D&C 1:4
D&C 1:4
And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
And: After explaining that the rebellious will be pierced with sorrow, the Lord is adding more, giving additional information.
the voice of warning: The voice is of God. He starts out identifying Himself, and this voice as His. He is giving the words that all need to hear. Now He explains that His voice is a voice of warning, sounding the alarm that everyone will see, hear, and know in their hearts, and each must make a decision to obey, or not. It is warning that those who don’t obey His voice will be pierced. Each and every soul must repent or suffer. We all have agency, and can choose to obey, or not. There are no other real choices. The only real choice we have is to repent, or suffer. We are all being warned so we may know to obey His voice that is going to be pronounced in the Doctrine and Covenants. This is the first chapter of the book, but not the first revelation given. It was specifically given to be the preface to this book of scripture. It marks the beginning of a new dispensation, a new era in human history. This is the beginning of the fullness of times, and it starts by warning everyone that when they receive these words, they must obey them, repent, or they will suffer such exquisite pain that they cannot even comprehend.
shall be: the warning will happen. It is definite. This is not a maybe.
unto: It is not just towards, or nearby, or around them, it comes “unto” them to arrive inside them, in their hearts.
all people: again re-iterating that everyone is included this time. This is not happening in a corner, or in the dark, isolating a small group of “chosen” people, rather it includes everyone who every lived, or who will live, throughout the entire life cycle of the Earth. The warning voice is for all.
by: through or of. It is surely the voice of the Lord, but it comes through the medium of another. People must understand that the voice, or word, of God is given through others, not directly to each so that we may have faith. There is a decision to be made, and each decision must have equal weight.
Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
2 Nephi 2:16
This is a time of choosing, where we aren’t forced or coerced in any way, where the options seem good either way, where we don’t see the full consequences of our choices. Thus, the warning voice of God comes by others.
the mouths of my disciples: The words of God are spoken by His disciples. He is explaining that His word will come through His servants. The voice of God is heard through the mouths of those who follow Him. It will not be given directly to all. Those who hear His disciples speak His words, have heard His voice. They are speaking for Him. They are not speaking the words of the world. They are His, and He claims them as His. He is declaring to the world that these are His words, and He is speaking through men on the Earth. The disciples include all those who follow Him. A disciple is a follower, one who does the same things as the Master. He is not specifically saying that Joseph Smith, Jr. (the voice) or Oliver Cowdery (the scribe) will always speak his voice, but rather any and all who follow Him will be able to speak the warning voice to all the world, on Earth and in Heaven.
whom I have chosen: The disciples don’t choose Him, rather He chooses them. We must not, without being specifically told, assume, or judge one to be “worthy,” or able, to speak the word of God. Those who are chosen can be anywhere or anyone. We don’t decide. It may be a pastor, a preacher, or a street person who will bring the words to the ears, the vision to the eyes, or penetrate the heart of another. All things are done in order, but it is in God’s order that they are done, and His ways are different than our ways. There is a plan. Those who bring the word of God to others were chosen before they came to Earth, and they have a mission to perform while in this tabernacle of clay.
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
Abraham 3:22-23
We don’t know who the disciples are all the time. The Lord will tell us whom He has chosen to bring His word unto us, but not always those who teach others. Everyone will know, and they will know through the disciples of Christ. Anyone who follows Christ is called in these “Last Days” to the ministry.
Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
D&C 4:3
The Lord will choose whom He will, among those who desire to serve Him. The way we can know if it is the word of God is not by looking at the messenger, but rather the message. As we are enlightened, and our hearts are touched, we know that the word is good, we will know when it is the word of God by the fruits.
in these last days.: These are the last times of the cycle of the Earth, the sixth millennium. It is the time for all to hear, for all work to be completed before the Sabbath. Christ will come and reign personally on the Earth during the thousand years of rest. Before He comes, the work of bringing His voice to every ear, His vision to every eye, and penetrating every heart must be accomplished.
Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard.
Jacob 5:62
The “end” is the end of an age, or a dispensation. The work of this dispensation must be finished before the next can come. The work of “pruning” is bringing His words to all of His children. Each must see, hear, and feel so that all have made an informed decision before the end comes, before the judgment, before the resurrection, and before the punishment of fire and brimstone. None can be judged until they have been informed. None can be excused because of ignorance. All are required to make a choice. None are left without excuse. All must see, hear, and feel His words. This is the work of the last days that His disciples, whom He has chosen, will do.
And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.
And: After explaining that the rebellious will be pierced with sorrow, the Lord is adding more, giving additional information.
the voice of warning: The voice is of God. He starts out identifying Himself, and this voice as His. He is giving the words that all need to hear. Now He explains that His voice is a voice of warning, sounding the alarm that everyone will see, hear, and know in their hearts, and each must make a decision to obey, or not. It is warning that those who don’t obey His voice will be pierced. Each and every soul must repent or suffer. We all have agency, and can choose to obey, or not. There are no other real choices. The only real choice we have is to repent, or suffer. We are all being warned so we may know to obey His voice that is going to be pronounced in the Doctrine and Covenants. This is the first chapter of the book, but not the first revelation given. It was specifically given to be the preface to this book of scripture. It marks the beginning of a new dispensation, a new era in human history. This is the beginning of the fullness of times, and it starts by warning everyone that when they receive these words, they must obey them, repent, or they will suffer such exquisite pain that they cannot even comprehend.
shall be: the warning will happen. It is definite. This is not a maybe.
unto: It is not just towards, or nearby, or around them, it comes “unto” them to arrive inside them, in their hearts.
all people: again re-iterating that everyone is included this time. This is not happening in a corner, or in the dark, isolating a small group of “chosen” people, rather it includes everyone who every lived, or who will live, throughout the entire life cycle of the Earth. The warning voice is for all.
by: through or of. It is surely the voice of the Lord, but it comes through the medium of another. People must understand that the voice, or word, of God is given through others, not directly to each so that we may have faith. There is a decision to be made, and each decision must have equal weight.
Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
2 Nephi 2:16
This is a time of choosing, where we aren’t forced or coerced in any way, where the options seem good either way, where we don’t see the full consequences of our choices. Thus, the warning voice of God comes by others.
the mouths of my disciples: The words of God are spoken by His disciples. He is explaining that His word will come through His servants. The voice of God is heard through the mouths of those who follow Him. It will not be given directly to all. Those who hear His disciples speak His words, have heard His voice. They are speaking for Him. They are not speaking the words of the world. They are His, and He claims them as His. He is declaring to the world that these are His words, and He is speaking through men on the Earth. The disciples include all those who follow Him. A disciple is a follower, one who does the same things as the Master. He is not specifically saying that Joseph Smith, Jr. (the voice) or Oliver Cowdery (the scribe) will always speak his voice, but rather any and all who follow Him will be able to speak the warning voice to all the world, on Earth and in Heaven.
whom I have chosen: The disciples don’t choose Him, rather He chooses them. We must not, without being specifically told, assume, or judge one to be “worthy,” or able, to speak the word of God. Those who are chosen can be anywhere or anyone. We don’t decide. It may be a pastor, a preacher, or a street person who will bring the words to the ears, the vision to the eyes, or penetrate the heart of another. All things are done in order, but it is in God’s order that they are done, and His ways are different than our ways. There is a plan. Those who bring the word of God to others were chosen before they came to Earth, and they have a mission to perform while in this tabernacle of clay.
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born.
Abraham 3:22-23
We don’t know who the disciples are all the time. The Lord will tell us whom He has chosen to bring His word unto us, but not always those who teach others. Everyone will know, and they will know through the disciples of Christ. Anyone who follows Christ is called in these “Last Days” to the ministry.
Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
D&C 4:3
The Lord will choose whom He will, among those who desire to serve Him. The way we can know if it is the word of God is not by looking at the messenger, but rather the message. As we are enlightened, and our hearts are touched, we know that the word is good, we will know when it is the word of God by the fruits.
in these last days.: These are the last times of the cycle of the Earth, the sixth millennium. It is the time for all to hear, for all work to be completed before the Sabbath. Christ will come and reign personally on the Earth during the thousand years of rest. Before He comes, the work of bringing His voice to every ear, His vision to every eye, and penetrating every heart must be accomplished.
Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last time that I shall prune my vineyard.
Jacob 5:62
The “end” is the end of an age, or a dispensation. The work of this dispensation must be finished before the next can come. The work of “pruning” is bringing His words to all of His children. Each must see, hear, and feel so that all have made an informed decision before the end comes, before the judgment, before the resurrection, and before the punishment of fire and brimstone. None can be judged until they have been informed. None can be excused because of ignorance. All are required to make a choice. None are left without excuse. All must see, hear, and feel His words. This is the work of the last days that His disciples, whom He has chosen, will do.
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