Lesson 22: Laying the Foundation of Zion
Doctrine & Covenants, Sections 57, 58, and 59
Section 57
"Joseph Smith, who was called by revelation to travel with Sidney Rigdon, recorded the following after arriving in Missouri: “The meeting of our brethren [Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Ziba Peterson, and Frederick G. Williams, all of whom had gone to Missouri as missionaries], who had long awaited our arrival, was a glorious one, and moistened with many tears. It seemed good and pleasant for brethren to meet together in unity. But our reflections were many, coming as we had from a highly cultivated state of society in the east, and standing now upon the confines or western limits of the United States, and looking into the vast wilderness of those that sat in darkness; how natural it was to observe the degradation, leanness of intellect, ferocity, and jealousy of a people that were nearly a century behind the times, and to feel for those who roamed about without the benefit of civilization, refinement, or religion; yea, and exclaim in the language of the Prophets: ‘When will the wilderness blossom as the rose? When will Zion be built up in her glory, and where will Thy temple stand, unto which all nations shall come in the last days?’ Our anxiety was soon relieved by receiving the following: [D&C 57].” (History of the Church, 1:189.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-50-59/section-57-independence-center-place-of-zion?lang=eng)
In Section 57, instruction is given regarding the establishment of a temporal infrastructure. If Zion is "the pure in heart," why must there be licenses applied for and titles/deeds to property secured?
Section 58
Read verses 2-4. Why do you feel that tribulation is a necessary condition of receiving glory?
From the Student Manual:
D&C 58:2–4. Why Does the Lord Allow Tribulations to Come upon His People?
"Elder George Q. Cannon suggested that “the Saints should always remember that God sees not as man sees; that he does not willingly afflict his children, and that if he requires them to endure present privation and trial, it is that they may escape greater tribulations which would otherwise inevitably overtake them. If He deprives them of any present blessing, it is that he may bestow upon them greater and more glorious ones by and by.” (Millennial Star, 3 Oct. 1863, p. 634.)
"Trials sometimes come to the Saints as a chastisement when they disregard the Lord’s counsel (see D&C 101:1–8). Even when the Saints are living righteously, trials may come upon them because of the unrighteousness of others. Tribulation provides the Saints with opportunities for spiritual growth and character development. Such needed attributes as humility, faith, empathy, patience, courage, gratitude, and a repentant heart come to individuals in the refiner’s fire of tribulation and persecution.
"Trials give Saints the opportunity to prove themselves worthy of eternal blessings by showing their commitment to God and His kingdom, and their willingness to endure privation and forsake the things of the world. This in turn helps them develop the faith necessary to obtain eternal life. According to the Lectures on Faith, prepared under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things. It was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.” (6:7.) ...
"President Brigham Young taught: “If the Saints could realize things as they are when they are called to pass through trials, and to suffer what they call sacrifices, they would acknowledge them to be the greatest blessings that could be bestowed upon them” (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 345)."(https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-50-59/section-58-the-land-of-zion?lang=eng)
Verse 8 (vv8-11) describes a "feast of fat things" to be prepared for the poor in conjunction with the establishment of Zion. How can giving generous fast offerings help us establish Zion in our day?
Verse 15 reprimands Edward Partridge, and calls for his repentance. As you will recall, he was serving as the Presiding Bishop of the Church at this time. The Lord did not release him from his calling, but commanded him to repent while he still held that calling. Does the Lord call perfect persons to do His will? How can repentance of sins not directly related to our calling(s) assist us in more perfectly fulfilling the assignments of the Lord? How should we treat our leaders and fellow church members who appear to be struggling with overcoming things that we might think disqualifies them for their callings?
Vv 21-22 - compare these verses to the 12th Article of Faith.
In verses 26-28, we are told that we need not be commanded in all things but that we must be "anxiously engaged" and "bring to pass much righteousness." Besides keeping the commandments which we have been given, is it possible to bring to pass righteousness? What does it mean to be commanded in "all things?"
Vv 42-43 describe the condition of one who has repented and the Lord's attitude toward that individual's sin. What should our attitude be? How may we develop that Christlike characteristic?
In vv 5-51, Sidney Rigdon is charged with describing the land designated as Zion. From the Student Manual:
"The Lord commanded Sidney Rigdon to write a description of the land in Missouri and to listen to the Spirit in order to write the will of the Lord concerning the land. Then he was to write a letter to the Saints in general and include a subscription to raise money for the purchase of the land. Since photographs were unobtainable, Sidney Rigdon’s description could encourage the Saints in sending contributions for the purchase. (Later the Lord indicated that what Sidney Rigdon had written was unacceptable, probably in reference to this assignment; see D&C 63:55–56.)"The following description of Zion was included in the History of the Church, although whether it is a version of Sidney Rigdon’s description or whether it was written by someone else is not clear: “The country is unlike the timbered states of the East. As far as the eye can reach the beautiful rolling prairies lie spread out like a sea of meadows; and are decorated with a growth of flowers so gorgeous and grand as to exceed description; and nothing is more fruitful, or a richer stockholder in the blooming prairie than the honey bee. Only on the water courses is timber to be found. There in strips from one to three miles in width, and following faithfully the meanderings of the streams, it grows in luxuriant forests. The forests are a mixture of oak, hickory, black walnut, elm, ash, cherry, honey locust, mulberry, coffee bean, hackberry, boxelder, and bass wood; with the addition of cottonwood, butterwood, pecan, and soft and hard maple upon the bottoms. The shrubbery is beautiful, and consists in part of plums, grapes, crab apple, and persimmons.
"“The soil is rich and fertile; from three to ten feet deep, and generally composed of a rich black mould, intermingled with clay and sand. It yields in abundance, wheat, corn, sweet potatoes, cotton and many other common agricultural products. Horses, cattle and hogs, though of an inferior breed, are tolerably plentiful and seem nearly to raise themselves by grazing in the vast prairie range in summer, and feeding upon the bottoms in winter. The wild game is less plentiful of course where man has commenced the cultivation of the soil, than in the wild prairies. Buffalo, elk, deer, bear, wolves, beaver and many smaller animals here roam at pleasure. Turkeys, geese, swans, ducks, yea a variety of the feathered tribe, are among the rich abundance that grace the delightful regions of this goodly land—the heritage of the children of God.
"“The season is mild and delightful nearly three quarters of the year, and as the land of Zion, situated at about equal distances from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as from the Alleghany and Rocky mountains, in the thirty-ninth degree of north latitude, and between the sixteenth and seventeenth degrees of west longitude, it bids fair—when the curse is taken from the land—to become one of the most blessed places on the globe. The winters are milder than the Atlantic states of the same parallel of latitude, and the weather is more agreeable; so that were the virtues of the inhabitants only equal to the blessings of the Lord which He permits to crown the industry of those inhabitants, there would be a measure of the good things of life for the benefit of the Saints, full, pressed down, and running over, even an hundredfold.” (History of the Church, 1:197–98.)" (https://www.lds.org/manual/doctrine-and-covenants-student-manual/section-50-59/section-58-the-land-of-zion?lang=eng)
How is "a measure ... full, pressed down, and running over" a condition of Zion?
V56: How does the counsel we receive at Conferences prepare us for the work of gathering if we have been taught in recent years to establish Zion where we are rather than gather with the Saints in a single body?
Compare verse 64 with "The Standard of Truth"
Section 59
Vv 1-4 are written in Beatitude format. What group is being blessed and with what are they blessed?
From the Student Manual:
The Lord in modern times has reiterated the basic laws that define man’s relationship to God and to his fellowman. A comparison of verses in Doctrine and Covenants 42 and 59 with the Ten Commandments in Exodus shows how the modern revelations clarify and amplify the earlier account. As can be seen, there is not a strict parallelism between each of the three sources, but additional insights are often given in sections 42 and 59 or both.
| “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (v. 3). | “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength” (v. 5). “Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit” (v. 8). “In the name ofJesus Christthou shalt serve him” (v. 5). | |
| “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (v. 4). | ||
| “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (v. 7). | ||
| “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (v. 8). | “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (v. 9). “On this the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto the brethren, and before the Lord” (v. 12). “On this day, thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart” (v. 13). | |
| “Honour thy father and thy mother” (v. 12). | ||
| “Thou shalt not kill” (v. 13). | “Thou shalt not kill” (v. 18).* | “Thou shalt not … kill, nor do anything like unto it” (v. 6). |
“Thou shalt not commit adultery” (v. 14).
| “He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit” (v. 23).* | “Thou shalt not … commit adultery, … nor do anything like unto it” (v. 6). |
| “Thou shalt not steal” (v. 15). | “Thou shalt not steal” (v. 20).* “Thou shalt not take thy brother’s garment; thou shalt pay for that which thou receivest of thy brother” (v. 54). | “Thou shalt not steal, … nor do anything like unto it” (v. 6). |
| “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (v. 16). | “Thou shalt not lie” (v. 21).* “Thou shalt not speak evil of thy neighbor, nor do him any harm” (v. 27). “Thou shalt live together in love” (v. 45). | “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (v. 6). |
| “Thou shalt not covet” (v. 17). | “He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit” (v. 23).* | |
| “Thou shalt not be proud in thy heart” (v. 40). | “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things” (v. 7). | |
“Thou shalt not be idle” (v. 42).* “Thou shalt stand in the place of thy stewardship” (v. 53).*“If thou obtainest more than that which would be for thy support, thou shalt give it into my storehouse” (v. 55).**
“Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received … to be my law” (v. 59).
“Thou shalt observe all these things, and great shall be thy reward” (v. 65).“Ye shall observe the laws which ye have received and be faithful” (v. 66). | “God … hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion” (v. 20). |
After each of these commandments, an instruction is given to the Church for dealing with violations of these laws.
These were specific commands, or laws, applying to the law of consecration.
In vv 13-14, fasting is deliberately conflated with "joy" and "rejoicing." How can fasting be a joy? How can it be an expression of rejoicing? What may we do to make joy and rejoicing hallmarks of our fasts?
Verse 20 indicates that the Lord is anxious to give us blessings. How does this relate to keeping the Sabbath day holy?
V23: What are we to learn? Why should we learn it? How/Can proper Sabbath observance help us in this endeavor?
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