question of who could receive revelations for the whole church came up again (Hiram Page). Elder George Albert Smith gave several examples of the problem in the early days of the Church and said: “There was a prevalent spirit all through the early history of this church, which prompted the Elders to suppose that they knew more than the Prophet. Many Elders would tell you that the Prophet was going wrong (Journal of Discourses, 11: 7).

Doctrine & Covenants 43: 8 “Purpose of meetings” 1. Instruct and edify each other! 2. That ye may know how to act!

Doctrine & Covenants 43: 13 Financial difficulty hampered the progress of the work. Joseph Smith did not finish the translation and it ended up in the hands of the Re-Organized Church (today called the Community of Christ). Doctrine & Covenants 43: 25 Different ways the Lord calls us to repentance! Doctrine & Covenants 43: 31 1, 000 Satan will not have the power to tempt anyone during the years. Doctrine & Covenants 101: 28 (Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation 1: 192)

The Man of Sin is Revealed! Doctrine & Covenants 44, the 4 th General Conference: A Conference was held on June 3, 1831. Things were put in place relative to consecration, the discerning of spirits and the gifts of the spirit. It was held at the Isaac Morely farm-about 2 miles outside of Kirtland was a three day conference. There were a string of cabins on the farm, the largest being used as a schoolhouse. We own that building and the farm today. About 2000 members attended the conference and the building was jammed with people. The doors and windows were all open so that people could look in and participate in the meeting.

. Isaac Morely farm

There were people all around the building and all over the hillside. They sung songs and prayed when Harvey Whitlock began to turn black to the human eye. His fingernails began to grow long like a panthers. His eyes became huge “O’s”. Hyrum Smith turned to his brother Joseph and said, “That’s not from God. ” Joseph bowed his head in prayer and then said, “ Hyrum, you are correct, Satan has entered the conference and has taken possession of Harvey Whitlock. ” Joseph then turned to Lyman Wight and said, “Lyman, Satan has entered into Harvey Whitlock, cast him out. ” Lyman later said he was terrified, but he had faith and was obedient. He rebuked the spirit and it came out of the body of Harvey Whitlock and went into the body of Leman Copley. Leman weighed over 300 pounds and was sitting on a window ledge.

Leman was a Shaker before joining the Church. The evil spirit picked him up and threw him across the room. He did a double somersault in the air and crashed into a bench where people were seated. The bench broke into several pieces and the people were scattered. Joseph then turned to Harvey Whitlock (the first man to be possessed) and told him to cast the spirit out of Leman Copley. He obeyed and the evil one entered into John Murdock and then Harvey Green. Finally the Prophet Joseph Smith stepped forward and rebuked Satan and ordered him to leave the conference (Autobiography of Levi Ward Hancock, typescript, 33 -34, Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah). swath 10 Zebedee Coltrin said that when Satan left, he cut a feet wide, knocking people to the ground

At that time, Joseph Smith said it was the beginning of the fulfillment of the words of Paul (2 Thessalonians 2: 1 -3). “The man of sin would be revealed to the Church” The Saints began to see Satan for who he was. Zebedee Coltrin said, “I was sitting on the plank next to Levi Hancock and I kept my head straight towards Joseph Smith. I wouldn’t turn my head to the left or to the right for fear of something happening to me I was so terrified. ” Joseph told Zebedee Coltrin and Levi Hancock that they would have as high a calling as any in the Church. Three years later, they were called as General Authorities. They became members of the 7 Presidents of the Seventy.

The first high priests ordained in this dispensation were ordained in that conference. Lyman Wight and Harvey Whitlock were the first, but others were also ordained. During that conference, Joseph Smith was transfigured before the Saints. His clothes become translucently white. His face glowed with the sun of heaven and then he said, “Let them kill me, I would not feel death as I am right now. Behold I see the Son of God on the right hand of the Eternal Father. ” All of this took place after Hyrum and Joseph had detected and rebuked the evil one. Joseph turned to Lyman Wight and Harvey Whitlock and said, “If you two men have the faith, it is your privilege this day to behold the same. You may see the living God if you look to the heavens. ”

Both testified that they could see them. Both men were eventually excommunicated from the church. Neither remained faithful. It is difficult to understand how people can have such sacred experiences and not remain faithful. Joseph F. Smith once said that the reason God doesn’t give people visions and spiritual experiences of that kind is because the people are not mature enough to handle it. Too often Satan comes along and says, believe it not, and the people choose to believe him instead!

Levi Hancock was present and stated that the vision occurred in a schoolhouse on the hill above the Isaac Morley farmhouse, about one mile northeast of the Newel K. Whitney store. Hancock reported that the elders were meeting together when Joseph “stepped out on the floor and said, “I now see God, and Jesus Christ at his right hand, let them kill me, I should not feel death as I am now” (Levi W. Hancock, “The Life of Levi Ward Hancock, ” typeset, 33, Perry Special Collections, quoted in Karl Ricks Anderson, Joseph Smith’s Kirtland: Eye Witness Accounts, 1989, 1078).

Doctrine & Covenants 45: 11 -12 When will the City of Enoch be restored? After the Second Coming?

Doctrine & Covenants 45: 25 “Times of the Gentiles be Fulfilled” (Acts 10) Peter’s vision and the baptism of Cornelius. From that time until now!

Doctrine & Covenants 45: 26 “Men’s hearts shall fail them” President Benson taught that suicide, despair, discouragement, despondency and depression cause men’s hearts to fail them.

The last days will be rampant with the cardinal sins, just “as in the days of Noah. ” Society in the days of Noah, scriptures advise, was “corrupt before God” and “filled with violence. ” (Genesis 6: 11 -12; Moses 8: 28). Corruption and violence --- sound familiar? Both of these awful conditions crest because of surging individual selfishness. When thus engulfed, not wonder men’s hearts in our day will fail them because of fear. Even the faithful can expect a few fibrillations (Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, November 1990, 14).

Doctrine & Covenants 45: 27 “Love of men shall was cold” Genuine Christian love, homosexuality? Doctrine & Covenants 45: 28 The Restoration of the Gospel! Doctrine & Covenants 45: 32 “Stand in Holy Places” (Doctrine & Covenants 101: 21)

Doctrine & Covenants 45: 35 “Be not troubled’ Don’t overlook all the positive things. Not all saints will be spared, but only the righteous have a promise! Doctrine & Covenants 45: 48 -53 “Mount of Olives” (Revelation 11)

Levi Hancock was present and stated that the vision occurred in a schoolhouse on the hill above the Isaac Morley farmhouse, about one mile northeast of the Newel K. Whitney store. Hancock reported that the elders were meeting together when Joseph “stepped out on the floor and said, “I now see God, and Jesus Christ at his right hand, let them kill me, I should not feel death as I am now” (Levi W. Hancock, “The Life of Levi Ward Hancock, ” typeset, 33, Perry Special Collections, quoted in Karl Ricks Anderson, Joseph Smith’s Kirtland: Eye Witness Accounts,

Matthew 24: 1 -25: 46 These signs are not only out of order but the organization of the chapter is such that the reader cannot successfully determine what verse and sign goes with which question (therefore-Joseph Smith Matthew). The Second Coming is mentioned over 1800 times in the Bible. C. S. Lewis said, “It will do men little good to kneel down when it is no longer possible to stand up, for when the Author of the play comes on stage, the play is over” (New Era, Jan. 1971, 9).

From a discourse given at Nauvoo by Joseph Smith, April 6 th, 1843, as recorded in “The Words of Joseph Smith, ” 180 -81: “Christ says no man knoweth the day or the hour when the Son of Man cometh… Matthew 24: 36 Matthew 24: 37, But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Noah knew! Did Christ speak this as a general principle throughout all generations? Oh no! He spoke in the present tense. No man that was then living upon the footstool of God knew the day or the hour. But he did not say that there was no man throughout all generations that should not know the day or the hour. No, this would be in flat contradiction with other scripture… (Amos 3: 7)… consequently, if it is not made known to the prophets, it will not come to pass!

Four appearances of the Lord have had particular mention by the prophets Two to the Saints, one to the Jews, and the fourth will be his final coming to the world. 1. New Jerusalem 15 -16) 2. Adam-ondi-Ahman (Doctrine & Covenants 116) 3. Mount of Olives 133: 35; 4. The Whole World (Doctrine & Covenants 133: 2, 84: 1 -5, 97: 10, (Doctrine & Covenants 45: 48 -53, 77: 15, Revelation 11: 1 -13) (Sign of the Son of Man) Doctrine &

Judah must return, Jerusalem must be built, and the temple, and water come out from under the temple, and the waters of the Dead Sea be healed. It will take some time to rebuild the walls of the city and the temple, and all this must be done before the Son of Man will make His appearance. There will be wars and rumors of wars, signs in the heavens above and on the earth beneath, the sun turned into darkness and the moon to blood, earthquakes in diverse places, the seas heaving beyond their bounds; then will appear one grand sign of the Son of Man in heaven. But what will the world do? They will say it is a planet, a comet, etc. But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the coming of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the east (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 286).

Matthew 24 Compare with J. S. Matthew 1, Doctrine & Covenants 29, 45, & 101. Matthew 24: 2 The destruction of Jerusalem in A. D. 70 The city fell to a six month siege before the Roman arms lead by Titus. More than a million Jews lost their lives through famine, etc. The city was utterly destroyed. The temple was plowed up in their attempt to look for gold (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, 234).

Matthew 24: 15 “Abomination of Desolation” It has already happened once and will happen again: 1. A. D. 70, Moses said that the siege would be so bad that women would eat their own children after childbirth (Deuteronomy 28: 53). 2. The Second Coming! Matthew 24: 24 “elect” are the elect according to the covenant (Doctrine & Covenants 29: 7).

Matthew 25 --- Three Parables about the 2 nd Coming (what a surprise!) “The 10 Virgins” 10 Virgins Lamps Oil Bridegroom Marriage = = = Members of the Church Holy Ghost Spiritual preparedness = Savior = Second Coming Verse 6: It was the custom for the bridegroom and his friends to go to the brides’ home and escort her to their new home.

“The Talents” & The Sheep and the Goats” Talent in this parable meant a sum of money, but it’s symbolism is spiritual. The talents symbolize responsibilities and opportunities to serve others. They also represent gifts and abilities. “The Sheep and the Goats” (verses 40 and 45)

Men infrequently forget that they are dependent upon heaven for every blessing which they are permitted to enjoy, and that for every opportunity granted them they are to give an account. You know, brethren, that when the Master in the Savior’s parable of the stewards called his servants before him he gave them several talents to improve on while he should tarry abroad for a little season, and when he returned he called for an accounting. So it is now. Our Master is absent only for a little season, and at the end of it He will call each to render an account; and where the five talents were bestowed, ten will be required; and he that has made no improvement will be cast out as an unprofitable servant, while the faithful will enjoy everlasting honors. Therefore we earnestly implore the grace of our Father to rest upon you, through Jesus Christ His Son, that you may not faint in the hour of temptation, nor be overcome in the time of persecution (Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol. 2, 24).

Matthew 25: 21 Well done thou good and faithful servant! President Boyd K. Packer called sincere repentance a pattern in our lives (“Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness, ” 7). On another occasion, he testified that even “an ordinary soul --- struggling against temptation, failing and repenting, and failing again and repenting, but always determined to keep [his] covenants” can still expect to one day hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled, 257).

Matthew 25: 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. or Matthew 25: 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.