D&C 124:1-5

Section 124 is very long, 145 verses and when I listened to it, the audio was over 30 minutes long, but there are a lot of good concepts and some that were very specific to that time dealing with the lots of land that the Saints had acquired once they got to Illinois. The IM gives background saying, “Most of the Saints expelled from the State of Missouri during the winter 1838-1839, found their way into Illinois and Iowa. A majority of them went to Quincy, Ill., about 200 miles from Far West, and there they were kindly and hospitably received. Governor Carlin of Illinois, legislators, and private citizens vied with each other in proffering assistance and sympathy. Among the prominent citizens who, at this time, extended a helping hand to the Saints were Daniel H. Wells, a native of Trenton, New York, and Dr. Isaac Galland. Daniel H. Wells was the owner of a tract of land, which he divided into lots and which the exiles were offered, practically on their own terms. Dr. Galland, also, sold his land at a reasonable price and on the most favorable terms. The Prophet arrived at Quincy on the 22^nd of April, 1839, and two days after, a Council was convened and resolutions were passed directing some of the Saints to go to (Iowa), and some to settle on Dr. Galland’s land, near Commerce, Ill. This location soon became the central gathering place, and its name was changed to Nauvoo. In the year 1841, when this Revelation was given, this beautiful city had about 3,000 inhabitants. A charter had been granted by the Illinois Legislature, by which Nauvoo was given a liberal municipal government, with authority to form a militia and erect a university. A Temple was about to be built. The scattered Saints were gathering, and the settlements in Illinois were growing rapidly. The mission in Great Britain was highly successful. Such were the general conditions when this Revelation was given the Church had a moment’s rest. There was calm before the next storm.” So apparently we have a couple of years jump in time between section 123 and 124 but for me it was only 2 days, which is one of the reasons that it makes the scriptures difficult to follow sometimes.

124:1 - Unlike section 123 that was prophetic counsel, this is directly from the Lord again. The Lord makes an interesting statement in verse 1 that I am pretty sure wasn’t supposed to be considered offensive, but I think that it is an excellent example of the fact that this isn’t Joseph Smith just writing a bunch of stuff trying to get people to like him and give him money because a corrupt leader that’s just trying to gain power isn’t going to put in a “revelation” out for their followers where God calls them “weak.” Only a man with humility and ultimate submission to God would include that in statements. The Lord tells JS that he is “well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weal things of the earth.” That’s not a statement that a corrupt man would include in publications.

124:2-5 – The Lord commands JS to create a “proclamation… to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and the high-minded governors of the nation I which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.” When I heard this is reminded me of the ancient prophets testifying before their kings calling them to repentance. I thought, that would be similar to what this would be, sending a proclamation to the leaders of countries, and more specifically the president of the United States. Then I thought, “what usually happens to those prophets who are called to testify to the leaders of nations? They are usually killed, that’s when societies tend to be destroyed, when they start to kill the prophets.” Then I thought, “wait, our country did kill the prophet, and we weren’t destroyed after that.” Then I thought “of wait, we kind of were with the civil war.” Then it all came together for me, we killed the prophet, then we destroyed part of ourselves, does that mean that the civil war destroyed the more wicked part of ourselves? Interesting to consider. I’d like to try and find the proclamation that was created and post it here, I think it would be most interesting.