Why Have Scriptures Been Kept Back?
A Meditation on D&C 6
The Lord introduced a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery at Harmony, Pennsylvania in April, 1829 by declaring that a great and marvelous work is about to come forth unto the children of men. (D&C 6:1)
It is customary in the Church to define this “great and marvelous work” as the foundations of the Restoration and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Although the foundations of the Restoration and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon are indeed great and marvelous, in my opinion, the Lord’s great and marvelous work described in the scriptures has yet to begin (or is just beginning). (see also here)
Nephi witnessed this great and marvelous work in vision:
For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other—either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken. (1 Nephi 14:7)
It is the same great and marvelous work that Isaiah saw in vision and foretold:
Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. (Isaiah 29:14)
Nephi tells us more about this great and marvelous work later in the first part of his book:
And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders. (1 Nephi 22:8)
And in his second part of his book:
Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. (2 Nephi 27:26)
But behold, there shall be many—at that day when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are of the house of Israel;
And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel; (2 Nephi 29:1-2)
The Lord’s great and marvelous work has hardly begun:
And by your hands I will work a marvelous work among the children of men, unto the convincing of many of their sins, that they may come unto repentance, and that they may come unto the kingdom of my Father. (D&C 18:44)
The Lord’s revelation to Oliver (and to us) is similar to the Lord’s revelation to Joseph Smith, Sr., the Prophet’s father. In essence, Oliver, and anyone else who desires to serve God and to thrust in his sickle and reap is called to the work. Anyone who desires to serve God and meet the Lord’s requirements is called to the work. Anyone who sincerely asks, seeks, and knocks will receive, find, and open. Oliver asked, sought, and knocked. He wanted to know what to do, and how best to serve the Lord. The Lord replied as He might reply to each one of us who has similar desires:
Now, as you have asked, behold, I say unto you, keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion;
Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, even as you desire of me so it shall be unto you; and if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation.
Say nothing but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed. (D&C 6:6-9)
As He always does, the Lord blessed his servants with spiritual gifts in order to accomplish His work as instruments in His hands. Oliver received the gift of Aaron, or the ability to work with the divining rod. He received the gift of revelation and the gift to translate. The Lord instructed Oliver to exercise and develop these gifts:
And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways. (D&C 6:11)
It is instructive that the purpose of Oliver’s gift of revelation wasn’t merely to discover mysteries, but that through these discoveries he might bring many to the knowledge of the truth and convince them of the error of their ways. The Lord’s purpose is always the salvation of souls. His work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39) Thus the Lord’s revelations are never bestowed merely to satisfy curiosity or to aggrandize the inquirer but to lead souls unto repentance:
Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing—unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance. (Alma 26:22)
For his faith, his righteous desires, and his inquiry, the Lord blessed Oliver and promised him the greatest gift:
If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation. (D&C 6:13)
Again, the purpose of all spiritual gifts, whether the gift of Aaron, the gift of revelation, the gift of translation, or any of the spiritual gifts, is to lead souls unto the greatest gift: salvation and eternal life.
The Lord not only blessed and enlightened Oliver Cowdery, but He made sure that Oliver Cowdery understood that he had been blessed and enlightened by the Spirit of Truth. Furthermore, the Lord confirmed to Oliver that He had heard and answered his prayers. The Lord provided Oliver with the witness that he sought, admonishing him to stand by His servant Joseph and offering him counsel, guidance, and blessings. The Lord also revealed Himself to Oliver Cowdery:
Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. (D&C 6:21)
This particular revelation came through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Urim and Thummim, but the Lord also taught Oliver how to discern true revelation, and how the Lord had already responded to his sincere petitions and inquiry:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
And now, behold, you have received a witness; for if I have told you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness? (D&C 6:22-24)
The Lord answers our prayers in many ways, and speaking peace to our minds is one of those ways:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
I recognize this as an answer to my own prayers, for which I thank Heavenly Father, as I, like Oliver Cowdery, seek to understand the many ways that the Lord speaks to me.
The Lord then granted Oliver the gift of translation and informed him of the reasons why sacred records had been held back. As much as I love the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, I too have wondered about the reasons why the Lord has kept back other sacred records from His people, including lost books, the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon, the brass plates, etc. The answer that I have received thus far is that such records will come forth in the own due time of the Lord, and that the Lord’s response to Oliver Cowdery applies to us as well:
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that there are records which contain much of my gospel, which have been kept back because of the wickedness of the people;
And now I command you, that if you have good desires—a desire to lay up treasures for yourself in heaven—then shall you assist in bringing to light, with your gift, those parts of my scriptures which have been hidden because of iniquity. (D&C 6:26-27)
God has yet to reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God. The greater portion of the scriptures will be a great gift to the penitent, even as the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price were and are great gifts to the early saints and to us.
The Lord bestowed upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the keys of the gift of bringing to light ancient and hidden scripture. I sincerely wonder where those keys are now, whether or not they are being used, and why or why not.
The Lord promised Joseph Smith and Oliver that He would establish His word by witnesses and He encouraged them not to worry about how the world receives those witnesses. He counseled them to leave the results in His hands. The Lord promised to be with His disciples where two or three are gathered together in His name, as touching one thing. I take this to mean that the Lord is in our midst whenever we gather together in His name and are united in purpose and prayer. This is a beautiful promise.
The Lord’s final encouragement and counsel in this particular revelation to Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith cheers our own souls too:
Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.
Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.
Behold, I do not condemn you; go your ways and sin no more; perform with soberness the work which I have commanded you.
Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.
Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. Amen. (D&C 6:33-37)