“I Have Lifted Thee Up Out of Thine Afflictions, and Have Counseled Thee, That Thou Hast Been Delivered from All Thine Enemies”
Doctrine and Covenants 24:1–4
1 Behold, thou wast called and chosen to write the Book of Mormon, and to my ministry; and I have lifted thee up out of thine afflictions, and have counseled thee, that thou hast been delivered from all thine enemies, and thou hast been delivered from the powers of Satan and from darkness!
2 Nevertheless, thou art not excusable in thy transgressions; nevertheless, go thy way and sin no more.
3 Magnify thine office; and after thou hast sowed thy fields and secured them, go speedily unto the church which is in Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester, and they shall support thee; and I will bless them both spiritually and temporally;
4 But if they receive thee not, I will send upon them a cursing instead of a blessing.
Elder Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjödahl wrote:
“. . . The Prophet Joseph was ‘called and chosen’ to give to the world the Book of Mormon and to engage in the ministry. God called him, through the angel [Moroni], and when he manifested his willingness to obey the call, he was chosen for the work. The call preceded the election. ‘Many are called, but few are chosen’ (Matt. 22:14). ‘When I called, ye did not answer’ (Isa. 65:12). The call always precedes the election: ‘Give diligence to make your calling and election sure’ [2 Peter 1:10]. He who is called, is sure of his election, if he obeys the call.
“. . . God had rescued the Prophet from . . . persecutors, as He had delivered him from the power of the adversary when be first sought God in prayer.
“. . . The Prophet Joseph did not claim to be perfect; nor would the Lord have permitted him to indulge in Pharisaic self-admiration, even if he had been so inclined, for He reminded him of his failing and his need of repentance, when necessary, to keep him humble. The Prophet had not fallen into transgression, but in one highly favored by the Lord, a word, an act, which would hardly be noticed in another, may be a ‘sin.’
“. . . The Saints in Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester are here told [in D&C 24:3–4] to contribute to the support of the Prophet; not to pay him a salary, but to supply his wants. The law of tithing had not yet been given to the Church.”
(The Doctrine and Covenants Commentary, rev. ed. [1951], 123–24.)
