D&C 54:1-10

54:1-6 - The Lord begins by introducing himself as “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, even he who was crucified for the sins of the world.” I wonder why sometimes the Lord introduces himself and sometimes not. As far as I know, Newel Knight had received revelation from the Lord before, but then again, maybe not. Newel Knight is commanded to “stand fast in the office whereunto I have appointed you,” which the IM reminds us that “Newel Knight had been appointed to lead the Colesville Saints according to the instructions given in Doctrine and Covenants 38:34-36.” The Lord continues, that “if your brethren desire to escape their enemies, let them repent of all their sins, and become truly humble before me and contrite.” I think it’s interesting that the Lord doesn’t say to prepare for battle or combine forces or come up with an attack plan, he says to be safe from their enemies, the best thing they can do is repent. It’s kind of like when Alma knew that war was imminent for the Nephites, so what did he do with the very little time that he had before hand? He preached the gospel to them and urged them to repent. In our world today, if someone has an enemy, they spend time and energy finding out what the other person is up to, trying to foil their plans, perhaps preparing for a confrontation, but the Lord’s way is exactly the opposite. He doesn’t want us to spend any time on our enemies, but all of our time on him. Verse 2 is kind of vague as to who exactly the “enemy” is, but the IM teaches, “The Colesville Branch was warned of enemies from whom they were to escape. Although their enemies were not specifically identified, the method of escape was clearly defined. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: ‘Salvation is nothing more or less than to triumph over all our enemies and put them under our feet. And when we have power to put all enemies under our feet in this world, and a knowledge to triumph over all evil spirits in the world to come, then we are saved, as in the case of Jesus, who was to reign until He had put all enemies under His feet, and the least enemy was death.’ On another occasion the Prophet said: ‘Salvation is for a man to be saved from all his enemies; for until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. A knowledge of the priesthood alone will do this.’” The Lord continues to say that “the covenant which they made unto me has been broken, even so it has become void and of none effect. And wo to him by whom this offense cometh, for it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea.” Incidentally, I’ve heard it said of this phrase, “it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea,” that these are strong words coming from the Prince of Peace. The IM says that the covenant which had been broken, “it is apparent that Leman Copley and Ezra Thayre had agreed to provide land for the Colesville Branch and then had gone back on their word.” I don’t think that it’s just these two specific men who are basically better off dead for breaking their covenants, but all of us. Well, I don’t know that we are all better off dead because we can’t fully live up to our covenants all the time, and aren’t perfect, but I think that it just indicates that covenants are very important and sacred. I think about myself and some of the stuff that I used to do and think how easy it would be to fall back into that life again, but I think about the covenants that I have made and that I would be breaking by going back to that life and it’s scary, and important to me to keep them. But the Lord assures us that “blessed are they who have kept the covenant and observed the commandment, for they shall obtain mercy.” I like DJR’s explanation of this saying, “verses 5 and 6, next, serve as a brief but very lesson concerning the two parties involved in a covenant that is broken. The guilty party is in serious trouble with the Lord, whereas the party that did its best to keep the covenant will obtain mercy (in other words, will ultimately receive great blessing from the Lord one way or another. Their exaltation is not in jeopardy because the other person or people involved in the covenant chose to break it.)”  This is comforting to me, especially now that I’m divorced and single.

54:7-10 – The Lord tells the Colesville saints to “flee the land, lest your enemies come upon you; and take your journey, and appoint whom you will to be your leaders, and to pay moneys for you. And thus you shall take your journey into the regions westward, unto the land of Missouri, unto the borders of the Lamanites.” If we think about these verses in terms of what the IM says, that “enemies” can be used as a term for not just other people, but ungodly behavior, then I would think that a major temptation to these saints could have been resentment, blame and bitterness towards Leman Copley and Ezra Thayre, who, no doubt, caused them and their families significant suffering. Maybe if they had stayed in that area, the hard feelings could have festered much easier, or perhaps spread to other members of the church and caused problems of hate or conflict in the area, when just leaving and going to Missouri would allow the Lord to bless them with Zion even sooner than the others who remained in Kirtland. I think it’s interesting that these saints who had been slighted and mistreated by others, were given the opportunity to live in Zion even sooner than if they had been able to stay in Kirtland, seems like the law of compensation at work right there. Last night, as I was having my own epiphany, that my bad attitude and anger is my choice and therefore can be changed by me, I thought about what my reaction would have been if I had been in the company of saints who had been slighted. I assume that these saints suffered hunger, thirst, exposure to the elements, because of the choices of Leman Copley. I know that if I were there and that happened to me, I would be furious, I would probably hold a grudge and be angry and bitter for a long time about it, and honestly, I would let it destroy me. And I can’t be alone in this reaction, and the Lord knew this, so maybe that’s one of the reasons that they were told to go to Missouri, not another place in the Kirtland area. The Lord speaks to this very issue by counseling, “And again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls.” I think this comes back to the Lord’s “ownership” of all hardships. Even though the Lord didn’t make the breaking of the covenant happen, that was clearly Satan at work in the hearts of Brother Thayre and Copley, the Lord still allowed it to happen, he could have had another plot of land, rich with food and clothes and water, just around the corner, to which they could have settle easily. But he didn’t, he allowed them to suffer and to go to Missouri, so that they could grow closer to him, learn by experience and become better Saints. He’s telling them that he has prepared a way for them, and that if they remain faithful, he will help them make it to a reward that is beyond our comprehension.