THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS
SECTION 90
Revelation to Joseph Smith the Prophet, given at Kirtland, Ohio, March 8, 1833. HC 1: 329—331. This revelation is a continuing step in the establishment of the First Presidency (see heading to Section 81), and as a consequence thereof ( or the first first presidency of the church was organized) the counselors mentioned were ordained on March 18, 1833 in the school of the prophets.
1—5, Keys of the kingdom are committed to Joseph Smith and through him to the Church; 6—7, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams are to serve in the First Presidency; 8—11, The gospel is to be preached to the nations of Israel, to the Gentiles, and to the Jews, every man hearing in his own tongue; 12—18, Joseph Smith and his counselors are to set in order the Church; 19—37, Various individuals are counseled by the Lord to walk uprightly and serve in his kingdom.
1 THUS saith the Lord, verily, verily I say unto you my son, [ Singular - So Joseph Smith? ] thy sins are forgiven thee, according to thy petition, for thy prayers and the prayers of thy brethren have come up into my ears. [ Most likely the payers of Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams]
2 Therefore, thou [ Joseph Smith. ] art blessed from henceforth that bear the keys of the kingdom given unto you; [ This would include the first presidency of the Church at this time it was Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams. ] which kingdom is coming forth for the last time.
3 Verily I say unto you, the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, [ Joseph Smith is given Eternal life right here (D&C 132:49). ] while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come; [ Keys do remain in death as well - remember that John The Baptist, Peter James and John, Elias, Elijah and others all returned to restore the keys that they held - after their death. ]
4 Nevertheless, through you shall the oracles [ Joseph is the only one to receive oracles (or the person who is called to speak with God - to receive revelation from him. The word oracle comes from the Latin verb ōrāre "to speak" and properly refers to the priest or priestess uttering the prediction.) for the Church - D&C 28:2, 7 and D&C 43:2-7. While the counselors have the keys, they do not posses the right to receive revelation for the church. (Teaching Pg 111-112) ] be given to another, yea, even unto the church.
5 And all they who receive the oracles of God, let them beware how they hold them [ Means to possess them and to treat them with respect. ] lest they are accounted as a light thing, and are brought under condemnation thereby, and stumble and fall when the storms descend, and the winds blow, and the rains descend, and beat upon their house. [ This is a reference to the evil one who seeks to destroy us unless we keep the commandments of God. From the parable found in Matt. 7:24-27. ]
6 And again, verily I say unto thy brethren, Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams, their sins are forgiven them also, [ Further emphasis that verse one was speaking to Joseph Smith as his sins were forgiven there, as here Sidney and Fredericks sin's are forgiven specifically. ] and they are accounted as equal with thee in holding the keys of this last kingdom; [ The keys are held as a presidency, so they are accounted as equal when they act by the authority of the president. A stake president holds the keys to the stake, his counselors do not hold any keys. However; under his direction they act with equal authority with him. link this back top verse 2 to better understand that verse. ]
7 As also through your administration the keys of the school of the prophets, [ Which was organized Jan 24, 1833. It is now March and the school has been going for about a month and a half, by the middle of April the school will be disbanded because of contention. ] which I have commanded to be organized;
8 That thereby they [ The prophets (Verse 7). Those that have the testimony of Jesus, they are teachers of the gospel - it is a general term as used here. ] may be perfected in their ministry [ Reason #1 for the school of the prophets. These men are being trained to go into the world to accomplish these three things. ] for the salvation of Zion, [ The school of the prophets is still held in the church today, it is the elders quorum. This is where we are instructed as to how to take the plan of salvation to the world. ] [ Reason #2 for the school of the prophets. ]and of the nations of Israel, [ Reason #3 for the school of the prophets. ]and of the Gentiles, as many as will believe;
9 That through your administration [ The presidency is to administer & teach those at the school of the prophets. ] they may receive the word, [ Be taught the gospel and receive the ordinances. ] and through their administration the word may go forth unto the ends of the earth, unto the Gentiles first, [ This gives the order to which the gospel is to be preached to the earth. Interesting here that (D&C 133:30-31; 2 Ne. 3:2-5) the reasoning for this order is spelled out. Ephraim and Manasseh need to first be established because they are the ones to bring the promised blessing of God to the other tribes. ] and then, behold, and lo, they shall turn unto the Jews. [ Probably referring to natural Israel in general, following Isaiah’s and Nephi’s usages, rather than those of the tribes of Judah in specific as v. 10 refers to the house of Joseph . ]
10 And then cometh the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, [ Apparently equated with “the house of Joseph” which immediately follows it in the text, and would be referring to the remnants of Ephraim and Manasseh in the New World, cp. 1 Ne. 15:13. A heathen is defined as one who is idolatrous, barbaric, pagan.] the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation.
11 For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, [ (Alma 29:8; Rev 7:9) On a small scale it has reference to the missionaries going out of the United States, learning the language and teaching using that. But the reference is far more significant than that - there will come a day when the Chinese will teach the Chinese in their own language, Tongan to Tongan. Why is this significant? because there is not language barrier. Natives will teach natives. ] and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, [ The spirit is granted to them that they might fulfill the respective administration responsibilities (missionary work in this case) see D&C 88:3-4. ] shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ.
12 And now, verily I say unto you, I give unto you a commandment that you continue in the ministry and presidency.
13 And when you have finished the translation of the prophets, [ The inspired editing of the bible(minor prophets in the old testament). ] you shall from thenceforth preside over the affairs of the church and the school; [ The school of the prophets. ]
14 And from time to time, as shall be manifested by the Comforter, receive revelations to unfold [ To explain, expand upon. ] the mysteries of the kingdom;
15 And set in order the churches, [ The terminology of branch and ward is not used at this time that will come later. Feb 1834 when the first stake is organized. ] and study and learn, and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues, and people.
[ This is the responsibility given here to the first presidency. That is pretty heavy given everything else they are required to do. ]
16 And this shall be your business [ The responsibility of the first presidency of the church. ] and mission in all your lives, to preside in council, and set in order all the affairs of this church and kingdom.
17 Be not ashamed, neither confounded; but be admonished in all your high-mindedness and pride, for it bringeth a snare upon your souls.
19 Now, verily I say unto you, let there be a place provided, as soon as it is possible, for the family of thy counselor and scribe, even Frederick G. Williams.
20 And let mine aged servant, Joseph Smith, Sen., continue with his family upon the place where he now lives; and let it not be sold until the mouth of the Lord shall name.
21 And let my counselor, even Sidney Rigdon, remain where he now resides until the mouth of the Lord shall name.
22 And let the bishop search diligently to obtain an agent, and let him be a man who has got riches in store—a man of God, and of strong faith—
23 That thereby he may be enabled to discharge every debt; that the storehouse of the Lord may not be brought into disrepute before the eyes of the people.
24 Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, [ "diligently" means consistent. This is the formula for succes when it comes to the things of God. Don't you think that it would have been easier for us of God would have just listed the signs of the times in chronological order and when they would be fulfilled? But he did not do that. Why? So that YOU will search diligently to understand them, praying about them. "be believing," or having faith in Christ. ] and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly [ To honorable. ] and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another. [ What is that covenant? It is explained in Mosiah 18:8-9. ]
25 Let your families be small, especially mine aged servant Joseph Smith’s, Sen., as pertaining to those who do not belong to your families;
26 That those things that are provided for you, to bring to pass my work, be not taken from you and given to those that are not worthy—
28 And again, verily I say unto you, it is my will that my handmaid Vienna Jaques [ There are only two women who are mentioned in the D&C Vienna Jaques here and Emma Smith. Vienna Jaques was born in Massachusetts on June 10 1787. She moved to Boston where she began to find the true church she read the Book of Mormon and she believed that it was true so she moved to Kirkland. While in Kirkland she was finally baptized. There she was directed by the prophet Joseph Smith to move to Jackson county which she did she also contributed to the profit a large sum of money that she'd saved over a period of time to help the church she marries Daniel Shearer who is a widower and apparently the marriage doesn't last at least it becomes interesting because she gets her endowment in the Nauvoo temple and he got his but there's no indication that they was sealed each other later in Utah he will die long before she does. She is the one who when Joseph Smith introduced baptisms for the dead on Aug 15, 1840. The people were so excited that they went straight to the river and started doing baptisms for the dead. She was there and could not see so she rode her horse out in to the river so that she could watch. She arrived in SLC valley in 1847 and died in SLC in 1884. ] should receive money to bear her expenses, and go up unto the land of Zion;
29 And the residue of the money may be consecrated unto me, and she be rewarded in mine own due time.
30 Verily I say unto you, that it is meet in mine eyes that she should go up unto the land of Zion, and receive an inheritance from the hand of the bishop;
31 That she may settle down in peace inasmuch as she is faithful, and not be idle in her days from thenceforth.
32 And behold, verily I say unto you, that ye shall write this commandment, and say unto your brethren in Zion, in love greeting, that I have called you also to preside over Zion in mine own due time.
34 Behold, I say unto you that your brethren in Zion begin to repent, and the angels rejoice over them.
35 Nevertheless, I am not well pleased with many things; and I am not well pleased with my servant William E. McLellin, neither with my servant Sidney Gilbert; and the bishop also, and others have many things to repent of.
36 But verily I say unto you, that I, the Lord, will contend with Zion, and plead with her strong ones, and chasten her until she overcomes and is clean before me.
37 For she [ Zion, the church , the saints. Always feminine because Christ is masculine. ] shall not be removed out of her place. [ When Zion is built in Independence Missouri it will never be moved. Orson Pratt gives a great discourse on this is (Journal Of Discourses Vol 15 Pg 365-366). The Lord’s purposes will not be confounded Zion will be established D&C 101:17-20. ] I, the Lord, have spoken it. Amen.
[ Historical Material Pertaining to Doctrine & Covenants 90 Little is known regarding why this revelation was given. Excerpt from The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith Jesse Gause, who had served with Sidney Rigdon as counselor to the Prophet in the presidency of the high priesthood, was excommunicated in December 1832. The vacancy was filled by Frederick G. Williams. A fairly well-to-do farmer from Kirtland, Williams had served as Joseph Smith’s scribe since 20 July 1832. As a clerk to the presidency Williams had the Prophet’s confidence, and was a natural choice. On 5 January 1833 a revelation called Frederick G. Williams to be “a Councillor and scribe unto my servant Joseph.” (Lyndon W. Cook, The Revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith)