D&C 101:9-18

101:9-11 - The Lord puts forth a statement characterizing human nature, which is that in general people put more value on the gospel in times of trouble than in times of peace and prosperity, and historically, we’ve seen that to be true. But just because we as people can be brats sometimes, we are assured “notwithstanding their sins, my bowels are filled with compassion towards them. I will not utterly cast them off; and in the day of wrath I will remember mercy.” This seems kind of contradictory, that God will remember to be nice while he is punishing us, but here is where perspective comes in to play in our understanding. When we are disobedient to the laws of God, and we will be, universal rules decree that a withdrawal of the Spirit and certain blessings must happen. Because of the atonement, Jesus took all of those penalties on to himself, therefore he can determine what negative impacts our choices bring us knowing what it will take for us to come back to him. It’s not that he’s angry with us because we were disobedient (again) so he gets raging mad and through his almighty power starts casting down lightning bolts. I think that that resonates with us as people because that’s our human nature, I’m usually pretty cool with my kids until we get to a certain point then I just lose my mind, so we identify with an irrational God because that’s how we are as people. God is not that way, if we look at everything he does as being for our eternal benefit, then we can see that when we make mistakes or are outright rebellious, he withholds His Spirit and blessings so that we can learn. It’s all a plan, sometimes a seemingly complicated plan, but a plan based on one principle alone, “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” Verse 9 seems sort of defeating because, like we just discussed, it’s can seem uncaring, like why even try if we are going to be punished for sinning just like everyone else? But the promise comes next “I have sworn… that I would let fall the sword of mine indignation in behalf of my people… Mine indignation is soon to be poured out without measure upon all nations; and this will I do when the cup of their iniquity is full.” So yes, consequence comes with sin, but we are still playing on the Lord’s team and we get everything that that entails, protection, guidance, peace, joy, and love. The IM says, “The sword, an instrument of war, connotes power and retribution. President Joseph Fielding Smith explained: ‘While there was punishment in the suffering the saints had to endure and that because they were slow to hear the Lord, nevertheless the actions of the enemies were not justifiable; and therefore the Lord promised that he would let fall the sword of his indignation in behalf of his people. The sword of indignation commenced to fall upon the enemies of the saints shortly after the saints were driven from Missouri, and form time to time it has fallen, both in this land and in foreign lands.’ The phrase ‘without measure’ means that the Lord’s wrath will not be restrained but will come with great fury. The Lord has decreed that Israel will be gathered and the New Jerusalem built in preparation for His Second Coming. The tribe of Ephraim has been given this responsibility, and none can stop them. The Lord has promised the Latter-day Saints that He will help them in the work of preparation and will defend them against their enemies. Though they may experience great difficulty and distress, they must remember that He has all power and will deliver them. He will not allow His people to be overthrown. His counsel is ‘be still (calm, undisturbed) and know that I am God.’ Nothing can frustrate His work or defeat His purposes.” This is a phrase that the Lord tells me constantly, “be still, and know that I am God.” Most times he’s trying to tell me to stop freaking out, calm down because he has a plan that he will put into place when I’m ready. It’s actually kind of comforting to know that if I’m not where I want to be, that it’s because I’m not ready, not because it’s not possible.

101:12-16 - When God pours out his wrath upon the enemies of the Saints, “all who are found upon the watch-tower, or in other words, all mine Israel, shall be saved,” they will be comforted, gathered, and “all they who have given their lives for my name shall be crowned. Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.” I know what I’m doing and will care for you in a way that will be best for your eternal happiness. The IM asks “what are watchmen on the tower?” and answers saying, “In ancient Israel walls were built around cities, and towers were erected in key places along the walls. Watchmen, or lookouts, kept watch in these towers day and night to warn the people if an enemy came. A watchman’s responsibility was great, because if he was negligent, his sloth could cost the lives of others. The Greek word most frequently used in the New Testament to convey the idea of watching ‘means to keep away, to watch, and so to take heed lest through remissness and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one.’ The Church today stands in a position to see the enemy and how he works, because they have living prophets who speak for God. They are therefore called by the Savior both to warn the wicked and to protect Zion. This the Lord refers to His authorized servants today as watchmen upon the towers. The phrase ‘all mine Israel’ refers to those who have entered into the gospel covenant and have become heirs to the promises of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

101:17-18 - Verse 17 seems kind of abstract for me saying, “Zion shall not be moved out of her place, notwithstanding her children are scattered.” That seems pretty contradictory but then I thought about Zion as being the place where we live, not necessarily where the Church headquarters are at, so if we look at it that way, it’s actually really encouraging. Zion as my little spot in the world where I live, despite being so far away from Salt Lake and even further from Missouri, will be upheld and protected by God. The Lord expounds on this in verse 18, “They that remain, and are pure in heart, shall return, and come to their inheritances, they and their children, with sons of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion.” Again, another statement that seems to contradict itself, because who would be happy and joyful while working in a waste places? Why the long process between when this revelation was given and when Zion shall be reestablished, or strengthened where it is? The IM quotes Elder James E. Talmage as teaching, “The saints were not permitted to enter into immediate possess of the land, which was promised them as an everlasting inheritance. Even as years elapsed between the time of the Lord’s promise to Israel of old that Canaan should be their inheritance, and the time of their entering into possession thereof- years devoted to the people’s toilsome and sorrowful preparation for the fulfillment- so in these latter days the divine purpose is held in abeyance, while the people are being sanctified for the great gift and for the responsibilities associated with it. In the meantime the honest in heart are gathering to the valleys of the Rocky Mountains (and now to stakes all around the world); and here, … Temples have been erected, and all nations are flowing unto this region. But Zion shall yet be established on the chosen site; she ‘shall not be moved out of her place,’ and the pure in heart shall return ‘with sons of everlasting joy, to build up the waste places of Zion.” The IM continues, “Waste means ‘wild and uninhabited. Elder Orson Hyde taught: ‘The scripture says, that in the last days His people will go forth and build up the waste places of Zion. But they must first be made desolate, before they can be called ‘the waste places of Zion.’ Then the hands of the Saints will be required to build them up.’ Elder Orson Pratt taught that the Saints would go back to Missouri and possess the properties they have once inhabited in the early days of the Church, after God’s judgments have made the cities desolate: ‘Now that order of things will continue and will spread forth from that nucleus in Jackson county and the western counties of Missouri and the eastern counties of Kansas, where this people will be located, and it will spread abroad for hundreds and hundreds of miles on the right hand and the left, east, west, north, and south from the great central city, and all people will be required to execute the law in all their stewardships, and then there will be a oneness and union which will continue and it will spread wider and wider, and become greater and greater, until the desolate cities of the Gentiles will be inhabited by the Saints. Then will be fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, in which he says, ‘Thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited,’ for God will visit them in judgment, and there will be no owners left to occupy the country. Then the land will be filled up with Saints, those who will keep the celestial law; and they will receive their stewardships according to the appointment of heaven.’” This sounds like the Millennium, so I don’t really know too much about that.