Many great accomplishments begin with a failure.
Joseph Smith had received strict instructions about the gold plates. The angel Moroni warned him that he would be tempted to use them for personal gain and said that he “must have no other object … but to glorify God, and must not be influenced by any other motive than that of building his kingdom” (Joseph Smith—History 1:46). He was forbidden to retrieve them for four years after seeing where they were buried, and even then, he reported that the angel said “that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off” (Joseph Smith—History 1:53, 59).
But when an influential friend named Martin Harris, who had been serving as Joseph’s scribe, asked to borrow the first 116 pages of the manuscript to show his wife, Joseph wavered. He asked the Lord three times for permission to loan the manuscript to Martin. The first two times, the answer was “no.” The third time, it was a qualified “yes,” with strict conditions on Martin’s behavior. Unfortunately, Martin was not as careful with the document as Joseph had been, and the manuscript was lost. (See “The Contributions of Martin Harris,” Revelations in Context.)
Shortly after, Joseph received a revelation in which the Lord rebuked him for his carelessness. “You have been entrusted with these things,” the Lord said, “but how strict were your commandments. … And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:5-6). Eight months later, in response to another request from Martin, the Lord reiterated this warning: “I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more” (Doctrine and Covenants 5:21).
But with that rebuke, the Lord provided a powerful reassurance: “The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught” (Doctrine and Covenants 3:1). God had already provided a way for Joseph’s and Martin’s error to be corrected.
The lesson for Joseph and for us: When we embark in the service of God, we must have “an eye single” to His glory (Doctrine and Covenants 4:5; see also Matthew 6:22, 3 Nephi 13:22). If we will trust Him and follow His instructions instead of trying to do things our way, we can contribute to His “marvelous work” (Doctrine and Covenants 4:1).
Here are some other lessons I’ve learned from these revelations:
Outline
- 3:1-4 – God’s work cannot be frustrated.
- 3:5-15 – You should not have feared man more than God.
- 3:16-20 – The Book of Mormon will bring the Lamanites to a knowledge of the Savior.
- 4:1-4 – If you have desires to serve, you are called.
- 4:5-7 – Strive to serve in a Christlike way.
- 5:1-4 – Joseph has no power to share the plates, except as commanded by God.
- 5:5-20 – Joseph is a witness, and there will be three more.
- 5:21-22 – “Yield to the persuasions of men no more.”
- 5:23-29 – Martin needs to humble himself.
- 5:30-35 – Stop translating for a while. I will provide a way for you to finish.
Key Themes
- God is unchanging, and He is therefore reliable.
- God entrusts us with responsibilities to help us grow.
- Faith in God includes prioritizing His words over the words of other people. It also includes being willing to wait for Him.
- God answers our prayers and knows us personally.
Book of Mormon Connections
- In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (3 Nephi 14:7, Matthew 7:7). This promise is repeated in Doctrine and Covenants 4:7.
- Isaiah warned, “Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings” (2 Nephi 8:7, Isaiah 51:7). In Doctrine and Covenants 3:7, God teaches the same principle: “You should not have feared man more than God.”
Applications
- Strive to do God’s work with pure motives and without distractions.
- Focus on the assignments you have been given and the work which you must do today, not on the assignments you wish you had or may have in the future.
- Strive to develop Christlike attributes, including virtue and godliness.
Recommended Posts
Blog Posts: January 28 – February 2
The Counsels of God
Jacob said, “Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from His hand.” When Joseph Smith asked a question three times, he probably didn’t think he was rejecting revelation, but he was. We need to pray with the intent to learn, not to persuade.
“Pretend to No Other Gift”
God told Joseph to “pretend to no other gift,” than the gift to translate until his task was complete. He meant that Joseph should focus on the task at hand and not spend time thinking about other opportunities and gifts which might come in the future.
Called, Chosen, and Faithful
Those who are with the Savior at His Second Coming will be “called, chosen, and faithful.” We have all been called. By humbling ourselves and exercising faith, we can be chosen. When we act consistently with the call over time, we demonstrate faithfulness
A Job Description for Servants of God
Doctrine and Covenants 4 reads like a job description. It states the need, the expectations, the compensation, and two lists of qualifications. We don’t need all of those qualifications to get started. With God’s help, we can develop them as we serve.
“I Will Provide Means”
The Lord assured Joseph Smith that He would provide means to help Joseph accomplish his assignment. Two months later, as Joseph translated 1 Nephi, he saw the same promise in nearly identical words. God’s assignments always come with sufficient resources.
None Other Work
The Lord told the ancient prophet Joseph that He would command Joseph Smith to do “none other work” than what he had been given to do. We can apply this principle by fulfilling our assignments well and not doing someone else’s job for them.
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