133 – “Prepare Ye”
Originally intended as an appendix (or epilogue) to the Book of Commandments, Doctrine and Covenants 133 is a patchwork of biblical quotations and paraphrases. This remarkable revelation blends Old and New Testament passages seamlessly as it declares the following messages:
- The Savior (the Bridegroom) will return to the earth suddenly, so we need to prepare.
- God has sent the everlasting gospel to help us be ready.
- We must separate ourselves from wickedness (spiritual Babylon).
- When the Savior returns, we will recognize His lovingkindness toward us.
Here are some blog posts relating to the biblical passages quoted in this revelation:
- What Are the “Vessels of the Lord?” (v. 5)
- “Go Ye Forth of Babylon” – 1 Nephi 20:20 (v. 7)
- Enlarge the Place of Thy Tent – 3 Nephi 22:1-3 (v. 9)
- The Mountain of the Lord’s House – 2 Nephi 12:2-3 (v. 13)
- They Shall Not Go Out in Haste, Nor Go By Flight – 3 Nephi 21:26-29 (v. 15)
- Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord – 1 Nephi 10:8 (v. 17)
- “Cut Off from Among the People” (v. 63)
- What Is the Day of Burning Spoken of by Malachi? (v. 64)
- 2 Nephi 7:1-3 Is My Hand Shortened at All That I Cannot Redeem? (v. 67-70)
134 – Church and State
After enduring severe persecution in Missouri, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints adopted a declaration which clarified their beliefs about government. The document affirmed the following:
- Governments are instituted for our benefit, and they have an obligation to protect life, liberty, and property (v. 1-3).
- Governments should not interfere with religious practices (v. 4, 7, 9).
- Citizens should sustain their governments, respect government officials, and uphold the law (v. 5-6, 8, 11-12).
Here are some blog posts about governments:
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Relationship Between Church and State?
- Lessons from Chapters About Government in the Book of Mormon
- The Constitution
- King-Men and Freedom of Speech
- What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Elections?
- They Could Not Be Governed by the Law – Helaman 5:2-3
Blog Posts: November 16-21
Mighty to Save
Isaiah describes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in the form of a dialogue between the people and the Savior. The people are caught off guard by His arrival and by His appearance. They ask, “Who is this that cometh from Edom [a country south of Israel with whom Israel had had significant conflict], with dyed garments from Bozrah [a…
Lovingkindness
Can a person be kind without being loving? Of course they can; we have all seen it. Perhaps they were kind begrudgingly, out of a sense of duty. Perhaps they were kind in a general sense, such as donating money to a charity, but without any particular commitment to the specific individuals they were helping.…
Babylon
Don’t get attached to temporary things. That’s the message I hear when I read about the destruction of Babylon. A center of commerce and the capital of the powerful Babylonian Empire, the city of Babylon was formidable. The apostle John conveyed the enormity of the city’s economy with the following list of things bought and…
Freedom of Religion
When King Mosiah proposed to his people that they abolish the monarchy and establish a new government consisting of judges appointed “by the voice of the people,” one important feature of this new system was the protection of each citizen’s rights: Now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this…
Songs of Everlasting Joy
Isaiah associated singing with joy. For example: That last quote is referenced multiple times in modern revelation. I particularly like the version in a revelation received November 3, 1831. After speaking of people coming to Zion on a raised highway, their enemies too weak to harm them, with pools of water quenching their thirst and…
Peacemakers
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9, 3 Nephi 12:9). And the apostle Paul made this plea in his epistle to the Romans: “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). The prophet Mormon applied that teaching to…
Check loving kindness I think it should be two words. Liked the post. I am always impressed with the work you do and the connections you give us.
Love, Mom
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you for letting me know about the spelling discrepancy. Loving kindness (or lovingkindness) is an interesting one. In the King James Version of the Bible, it always appears as a single word. In the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants, it appears as two. The Oxford Dictionary has it as a single word, while Merriam-Webster has it hyphenated. I like the single-word version better, so I’m going to leave it as is, but I appreciate you reading the post closely enough to notice that detail!