Having shown that Joseph Smith taught that he and his brethren would have a second commission in which they would lead the church out of Babylon to enjoy the greater Gospel Light, this entry shall acknowledge a section from modern revelation wherein the Lord tells Joseph Smith and his brethren in January of 1833 that that they were the "first laborers of the last kingdom".
He promises them that "That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you AGAIN...... the mission I have COMMISSIONED you... to go forth for the LAST TIME.."
Please read section 88:74- 85 Please note that the quorum of the 12 apostles which included people like Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, John Taylor and others are not considered to be the "first Elders" or the "Last Laborers" in the vineyard. They had not been cleansed from the blood and sins of that generation.... they were to continue in the vineyard until the First Elders are called to come forth in their Second Commission.
Section 88 substantiates the doctrine of second commission taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith and provides another evidence that the Marvelous Work comes forth at a later time than the LDS restoration movement.
It informs us that the first elders will be sent forth AGAIN, to go forth for the LAST TIME.
When Gods servants go forth for the last time, they will bind up the law and seal up the testimony and prepare the Saints for the hour of judgment which is to come" (88:84)
10 comments:
Thank you for your posts. I’m just getting reading them in order and have a question on this one.
These are the verses in D&C 88 that seem pertinent.
70 Tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom.
74 And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
84 Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;
85 That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. Verily, I say unto you, let those who are not the first elders continue in the vineyard until the mouth of the Lord shall call them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean from the blood of this generation.
How are you identifying who the Lord is speaking of as the first Elders and how it applies to Joseph but not Brigham and others? Who else does it apply to besides Joseph since it is plural?
Thanks.
Oak
Joseph and Oliver are called the first and second elder of the church in section 20 and other places. They are always included in the phrase.
I am of the belief that the first six members of the church on the date it was organized are all good candidates as well.
Also, section one states that those who published the revelations would be returning to go forth in power.
Section 29 and section 84 seem to be directed to the same seven people which are probably also those referred to as the first laborers in the last kingdom.
There are lots of hints that you will find as you keep reading.
Brigham joined the church too late to be considered one of the first laborers, plus all of the first laborers were high priests. BY was never made a high priest.
Thanks for visiting
Watcher
Oak
Joseph and Oliver are called the first and second elder of the church in section 20 and other places. They are always included in the phrase.
I am of the belief that the first six members of the church on the date it was organized are all good candidates as well.
Also, section one states that those who published the revelations would be returning to go forth in power.
Section 29 and section 84 seem to be directed to the same seven people which are probably also those referred to as the first laborers in the last kingdom.
There are lots of hints that you will find as you keep reading.
Brigham joined the church too late to be considered one of the first laborers, plus all of the first laborers were high priests. BY was never made a high priest.
Thanks for visiting
Watcher
Watcher,
I am loving the blog so far! Thank you for sharing your insights! I found you through Snuffer's blog. I know somewhere you mentioned that you don't believe people can obtain the second comforter right now since we are still in the second watch with only the patriarchal priesthood (not Melchizedek). However from reading D&C 88 I think I found something to show otherwise. You use d&c 88:74-(I think 88). Anyway I believe verse 83 has your answer. It's ok that it's "early". Those who seek him shall find him! I strongly believe this. There are numerous other scriptures saying that he will show himself to those who are pure and who ask.
Sincerely,
A new fellow watcher and seeker of Christ.
Gskii
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
With regard to verse 83, it was being directed specifically to the first elders of the last kingdom in December of 1832. This was during the time that they were living consecration and it was before the fulness of the Gospel had been fully rejected.
Although Joseph, Sidney and Lyman had all seen the Father and the Son by then, there were still some of the First Elders of the last kingdom that had not yet seen God.
The promise of seeing God early, during the second watch, while God was near (verse 62) was still on the table.
It would still be another year or two before the fulness would be rejected and the heavens would begin to close.
Just to clarify, I don't even think we have Patriarchal offices either.
We lost the Melchizedek by 1834 leaving us with Patriarchal priesthood when the Saints got to Nauvoo.
When the saints failed to repent in Nauvoo and complete the Temple, they were rejected as a church and they lost the restored offices of priesthood having to do with the second, patriarchal order of priesthood.
They were left with the Aaronic priesthood, which becomes a cursing to the Saints if they have already rejected the greater light.
Having said all of that, there is certainly nothing wrong with people seeking the Lord. Indeed we need to all be doing that, particularly now.
We have now entered the period of time when the heavens should be opening again and angels will be visiting and teaching and preparing people for the return of God's servants and the Lord back to the vineyard.
It is time for the third watch to usher in the Dispensation of the Fulness of times and the Marvelous Work, so, it is very important for all of us to be repenting and seeking further light and the things that will ultimately result in seeing God's face.
The main thing is to not be deceived by the false Christs that have been visiting false prophets, per Matthew 24.
In my opinion, it is folly for anyone who is not living the full law of consecration and who has not sacrificed all things to think they are worthy of the second comforter.
It shows a real lack of doctrinal understanding. Once God has revealed a principle necessary for salvation, the saints must live it and not just give lip service to it, before the greater things will be manifest.
That is why the Book of Mormon informs us that we currently have the "lesser things" in the form of the unsealed portion of the Book of Mormon.
We need to wait patiently for the "greater things" that are coming.
Thank you so much for visiting.
I really appreciate your comment and your opinion.
May the Lord God of Israel bless you in your personal journey and quest for greater knowledge.
Praise God
Watcher
Sorry for the delayed response. Just getting back to this...
Brigham Young was baptized in 1832. Section 105 of the Doctrine and Covenants was received in 1834 and contains this verse on the first elders. It seems to me that the first elders are much more than the first 6 members of the church, but all those in the early organization that were called to labor in the kingdom, including Brigham Young. Do you not agree?
D&C 105:33 "Verily I say unto you, it is expedient in me that the first elders of my church should receive their endowment from on high in my house, which I have commanded to be built unto my name in the land of Kirtland."
Just getting back to you on this...
Brigham Young was baptized in 1832 and Section 105 of the Doctrine and Covenants was received in 1834. In this verse, it seems to indicate a much broader set of "first elders" than just the first 6 organizing members, but more of a broad group that joined in the early days of the church.
D&C 105:33 "Verily I say unto you, it is expedient in me that the first elders of my church should receive their endowment from on high in my house, which I have commanded to be built unto my name in the land of Kirtland."
No, he is among those listed in verse 85 who were not among the first elders, who are commanded to tarry until they become clean from the blood of that generation.
Joseph and Sidney and a few others became sanctified and clean and entered into the book of the sanctified.
Brigham never did.
Also, the first laborers were all High Priests, Brigham was never ordained a High Priest.
Sorry for the duplicate post.
OK, so Brigham was ordained an apostle in 1835 and sections 84 and 88 were received prior to that, but this verse in section 84 below would seem to indicate that an apostle (one of the "foundation" callings in the true church) is a high priest and having an ordination to be a high priest is irrelevant if you are an apostle. Maybe this is branching off in a totally unrelated direction, but your comment about Brigham Young not being a high priest seems irrelevant to me. I think it's stretching things to say that if someone wasn't a high priest they couldn't be a "first laborer" especially if they were an apostle.
D&C 84:63 "And as I said unto mine apostles, even so I say unto you, for you are mine apostles, even God's high priests; ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends;"
The apostles spoken of in the early revelations were also High Priests and were not ordained by the three witnesses with the warning that their callings would not be complete until the Savior appears to them to complete their callings, etc.
I don't have the time to fully develop why I don't think Brig is one of the first laborers...
I think if you continue reading the posts on the two blogs, you will begin to see a huge difference between the calling and status of the 12 that were called and ordained by the witnesses of the Book of Mormon vs those that organized the church and published the revelations, etc.
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