This is a revelation given to Emma Smith, Joseph Smith's wife after they had been married for 3 years. They had already endured extremely difficult things, and she stood by Joseph through all of them. There doesn't seems to be any particular reason for the revelations, but I'm sure it was a comfort for Emma, both for enduring what she had already experienced and in receiving a direction of her own. While this is a very personal revelation to Emma, it is of course wrought with eternal truths that all of us can learn from.
25:1 - We are all sons and daughters of God
25:2 - "if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive an inheritance in Zion." This is a promise given to all who are faithful, from the time of Adam to now.
25:3 - "Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come." This is a very significant revelation to Emma and refers to the her complaining about not being able to see the gold plates, the Urim and Thummim and other spiritual things. But the doctrine is very applicable to us. There are many things that we do not or cannot see: how someone is healed, why women do not hold the priesthood, why marriage is between a man and a women only, why someone dies, disagreeing with leadership in the church and anything that we can find to be offended about or do not have an answer to. The Lord basically says, I have a purpose and a time for everything. Just because you don't know the answer, doesn't mean there isn't one. You have what you need to live faithfully in this life; live the things you do know. In fact, it may not be your purpose to know some things. Emma was told her pupose:
25:4-8 - "And the office of thy calling shall be for a comfort unto my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun., thy husband, in his afflictions, with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness." Emma was specifically told that her calling was to support her husband. And she fulfilled her calling faithfully and admirably, despite human foibles. Some may think that this is a degrading calling. But if you were told, by the Lord himself, that your calling was a supportive role, would you argue? He tells her: you have a purpose, this is your purpose, you will support, you will teach, you will exhort, you will be scribe, you will console, you will write, you will learn, you will follow the Spirit. Can you imagine her saying, "yeah, that's great and all, but I still haven't seen the plates, how do you expect me to do all this without seeing the plates?" I think the bottom line here is, everyone has a purpose, do not compare purposes. Or as a kindergarten teacher once put it: "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit."
25:9 - Joseph is also called to support her. They are to work together. I think it's remarkable that these two people found each other and clung. As Lucy Smith (Joseph's mother) once said:
"I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has ever done; for I know that which she has had to endure. . . she has breasted the storms of persecution and buffeted the rage of men and devils, which would have borne down almost any other woman." (History of Joseph Smith pp. 190-91)25:10 - "And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better." I don't need to add to this.
25:11-12 - In two verses Emma was given a command to gather hymns for the saints to sing, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." She was told in verse 11 that gathering hymns would be "given thee," meaning she would be directed. The first hymn book published in 1835 contained 90 hymns. The second book contained 340. They were a collection of contemporary, popular songs as well as songs written by the saints.
25:13-16 - these last verses are an encouragement and commandment to her and to all:
13 Wherefore, lift up thy heart and rejoice, and cleave unto the covenants which thou hast made.
14 Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him.
15 Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.
16 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment