Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri, August 7, 1831. HC 1: 196—201. Preceding his record of this revelation, the Prophet writes descriptively of the land of Zion wherein the people were then assembled. The land was consecrated, as the Lord had directed, and the site for the future temple was dedicated. The Lord makes these commandments especially applicable to the saints in Zion.
1—4, The faithful saints in Zion shall be blessed; 5—8, They are to love and serve the Lord and keep his commandments; 9—19, By keeping the Lord’s day holy, the saints are blessed temporally and spiritually; 20—24, The righteous are promised peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come.
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# Historical Background - Section 59:
Sections 59-62 were all given within one weeks time.
* The Colesville Saints arrived in Zion
on July 25.
o They did not settle in Independence, but as a group continued
to Kaw Township, a sparsely populated area
12 miles southwest of Independence.
o They settled along the Big Blue River which separated Missouri from the
Indian territory to the west.
* On August 2, Joseph, Sidney, and ten other brethren
assisted the Colesville Branch in laying the first log
for a house as a foundation of Zion. These
twelve men laid this first log in honor of the twelve
tribes of Israel.
o Sidney Rigdon was appointed by the Lord to dedicate
and consecrate the land for the gathering of the Saints.
o Before doing so, he stood before the gathered Saints and asked
the following questions:
+ "Do you receive this land for the land of your
inheritance with thankful hearts from the Lord?"
+ "Do you pledge yourselves to keep the law of
God on this land which you never have kept in your own lands?"
+ "Do you pledge yourselves to see that others
of your brethren who shall come hither do keep the laws of God?"
o The Saints assembled responded to each
question with a unanimous, "We
do."
o Sidney then offered the dedicatory prayer and then declared, "I
now pronounce this land consecrated and dedicated unto the Lord for a possession
and inheritance for the Saints, and for all the faithful servants of the
Lord to the remotest ages of time. In the name of Jesus Christ, having authority
from Him. Amen." (HC, 1:196)
* On August 3, eight of the brethren returned
to Independence.
o They gathered at the ten acre plot where the temple
would be built.
+ Joseph laid a stone at the southeast corner for the contemplated temple.
+ Joseph then dedicated the spot for the building
of the temple.
+ Sidney dedicated the land where the city of Zion was to stand.
* On August 4, the fifth conference
of the Church was held at the home
of Joshua Lewis, in Kaw Township, with members of the Colesville branch.
o Joseph exhorted the Saints to keep their covenants so that they might
receive the blessings.
* On August 7, Joseph attended the funeral of Polly
Knight.
o Section 59 is given on this same day in Jackson County, Missouri, in
which the Lord reiterates his commandment to observe the Sabbath day.
Verses 1-2 are apparently influenced by the recent passing of Polly Knight, wife of Joseph Knight.
Excerpt from History of the Church "I
attended the funeral of Sister Polly Knight, the wife of Joseph Knight, Sen.
This was the first death in the Church in this land, and I can say, a
worthy member sleeps in Jesus till the resurrection
Polly Peck Knight, had been very
ill for some time. While yet en route from Kirtland to Missouri,
her son Newel had gone ashore and procured wood for her coffin
should she die on the way. Polly had steadfastly held
on,
expressing a desire to be buried in the land of Zion. When they
arrived in Jackson County she was taken into the home
of Joshua Lewis because of her extreme condition. She died 6 August 1831.
At her services the Prophet addressed
the family "in a verry [sic] able and
consoling manner." (Arnold K. Garr and
Clark V. Johnson, Regional Studies in LDS History, page 291, from
an essay by Larry C. Porter entitled “The Colesville Branch in
Kaw Township, Jackson County, Missouri, 1831 to 1833”)]
[Interesting to note that the Prophet had been at least contemplating on the subject of death when he received this revelation on the Sabbath - Is there any correlation for us between death and the sabbath?]
Symbolism associated with the sabbath?
Creation of the earth was six days and the Lord rested on the seventh
Commemorated the deliverance of the children of Israel from egyptian bondage
Duet 5:12-15
The resurrection - the day the savior came forth from the tomb and made
resurrection possible Acts 20:7
Type for the world - six periods of time 7 dispensations of man the seventh
being the period when Christ will reign
It represents the time when struggle ends, when all is peace and paradise,
The number 7 is associated with perfection, completeness - includes completeness
of man for example the number that represents both the earth and man is 4,
the number that represents the godhead is 3 and 4 + 3 = 7
Put the bread and water inside of our bodies each week symbolism - put
the atonement inside of our lives? IF THE Lord wanted he could just have the
priests just read the prayer and we could just think about it - but that is
not what he has instructed us - partake of the sacrament -put it inside of
us.
What are your thoughts about the sabbath and sabbath worship? or What does the sabbath mean to you?
What should our thoughts be about
sabbath worship? or What should the sabbath
mean to you?
When did sabbath worship begin?
Instituted to commemorate God’s seventh day
of rest at the Creation (Ex. 20: 10-11). The Sabbath was a holy day before
the giving of the law, even from the earliest times
READ - Gen 2: 2 And on the seventh
day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh
day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because
that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Note that he sanctified it, we will come back to that word a little later. The Sabbath was more than just a cessation of work—it was the goal of Creation.
Symbolism there? Does the fact that our Father in Heaven
rested on the seventh day have any meaning for us?
Well if God rested
and we want to become like him then we better rest as well. 59 Section provides
additional instruction on how to do that - so let’s dive in.
9 And that thou mayest more fully
keep thyself unspotted from
the world, [unspotted = without soil or spot or
stain; clean; free from
moral stain; unblemished;.
OBJECT LESsoN: Bring
out my special guest
Who is
this?
How can we know who it is? Put up picture
of Savior covered with several layers of waxed paper.
Example of how anceintly the veil
in the temple was placed there to hide
man in his sins from the face of the Lord - in order to keep
the unclean from defiling the holy,
and to protect the unclean from the presence
of God - with sin in
our lives we cannot bear to see his face, but need
to be instructed by his voice until we can break
down those barriers. It is by applying
the atonement in our lives that we break
down that veil.
With that idea in
mind how is the sabbath designed to help us become unspotted from
the world? 1)Partake of sacrament 2) apply
atonement 3) meditation - helps us learn what we need to do to improve
as prompted by the spirit. 4) Rest from daily grind and pressures
5) Time for others
How does proper sabbath worship
keep us unspotted from the world? "This is a commandment with
a promise. By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of
the sacrament we qualify for the promise that we will “always have his
Spirit to be with [us]” (D&C 20:77). That Spirit is the foundation
of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the son, brings all things
to our remembrance, and leads us into truth. It is the compass to guide
us on our path. This gift of the Holy Ghost," Elder Dallin H. Oaks
“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament,” Liahona, Nov 2008, 17–20 - President
Wilford Woodruff taught, “is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon
man” (Deseret Weekly, Apr. 6, 1889, 451). ] thou
shalt go to the house of prayer and
offer up thy sacraments [
What are our sacraments and how do we offer them
up? that
is, present their devotions before the Lord, in the form of songs of
praise, prayer and thanksgiving, testimonies, partaking of the Sacrament,
and contemplation of the Word of God. All this is meant by the word 'sacrament,'
which, in its widest range, stands for any sacred rite or ceremony whereby
we affirm our allegiance to our divine Lord." (Smith and Sjodahl, DCC,
p. 351.)] upon
my holy day; [ see
Isa 56:1-8, Isa. 58:13-14. ]
READ D&C 84:24; Alma 13:12,16
Do these verses make you think about "rest" a little differently?
The concept of sanctification and the idea of rest as used in the scriptures seem closely related. Remeber we read in GEN 2:3 he santified the sabbath. The rest of the Lord is defined as 'the fulness of [God's] glory' (D&C 84:24). Alma taught that certain early Saints entered the 'rest of the Lord' after being made pure through a process of sanctification (Alma 13:12,16). In other words, God's work is the sanctification of his children to the point where they can enter into the ultimate rest, which is the fulness of his glory.
Once each week man is commanded to cease his own labors and allow God to perform his work of sanctification on him. Resting on the Sabbath, then, implies far more than taking a nap or stopping normal activities. Mankind must enter into the Lord's work on that day. This work involves making themselves and others more godlike, another way to speak of sanctification. Doing the work of the Lord (sanctification) often involves great activity on the Sabbath day, and the day may not be restful in the usual sense. One can assume that if doing good to an animal on the Sabbath is approved by the Lord (see Matthew 12:11; Luke 13:15), then doing good to men is an even higher good. The two commandments for the Sabbath are rest and worship. (See D&C 59:10). The Hebrew verb la-avodh, 'to worship,' means also 'to work' and 'to serve.'
How is the Lords work of the creation recreated each week in our work successful sabbath worship? holy work helps us create a new and holy man; therefore, the Sabbath is tied into the work of creation. ] and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;
12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s
day, thou shalt offer thine oblations [What
does that mean? the act of offering the bread
and wine of the sacrament. Anything offered or presented in worship or
sacred service; an offering; a sacrifice. "In the Mosaic
dispensation,
an oblation, or offering, was anything
presented to God to atone for
sins, to merit favors, or to express gratitude
for favors received. The
firstlings of the flock, first fruits, tithes, incense, the shewbread,
all these were oblations or offerings; some prescribed by law, some entirely
voluntary. In the New and Everlasting Covenant the Lord graciously accepts
tithes and offerings, donations and gifts; and the Lord's day is a very
proper day upon which to remember such oblations, as well as to confess
sins, publicly among the brethren, if necessary; privately before the
Lord, which is always necessary." (Smith
and Sjodahl, DCC, p. 352.)] and thy
sacraments [What
are thy sacraments? Examples
include: songs of
praise, prayer and thanksgiving, testimonies,
partaking of the Sacrament,
and contemplation of the Word of God, meditation
with God.
All this is meant by the word 'sacrament,' which, in its widest range,
stands for any sacred rite or ceremony whereby we affirm our allegiance to
our divine Lord." (Smith
and Sjodahl, DCC, p. 351.)
Poem on what happens during the sacrament
There was envy in the glances that the lovely woman cast
at the hairdo of her neighbor while the sacrament was past
And a teenage girl I noticed tho a timid lass and shy
Watched a youthful priest intently out the corner of her eye
As he sat behind the table where the water trays were spread
she was not remembering Jesus, nor the prayer the priesthood said
There was nothing reverential on the things the cub scout drew
On the pages of the hymn book til the sacrament was thru
Not a thought of Jesus’s passion entered carless elders minds
As they wispered to each other and the girls they sat behind
And the High priests brow was furrowed as he stole a secret glance
At his check books dismal story of his failures in finance
There were hundreds in the chapel but the worshippers were few
And I could not help but wonder what the lord himself would do
I could not help but wonder what the Lord himself would say
If he walked into a meeting were his saints behaved that way
Would his loving eyes be saddened, would his countenance be grim
While he there observed and listened to a meeting meant for him
How can we keep our minds and hearts focused on Jesus as we partake of
the sacrament?
How can we make the ordinance of the sacrament more meaningful in our
lives? (Emphasize that this ordinance should
not become merely habitual or routine.)
How
can partaking of the sacrament strengthen our commitment to the Savior
on other days of the week?
Interestiing to
note that The First Presidency gave
the following
counsel when announcing
the consolidated Sunday meeting schedule in 1980: “A
greater responsibility will be placed upon the individual members
and families for properly observing the Sabbath day. More time
will be available for personal study of the scriptures and
family-centered gospel study. … “It is expected that this new
schedule of meetings and activities will result in greater
spiritual growth for members of the Church” (Church News,
2 Feb. 1980, 3).
What have you done with your
extra time - how has it profited you spiritually? ] unto
the Most High, confessing thy
sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.
What activities seem to take away from the spirit of the Sabbath for you?
What are some worldly cares that tend to intrude on the Sabbath?
How can we free ourselves from these cares?
How can we determine what is appropriate for us to do on the Sabbath? ] only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.
28:4-5, D&C 49:18-20, D&C 89:10-21.] whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
22 Behold, this is according to the law and the prophets; wherefore, trouble me no more concerning this matter. [referring to verse 21 - The Lord is saying stop offending me, and giving me cause for concern, shape up , do what you are told]
[ A - (v. 20) Material/temporal
blessings
B - (v. 21) How man offends God
B - (v. 22) Stop offending God
A - (v. 23) Spiritual/eternal blessings]