Yesterday, I highlighted the principles taught in the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89). Today, I will discuss the promises, all of which have Old Testament precedents. Here are the last four verses of the revelation with corresponding biblical passages:
| Doctrine and Covenants 89 | Old Testament Precedent |
|---|---|
| 18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; | Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. (Proverbs 3:7-8) |
| 19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; | If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:3-5; see also Colossians 2:2-3) |
| 20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. | They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31) |
| 21 And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen. | For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. (Exodus 12:23) |
It’s a remarkable list of blessings: health, knowledge, vigor, and protection. It’s striking to think that if we choose to follow God, He can bless us with physical health, the ability to learn and be active, and freedom from danger. It reminds me of King Benjamin’s expansive promise:
I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness.
Mosiah 2:41
Of course, these promises are not a guarantee that we will never experience illness, learning challengs, limited mobility, or injury. These are features of mortality, and we will all experience them to one degree or another at different times in our lives.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf offered useful perspective:
I remember when I was preparing to be trained as a fighter pilot. We spent a great deal of our preliminary military training in physical exercise. I’m still not exactly sure why endless running was considered such an essential preparatory part of becoming a pilot. Nevertheless, we ran and we ran and we ran some more.
As I was running I began to notice something that, frankly, troubled me. Time and again I was being passed by men who smoked, drank, and did all manner of things that were contrary to the gospel and, in particular, to the Word of Wisdom.
I remember thinking, “Wait a minute! Aren’t I supposed to be able to run and not be weary?” But I was weary, and I was overtaken by people who were definitely not following the Word of Wisdom. I confess, it troubled me at the time. I asked myself, was the promise true or was it not?
The answer didn’t come immediately. But eventually I learned that God’s promises are not always fulfilled as quickly as or in the way we might hope; they come according to His timing and in His ways. Years later I could see clear evidence of the temporal blessings that come to those who obey the Word of Wisdom—in addition to the spiritual blessings that come immediately from obedience to any of God’s laws. Looking back, I know for sure that the promises of the Lord, if perhaps not always swift, are always certain.
“Continue in Patience,” General Conference, April 2010
Today, I will trust in God’s promises of health, knowledge, and protection. I will strive to follow the principles He has taught and will rely on Him to give me the strength and ability to fulfill my callings and missions in life.
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