Doctrine & Covenants Lesson 13 (D&C 29)
March 20–26
THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE GATHERED
● D&C 29:1–8 The “elect” will be gathered to “one place.”
● D&C 29:5–9 The righteous will hear the voice of the Lord and be gathered into the gospel. The wicked will be destroyed—burned up like dry stubble.
— v. 7 The Lord’s “elect” are those who receive and make covenants with Him.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Now Enoch was in good company in his views upon this subject: ‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, th tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God’ (Revelation 21:3) I discover by this quotation that John upon the Isle of Patmos, saw the same things concerning the last days, which Enoch saw. But before the tabernacle can be with men, the elect must be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.”1
— v. 8 The “one place” is Jackson Count Missouri, the central gathering place of the Saints.
Orson F. Whitney said, “Will our mission end here [in Utah]? Is the State of Utah the proper monument of the “Mormon” people? No. . . . The monument to “Mormonism” will stand in Jackson County, Mo. There the great City will be built: There Zion will arise and shine, “the joy of the whole Earth,” and there the Lord will come to His temple in His own time, when His people shall have made the required preparation.”2
Participating in the Gathering of Israel
President Spencer W. Kimball said, “We have paused on some plateaus long enough. Let us resume our journey forward and upward. Let us quietly put an end to our reluctance to reach out to others—whether in our own families, wards, or neighborhoods. We have been diverted, at times from fundamentals on which we muse now focus in order to move forward as a person or as a people.
“Seemingly small efforts in the life of each member could do so much to move the Church forward as never before. Think, brothers and sisters, what would happen if each active family were to bring another family or individual into the Church before next April conference: We would be joined by several hundred thousand new members of the Church. Imagine, if only one additional mature couple were to be called on a full-time mission from each ward-our missionary force would go from 27,500 to over 40,000! Contemplate the results if each family were to assist-between now and next April conference—an inactive family or individual into full activity. How we would revel in the association of those tens of thousands! . . .
“Are we ready, brothers and sisters, to do these seemingly small things out of which great blessings will proceed? I think we are. I believe the Lord’s church is on the verge of an upsurge in spirituality. Our individual spiritual growth is the key to major numerical growth in the kingdom. The Church is ready to accomplish these things now which it could not have done just a few years ago. So also we are ready as members. If you will accept my counsel, you will come to feel that there is a readiness in our people which must be put to work.”3
President Russell M. Nelson taught, “These surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of someÂ-thing big, something grand, something majestic!
“When we speak of the gathering, we are simply saying this fundamental truth: every one of our Heavenly Father’s children, on both sides of the veil, deserves to hear the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They decide for themselves if they want to know more. . . .
“Our Heavenly Father has reserved many of His most noble spirits—perhaps, I might say, His finest team—for this final phase. Those noble spirits—those finest players, those heroes—are you!”4
OTHER IMPORTANT TEACHINGS IN D&C 29
Signs of the Second Coming
● D&C 29:9–11 His coming ushers in the Millennium.
● D&C 29:12-13 The Twelve shall judge all Israel
● D&C 29:14-21 Signs, plagues, and desolations will precede the Second Coming
● D&C 29:9,:17-21 While the righteous are gathered to prepare themselves for the tribulation to come, the wicked will be destroyed by the great calamities that will strike the earth.
● D&C 29:14–21 Natural and man-made calamities will strike the earth.
D&C 45:26–27
● D&C 45:40–42 These calamities will intensify as the Second Coming draws closer.
D&C 88:87–94
D&C 133:22–31
Christ’s Appearance, the First Resurrection, and the Millennium
● D&C 45:44 Christ’s coming in glory.
D&C 133:41–51
● D&C 45: 47–53 Christ’s appearance on the Mount of Olives.
Zech.14:2–5; 13:6
● D&C 29:11–13 The Savior’s Second Coming and the First Resurrection.
President Joseph F. Smith said,”‘Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.’ (Matt.24:42–44)
“So I say to you, my brethren and sisters, and to all who may hear my voice, we are living in the dispensation of the fulness of times. In the year 1836 one of the ancient prophets stood before Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and conferred upon them certain keys that had been promised to be revealed before the second coming of Christ. After he had given authority unto these two young men, he said unto them: ‘By this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.’ (D&C 110: 16.) That was in 1836, 120 years ago; 120 years have passed. We are that much nearer the opening of that door and the coming of Christ. . . .
“I do not know when he is going to come. No man knows. Even the angels of heaven are in the dark in regard to that great truth (Matt. 24:36-37). But this I know, that the signs that have been pointed out are here. The earth is full of calamity, of. trouble. The hearts of men are failing them. We see the signs as we see the fig tree putting forth her leaves; and knowing this time is near, it behooves me and it behooves you, and all men upon the face of the earth, to pay heed to the words of Christ, to his apostles and watch, for we know not the day nor the hour. But I tell you this, it shall come as a thief in the night, when many of us will not be ready for it!”5
Final Judgment after the Millennium
● D&C 29:22-28 The last resurrection and final judgment follow the Millennium
● D&C 29:27-30 The wicked will be commanded to depart and will not return.
D&C 45:55 Satan will be bound.
D&C 45:59 The Lord will dwell among men on earth.
D&C 29:22 After 1,000 years of righteousness men will again begin to deny God. (4 Ne. 38)
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Christ and the resurrected Saints will reign over the earth during the thousand years. They will not probably dwell upon the earth, but will visit it when they please, or when it is necessary to govern it. There will be wicked men on the earth during the thousand years. The heathen nations who will not come up to worship will be visited with the judgments of God, and must eventually be destroyed from the earth.”6
Temporal and Spiritual Creation, Agency, and Our Earthly Probation
● D&C 29:31–34 Temporal things vs. spiritual things; all things are spiritual unto the Lord.
● D&C 29:35–45 The relationship between agency, the Devil, Adam, and earthly probation.
— v. 36 The portion of the hosts of heaven that followed Satan in the premortal existence. (Moses 4:1–4 and Revelation 12:7–9)
● D&C 29:36-39 The devil and his hosts were cast out of heaven to tempt man.
Temporal and Spiritual Death
● D&C 29:40-45 The Fall and Atonement make salvation possible.
— v. 41–43 The meaning of the term “spiritual death” and how it can be overcome.
— v. 44–45 The wicked can’t be redeemed from spiritual death because they won’t repent. They won’t repent because they love darkness rather than light.
● D&C 29:46–48 Little children can’t sin until they become accountable (D&C 68:27 says @ 8yrs) and are redeemed through the atonement.
● D&C 29:50 Others—those who have “no understanding”—are also saved.
Notes:
1. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 84-85.
2. Address in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 9, 1916.
3. “Let Us Move Forward and Upward,” in Conference Report, Apr. 1979, p. 114.
4. “Hope of Israel” [worldwide devotional for youth, June 3, 2018], ChurchotJesusChrist.org.
5. Doctrines of Salvation, 3:52–53.
6. History of the Church, 5:212.