Doctrine and Covenants
Section 124 is dated January 19, 1841. Verse 1
says, "Verily, thus saith the Lord unto
you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am 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…" Our
last five articles discussed some of the problems in
Doctrine and Covenants 124. Remember those problems
were all in just one revelation (Doctrine
and Covenants 124)! Following is a summary of some
of the problems. For more details about them, see our
recent articles.
1.
Joseph Smith was immediately to
make a proclamation of the LDS gospel to
the kings of the earth and American leaders
and to tell them to bring their gold and silver
to help the LDS build a temple in Nauvoo (vs. 2-11). He
still hadn’t done that when he died in 1844.
2.
Robert B. Thompson was to help Smith write that
proclamation (vs. 12-14). But he died at age 30 just
seven months after Smith received this revelation,
so he didn’t help write that proclamation.
3.
John C. Bennett was also to help with the same
project (vs. 16-17). But he was disfellowshipped for
immorality and on May 11, 1842 and later excommunicated
without ever helping with Smith’s proclamation.
4.
Lyman Wight was to preach the gospel and
help oversee the building of the Nauvoo House (vs.
18-19, 22, 62). "The Lord" said "It is my will
that my servant Lyman Wight should continue preaching
for Zion…that when he shall finish his work I may
receive him unto myself (vs. 18-19). But he did not
faithfully preach the LDS gospel nor oversee the
building of the Nauvoo House. Against Brigham Young’s
advice, he went to Texas to help George Miller start a
church in 1845 and was excommunicated on December 3,
1848. Did "the Lord" receive him when he died as
v. 19 says?
5. "The
Lord" said "George Miller is without guile; he
may be trusted," "I love him" and "he shall honor me"
(vs. 20-21). He was to help oversee the building of the
Nauvoo House (vs. 22, 62). But, instead he went to Texas
in 1845 to start a church and he was excommunicated on
December 3, 1848. So, was he trustworthy, honoring "the
Lord," and loved by "the Lord" when he was disobedient?
6. "The
Lord" commanded George Miller, Lyman Wight and others to
oversee the building of a boarding house called the
Nauvoo House (vs. 22-24, 56-61). Joseph Smith
and his descendants were to "have place" in the Nauvoo
House from "generation to generation, forever and
ever" (vs. 56-59). But Joseph Smith was killed
before it was built, so he never lived in it.
After Smith’s death, his wife, Emma, remarried and her
second husband built a house on part of the Nauvoo
House’s foundation. They lived in it for awhile and then
the RLDS Church bought it, so it did not stay in the
Smith family forever. No one has lived in it for
over a hundred years.
7. "The
Lord" also commanded the LDS to build the Nauvoo
Temple (vs. 25-55). All LDS were to come
to Nauvoo with their gold, silver and other wealth to
help build the temple (vs. 25-26). But "all" LDS
didn’t come nor did they give all their wealth to build
the temple. The Nauvoo Temple was under construction
when it caught fire and burned, so it was never fully
completed. "The Lord" commanded LDS to build that temple
and He said He would give them sufficient time to build
it, but if they didn’t finish it in that time they would
be rejected as a Church (vs. 31-32). Since it wasn’t
finished, were the LDS rejected? "The Lord" explained
that the LDS temple in Jackson County, MO wasn’t built
because the LDS were hindered by their enemies, so He
did not require any more of them (vs. 49-54).
That contradicts what He said in D. & C. 3:1-2
"The works and the designs, and the purposes of God
cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to
naught…neither doeth He vary from that which He hath
said." If He doesn’t change what He first said, what
does that mean for the LDS regarding this temple?
8.
Vinson Knight was to buy stock in the Nauvoo
House which would belong to him and his
descendents from generation to generation (vs.
74-76). The Nauvoo House was never completed, so neither
he nor his descendants had any benefit from it. He died
just 18 months after Smith received this revelation.
9.
William Marks was to buy stock in the Nauvoo House "for
himself and his generation from generation to generation"
(v. 80). Since it wasn’t built, this never happened.
Marks was dropped from the LDS Church on October 7,
1844.
10.
William Law was also to buy stock in the Nauvoo
House "for himself and his seed after him from
generation to generation" (vs. 82-102). It never
happened. He was to preach the LDS gospel, publish
Smith’s translation of the Bible, become a prophet, seer
and revelator as well as heal the sick, cast out devils
and raise the dead. "The Lord" said he had a mission for
William Law and Hyrum (Smith) "and for them alone" (v.
102). Even though William was a counselor in the First
Presidency he became estranged from Smith by January
1844. So, he never did the things "the Lord" said he
would do and he was excommunicated on April 18, 1844.
11.
Robert D. Foster was also to buy stock in the Nauvoo
House for himself and his descendants (vs. 115-117) but,
he had the same result as the others. He was also
excommunicated on April 18, 1844.
12. Don
Carlos Smith, youngest brother of Joseph, was called
as president over a quorum of high priests (v. 133), but
he died at age 26 on August 7, 1841, less than seven
months after this revelation was given.
These are some of the problems in
Doctrine and Covenants 124 which was to show the
wisdom of the Lord! Would an omniscient Lord make
such mistakes?
Our next article will discuss a different
revelation by Joseph Smith. Those who would like more
information about Doctrine and Covenants 124
should read it with the LDS History of the Church
for that time period. Also read my chapter on LDS
prophecy in Mormon Claims Answered.
