SECTION
85
[Kirtland
D&C 7, LDS D&C 88]
Revelation
given through Joseph Smith, Jr., at Kirtland, Ohio, December 27,
1832. There had been some friction between leaders in Independence
and those in Kirtland. Joseph sent a copy of this revelation with a
letter to William W. Phelps, who was in Missouri, and referred to it
as the “Olive leaf . . . the Lord’s message of peace to us.” It
has since been known as “The Olive Leaf.”
1a.
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves
together to receive his will concerning you.
1b.
Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over
you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord
of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the
sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
1c.
Wherefore I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you, my
friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of
promise, which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my
disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
2a.
This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life,
even the glory of the celestial kingdom; which glory is that of the
church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through
Jesus Christ, his Son;
2b. he
that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in
that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through
all things, the light of truth, which truth shineth. This is the
light of Christ.
2c. As
also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power
thereof by which it was made.
2d. As
also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power
thereof by which it was made.
2e. As
also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were
made.
2f.
And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which
you stand.
3a.
And the light which now shineth, which giveth you light, is through
him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that
quickeneth your understandings; which light proceedeth forth from the
presence of God, to fill the immensity of space.
3b.
The light which is in all things; which giveth life to all things;
which is the law by which all things are governed; even the power of
God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who
is in the midst of all things.
4a.
Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made
for you, is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the
spirit and the body is the soul of man.
4b.
And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul; and
the redemption of the soul is through him who quickeneth all things,
in whose bosom it is decreed, that the poor and the meek of the earth
shall inherit it.
4c.
Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that
it may be prepared for the celestial glory; for after it hath filled
the measure of its creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even
with the presence of God the Father;
4d.
that bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it for ever
and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created; and for this
intent are they sanctified.
5a.
And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given
unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom, even
that of a terrestrial kingdom, or that of a telestial kingdom.
5b.
For he who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom, can
not abide a celestial glory; and he who can not abide the law of a
terrestrial kingdom, can not abide a terrestrial glory; he who can
not abide the law of a telestial kingdom, cannot abide a telestial
glory: therefore, he is not meet for a kingdom of glory.
5c.
Therefore, he must abide a kingdom which is not a kingdom of glory.
6a.
And again, verily I say unto you, The earth abideth the law of a
celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and
transgresseth not the law.
6b.
Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die,
it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is
quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it:
6c.
for, notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again a spiritual
body: they who are of a celestial spirit shall receive the same body,
which was a natural body: even ye shall receive your bodies, and your
glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened.
6d. Ye
who are quickened by a portion of the celestial glory, shall then
receive of the same, even a fullness;
6e.
and they who are quickened by a portion of the terrestrial glory,
shall then receive of the same, even a fullness:
6f.
and also they who are quickened by a portion of the telestial glory,
shall then receive of the same, even a fullness:
6g.
and they who remain shall also be quickened; nevertheless, they shall
return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing
to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they
might have received.
7. For
what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he
receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given
unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.
8a.
And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law, is
also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the same.
8b.
That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to
become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether
abideth in sin, can not be sanctified by law, neither by mercy,
justice, or judgment; therefore, they must remain filthy still.
9a.
All kingdoms have a law given: and there are many kingdoms; for there
is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom
in which there is no space, either a greater or lesser kingdom.
9b.
And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are
certain bounds also, and conditions.
10a.
All beings who abide not in those conditions, are not justified; for
intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom;
truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto
light;
10b.
mercy hath compassion on mercy, and claimeth her own; justice
continueth its course, and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before
the face of him who sitteth upon the throne, and governeth and
executeth all things:
10c.
he comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all
things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all
things, and is through all things, and is round about all things: and
all things are by him, and of him; even God, for ever and ever.
11a.
And again, verily I say unto you, He hath given a law unto all things
by which they move in their times, and their seasons; and their
courses are fixed; even the courses of the heavens, and the earth;
which comprehend the earth and all the planets;
11b.
and they give light to each other in their times, and in their
seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their
weeks, in their months, in their years: all these are one year with
God, but not with man.
12a.
The earth rolls upon her wings; and the sun giveth his light by day,
and the moon giveth her light by night; and the stars also giveth
their light, as they roll upon their wings, in their glory, in the
midst of the power of God.
12b.
Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand?
12c.
Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the
least of these, hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.
12d. I
say unto you, He hath seen him: nevertheless, he who came unto his
own was not comprehended.
12e.
The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not;
nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God;
being quickened in him, and by him.
12f.
Then shall ye know that ye have seen me, that I am, and that I am the
true light that is in you, and that you are in me, otherwise ye could
not abound.
13a.
Behold, I will liken these kingdoms unto a man having a field, and he
sent forth his servants into the field, to dig in the field;
13b.
and he said unto the first, Go ye and labor in the field, and in the
first hour I will come unto you, and ye shall behold the joy of my
countenance:
13c.
and he said unto the second, Go ye also into the field, and in the
second hour I will visit you with the joy of my countenance;
13d.
and also unto the third, saying, I will visit you; and unto the
fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.
14a.
And the lord of the field went unto the first in the first hour, and
tarried with him all that hour, and he was made glad with the light
of the countenance of his lord;
14b.
and then he withdrew from the first that he might visit the second
also, and the third, and the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth;
14c.
and thus they all received the light of the countenance of their
lord; every man in his hour, and in his time, and in his season;
beginning at the first, and so on unto the last, and from the last
unto the first, and from the first unto the last;
14d.
every man in his own order, until his hour was finished, even
according as his lord had commanded him, that his lord might be
glorified in him, and he in him, that they all might be glorified.
15.
Therefore, unto this parable will I liken all these kingdoms, and the
inhabitants thereof; every kingdom in its hour, and in its time, and
in its season; even according to the decree which God hath made.
16a.
And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings
with you, to ponder in your hearts with this commandment which I give
unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near;
16b.
draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you;
16c.
seek me diligently and ye shall find me;
16d.
ask and ye shall receive;
16e.
knock and it shall be opened unto you;
16f.
whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you,
that is expedient for you; and if ye ask anything that is not
expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
17.
Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the
wilderness; in the wilderness, because you can not see him: my voice,
because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth: truth abideth and
hath no end; and if it be in you it shall abound.
18a.
And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be
filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and that
body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
18b.
Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God,
and the days will come that you shall see him: for he will unveil his
face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way,
and according to his own will.
19a.
Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you: cast
away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you;
19b.
tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a solemn assembly, even of
those who are the first laborers in this last kingdom; and let those
whom they have warned in their traveling, call on the Lord, and
ponder the warning in their hearts which they have received, for a
little season.
19c.
Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks and will raise up
elders and send unto them.
20a.
Behold, I will hasten my work in its time; and I give unto you who
are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment, that you
assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare
yourselves; and sanctify yourselves;
20b.
yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before
me, that I may make you clean;
20c.
that I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that
you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation, that I may
fulfill this promise, this great and last promise which I have made
unto you, when I will.
21a.
Also, I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall continue in prayer
and fasting from this time forth.
21b.
And I give unto you a commandment, that you shall teach one another
the doctrine of the kingdom; teach ye diligently and my grace shall
attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in
principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that
pertain unto the kingdom of God, that is expedient for you to
understand;
21c.
of things both in heaven, and in earth, and under the earth; things
which have been; things which are; things which must shortly come to
pass;
21d.
things which are at home; things which are abroad; the wars and the
perplexities of the nations; and the judgments which are on the land;
21e.
and a knowledge also of countries, and of kingdoms, that ye may be
prepared in all things when I shall send you again, to magnify the
calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I
have commissioned you.
22a.
Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it
becometh every man who hath been warned, to warn his neighbor;
therefore, they are left without excuse, and their sins are upon
their own heads.
22b.
He that seeketh me early shall find me, and shall not be forsaken.
23a.
Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected
in your ministry, to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time,
as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law, and
seal up the testimony, and to prepare the Saints for the hour of
judgment, which is to come;
23b.
that their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of
abomination, which await the wicked, both in this world, and in the
world to come.
23c.
Verily, I say unto you, Let those who are not the first elders,
continue in the vineyard, until the mouth of the Lord shall call
them, for their time is not yet come; their garments are not clean
from the blood of this generation.
24a.
Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not
yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord come,
24b.
for not many days hence and the earth shall tremble, and reel to and
fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide his face, and shall
refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed in blood, and the
stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast themselves down as
a fig that falleth from off a fig tree.
25a.
And after your testimony, cometh wrath and indignation upon the
people; for after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes,
that shall cause groanings in the midst of her, and men shall fall
upon the ground, and shall not be able to stand.
25b.
And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the
voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the
waves of the sea, heaving themselves beyond their bounds.
25c.
And all things shall be in commotion; and surely men’s hearts shall
fail them; for fear shall come upon all people; and angels shall fly
through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the
trump of God, saying,
25d.
Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth, for the judgment
of our God is come: behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out
to meet him.
26a.
And immediately there shall appear a great sign in heaven, and all
people shall see it together.
26b.
And another angel shall sound his trump, saying, That great church,
the mother of abominations, that made all nations drink of the wine
of the wrath of her fornication, that persecuteth the saints of God,
that shed their blood:
26c.
she who sitteth upon many waters, and upon the islands of the sea;
behold, she is the tares of the earth, she is bound in bundles, her
bands are made strong, no man can loose them; therefore, she is ready
to be burned.
26d.
And he shall sound his trump both long and loud, and all nations
shall hear it.
27a.
And there shall be silence in heaven for the space of half an hour,
and immediately after shall the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a
scroll is unfolded after it is rolled up, and the face of the Lord
shall be unveiled;
27b.
and the saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be
quickened, and be caught up to meet him.
27c.
And they who have slept in their graves, shall come forth; for their
graves shall be opened, and they also shall be caught up to meet him
in the midst of the pillar of heaven: they are Christ’s, the first
fruits:
27d.
they who shall descend with him first, and they who are on the earth,
and in their graves, who are first caught up to meet him; and all
this by the voice of the sounding of the trump of the angel of God.
28a.
And after this, another angel shall sound, which is the second trump;
and then cometh the redemption of those who are Christ’s at his
coming;
28b.
who have received their part in that prison which is prepared for
them, that they might receive the gospel, and be judged according to
men in the flesh.
29a.
And again, another trump shall sound, which is the third trump: and
then cometh the spirits of men who are to be judged, and are found
under condemnation:
29b.
and these are the rest of the dead, and they live not again until the
thousand years are ended, neither again, until the end of the earth.
30.
And another trump shall sound, which is the fourth trump, saying,
These are found among those who are to remain until that great and
last day, even the end, who shall remain filthy still.
31a.
And another trump shall sound, which is the fifth trump, which is the
fifth angel who committeth the everlasting gospel, flying through the
midst of heaven, unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people;
31b.
and this shall be the sound of his trump, saying to all people, both
in heaven and in earth, and that are under the earth; for every ear
shall hear it, and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall
confess, while they hear the sound of the trump, saying,
31c.
Fear God, and give glory to him who sitteth upon the throne, for ever
and ever: for the hour of his judgment is come.
32.
And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the sixth
angel, saying, She is fallen, who made all nations drink of the wine
of the wrath of her fornication: she is fallen! is fallen!
33a.
And again, another angel shall sound his trump, which is the seventh
angel, saying: It is finished! it is finished! the Lamb of God hath
overcome, and trodden the wine press alone; even the wine press of
the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God;
33b.
and then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and
the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their
inheritance and be made equal with him.
34.
And then shall the first angel again sound his trump in the ears of
all living, and reveal the secret acts of men, and the mighty works
of God in the first thousandth year.
35a.
And then shall the second angel sound his trump, and reveal the
secret acts of men, and the thoughts and intents of their hearts, and
the mighty works of God in the second thousandth year:
35b.
and so on, until the seventh angel shall sound his trump; and he
shall stand forth upon the land and upon the sea, and swear in the
name of him who sitteth upon the throne, that there shall be time no
longer, and Satan shall be bound, that old serpent, who is called the
Devil, and shall not be loosed for the space of a thousand years.
35c.
And then he shall be loosed for a little season, that he may gather
together his armies; and Michael, the seventh angel, even the
archangel, shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of
heaven.
35d.
And the Devil shall gather together his armies, even the hosts of
hell, and shall come up to battle against Michael and his armies: and
then cometh the battle of the great God!
35e.
And the Devil and his armies shall be cast away into their own place,
that they shall not have power over the saints any more at all; for
Michael shall fight their battles, and shall overcome him who seeketh
the throne of him who sitteth upon the throne, even the Lamb.
35f.
This is the glory of God and the sanctified; and they shall not any
more see death.
36a.
Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, Call your solemn
assembly, as I have commanded you; and as all have not faith, seek ye
diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of
the best books words of wisdom; seek learning even by study, and also
by faith.
36b.
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a
house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith,
a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of
God;
36c.
that your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your
outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations
may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most
High.
37a.
Therefore cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from
all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light- mindedness,
and from all your wicked doings.
37b.
Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at
once, but let one speak at a time, and let all listen unto his
sayings, that when all have spoken, that all may be edified of all,
and that every man may have an equal privilege.
38a.
See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart
one to another as the gospel requires; cease to be idle; cease to be
unclean; cease to find fault one with another;
38b.
cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that
ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may
be invigorated;
38c.
and above all things, clothe yourselves with the bonds of charity, as
with a mantle, which is a bond of perfectness and peace; pray always,
that you may not faint until I come; behold, and lo, I will come
quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.
39a.
And again, the order of the house prepared for the presidency of the
school of the prophets, established for their instruction in all
things that are expedient for them, even for all the officers of the
church,
39b.
or, in other words, those who are called to the ministry in the
church, beginning at the high priests, even down to the deacons; and
this shall be the order of the house of the presidency of the school:
39c.
He that is appointed to be president, or teacher, shall be found
standing in his place, in the house, which shall be prepared for him;
therefore he shall be first in the house of God, in a place that the
congregation in the house may hear his words carefully and
distinctly, not with loud speech.
39d.
And when he cometh into the house of God (for he should be first in
the house; behold, this is beautiful, that he may be an example)
40.
Let him offer himself in prayer upon his knees before God, in token
or remembrance of the everlasting covenant; and when any shall come
in after him, let the teacher arise, and, with uplifted hands to
heaven, yea, even directly, salute his brother or brethren with these
words:
41.
Art thou a brother or brethren, I salute you in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance of the everlasting covenant, in
which covenant I receive you to fellowship, in a determination that
is fixed, immovable, and unchangeable, to be your friend and brother,
through the grace of God, in the bonds of love, to walk in all the
commandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving, for ever and ever.
Amen.
42.
And he that is found unworthy of this salutation shall not have place
among you; for ye shall not suffer that mine house shall be polluted
by them.
43.
And he that cometh in and is faithful before me, and is a brother, or
if they be brethren, they shall salute the president or teacher, with
uplifted hands to heaven, with this same prayer and covenant, or by
saying Amen, in token of the same.
44a.
Behold, verily I say unto you, This is a sample unto you for a
salutation to one another in the house of God, in the school of the
prophets.
44b.
And ye are called to do this by prayer and thanksgiving, as the
Spirit shall give utterance, in all your doings in the house of the
Lord, in the school of the prophets, that it may become a sanctuary,
a tabernacle, of the Holy Spirit to your edification.
45.
And ye shall not receive any among you into this school, save he is
clean from the blood of this generation; and he shall be received by
the ordinance of the washing of feet, for unto this end was the
ordinance of the washing of feet instituted.
46a.
And again, the ordinance of washing feet is to be administered by the
president, or presiding elder of the church.
46b.
It is to be commenced with prayer; and after partaking of bread and
wine, he is to gird himself, according to the pattern given in the
thirteenth chapter of John’s testimony concerning me. Amen.
