2 Hearken, O Ye People

Hearken, O Ye People

Hearken, O Ye People

The early church members were young and few, but they were the servants of the Lord and His messengers. He wanted them to publish His Book of Commandments (and revelations) to the world.

Doctrine and Covenants section 1 is the Lord’s preface to His book. The Doctrine and Covnants is a warning voice  to all “the inhabitants of the earth,” teaching them to repent and establish God’s “everlasting covenant” (verses 4, 8, 22). God has called “the weak and the simple” to bring His Church “out of obscurity and out of darkness” (verses 23, 30).
Hearken, O Ye People
Doctrine and Covenants 1

As you read the Lord’s Preface section 1, look for the themes and purposes the Lord gave for His revelations.

verse 14 Make it a goal and priority this year, as you read the Lord’s book, to learn to hear His voice.

verse 3737 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants

For Kids:

Through His prophets, the Lord warns me of spiritual danger.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 37–39

What kind of warnings have you had from others in the past. (Don’t touch that hot stove; look both ways before you cross the street; air quality warnings; weather alerts; road hazards.

What kinds of warnings does the Lord give us?

How does the Lord warn us in Doctrine and Covenants 1:4, 37–39?

1.      He tells us to search his words in the Doctrine and Covenants, and He tells us that all His prophesies and promises will be fulfilled.

2.      We need to accept the words of the prophets the same as if He spoke them directly to us. It is the same.

The Lord warns us through His prophets. Sometimes he warns us by getting our attention and calling us to repentance. What has He warned us about recently?  

Look for messages with a “warning voice” in recent conference addresses.

Follow the Prophet

The prophet speaks the word of God.

For Kids:

The Restoration helps me face the challenges of the latter days.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:17

Let’s prepare for a trip? What will you pack? If we know it’s going to rain, what should we pack? If we know we’ll get a flat tire, how can we be prepared for that?

Read verse 17 together. What did the Lord know would happen to us in these last days?

17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;

What has the Lord done for us to help us be prepared? How are commandments a safeguard to us? “How do God’s commandments help us deal with the challenges of our time?”

For Kids:

The Lord called Joseph Smith to be a prophet.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 29

What was Joseph Smith’s role in helping to restore the Savior’s gospel? What has Jesus restored to us through his prophet Joseph?

Look for examples in Doctrine and Covenants 1:17, 29: Jospeh Smith was given power according to the mercy of God to translate The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

verse 17 God  “called upon [His} servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven.

For Kids:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s “true and living church.”
Doctrine and Covenants 1:30

What does it mean to say that the Church is “true and living”? It is growing and changing and progressing and it was moden-day prophets with current revelations from God.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:30.

The Lord speaks through His servants, including latter-day prophets.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:4–6, 23–24, 37–39

verses 4–6, 23–24, 38 What do you learn from this revelation about:

• The Lord and His voice—His is a warning voice to all people. He speaks to the world through His latter-day prophets, who testify in all the world. God has the authority to call Him He will, and they have been given the authority to speak His words. D&C 1 is a preface to His book of commandments in these last days.
• Why prophets are needed in our day—Prophets, teachers, missionaries are needed in these last days to proclaim the gospel to all the world.

What do you feel prompted to change or to do? It doesn’t matter how weak or insignificant we may think we are. God has a purpose for us, and we are to invite all to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him. I need to humbly do my part and be thankful for those things I am allotted to do.

verse 38 Have you heard the Lord’s voice through the voice of His servants? When and what?

verses 6, 24, 38 Why was it important for the Doctrine and Covenants to be published in spite of Joseph’s lack of education? The revelations and commandments are directly from God and Christ. The Spirit will testify of their truth with great power, despite the weaknesses of the Lord’s servants.

6 Behold, this is mine authority, and the authority of my servants, and my preface unto the book of my commandments, which I have given them to publish unto you, O inhabitants of the earth.

24 Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding.

Heavenly Father speaks to us with words that we will understand.

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

We can have confidence in the Lord’s work and in His power to testify of His work and His divinity. We need to press forward with faith.

Come, Listen to a Prophet’s Voice

Prophets

The Restoration helps me face the challenges of the latter days.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:12–30, 34–36

List reasons that the Lord restored His Gospel in verses 12–23. (See notes below.)

How are the Lord’s purposes for the Restoration being accomplished?

 verse 17 The Lord knew about the serious challenges that we would face in our day.

17 Wherefore, I the Lord, knowing the calamity which should come upon the inhabitants of the earth, called upon my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., and spake unto him from heaven, and gave him commandments;

What do you find in verses 17–30, 34–36 that helps you feel peace and confidence despite these challenges? (see notes below.)

Embrace the Future with Faith

The Lord uses “the weak and the simple” to accomplish His work.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:19–28

Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:19–28 What Characteristics does the Lord want His servants to have? What is the Lord accomplishing through His servants? How are the prophecies in these verses being fulfilled throughout the world and in your life? (See notes below.)

Video: Proclaimed by the Weak and Simple: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_hwYBk4oHI

Introduction: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/introduction?lang=eng

¶ 1 The purpose of this book is set forth.

“the messages, warnings, and exhortations are for the benefit of all mankind and contain an invitation to all people everywhere to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to them for their temporal well-being and their everlasting salvation.”

¶ 3 This book came from Jesus Christ, not from a translation of ancient prophets.

¶ 3 We can hear the Lord's voice in this book speaking to us who are living now. This book, along with the other scriptures, will help us prepare for the 2nd Coming of the Lord.

¶ 4 Joseph received light and truth from God the Father and Jesus Christ when he was 14 years old.

¶ 5 Early ordinations gave us a restoration of divine authority for man to act in God's name here on earth. The Church was organized on 6 Apr 1930.

¶ 6 “These sacred revelations were received in answer to prayer, in times of need, and came out of real-life situations involving real people.”

¶ 8 These revelations give us understanding of the gospel plan and our place in it.

¶ 8  Memorize: “The testimony that is given of Jesus Christ—His divinity, His majesty, His perfection, His love, and His redeeming power—makes this book of great value to the human family and ‘worth to the Church the riches of the whole Earth.’”

¶ 9 There is continuing revelation, and we are living according to understanding gained.

¶ 10-11 Great care was taken to record the revelatoins and to share them among the saints. Sacrifices were made to publish them and correct errors. Obticles did not stop the work. A mob destroyed the Saint's printing office in Jackson Country, Missouri.

Jospeh and other Church leaders began preparations to publish in Kirtland.

Joseph authorized another edition, which was published four months after his martyrdom.

¶ 12 Do we prize the revletation in The Dotrine adn Covenants as messages from God like the early saints did?

¶ 15 from Testimony of the Twelve: We give this testimony unto the world, the Lord being our helper; and it is through the grace of God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, that we are permitted to have this privilege of bearing this testimony unto the world, in the which we rejoice exceedingly, praying the Lord always that the children of men may be profited thereby.

Look for Jesus Christ. The purpose of the scriptures is to testify of the Savior and His gospel. As you read Doctrine and Covenants 1, consider marking or noting verses that teach you something about Jesus Christ.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/1?lang=eng

Vs 1 Jesus Christ Himself invites the members of the Church and all people who believe on Him to "hearken." He invites us to listen together. Hearken means more than hearing; it also means application.

Vs 2 The Lord is speaking to everyone. We are all invited. He is the One who atoned for us and provided the way for our repentance and return to God. Ultimately, everyone will hear, and see, and know that Jesus is the Christ.

Vs 4-6 We are to hearken to the servants of the Lord. He has called His disciples with His authority and He is the One who gives authority to His service to spread His gospel. This is His book and He has every right to write it; and we have the right to read it, to hear his words, and to know He is our Savior.

Vs 8 The Apostles of Jesus Christ have been given the sealing power.

Vs 11-22 If we choose to hear Him, and desire to hear, and humbly ask God, we'll be able to hear His voice.

He invites us to prepare for what is to come, because He is coming back very soon.

List reasons that the Lord restored His Gospel in verses 12–23.

Vs 11-12 This record was given to us because Jesus is coming back soon and He wants us to know how to prepare.

Vs17-19 The Lord's mission has always been to save us. So this restoration and His book of commandments was given so that His followers can invite all to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him, and be saved.

Read Doctrine and Covenants 1:19–28 What Characteristics does the Lord want His servants to have?

Vs 19 The Lord wants his servants to be humble and meek, so that they can do His works with power.

Vs 20 Jesus wants us all to be prophets and teachers that speak with power in His name.

Vs 21-23 Jesus wants all of us to hear His voice and be converted to His gospel and to speak in His name, to make covenants and be endowed with power from on High.

If we are faithful and invited others to come unto Him, faith, light and truth will increase throughout the world.

Jesus wants us to help establish His everlasting covenant. He will use us, in our humility, with our weakness, and our frailties to proclaim His gospel throughout the world.

Vs 24 Jesus again tells us that these words are God's; He has spoken it. It stands. Jesus condescends to us. He will teach us in our language in a way that we will understand.

Vs 25-28 Jesus has given us these words so we know what is right. If we erred, we can correct our knowledge adn behavior. We can be instructed in righteousness and come to understanding. We can can discipline, endure chastisement, and repent. If we are humble, we will be made strong and blessed with power from on high, and we will receive revelation according to the Lord's desires for us.

Vs 29-30 Vs 29-30 Power through the mercy of God was given to Joseph to translate the Book of Mormon. Power was given to Church leaders to lay the foundation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it has risen out of obscurity and darkenss.

The Lord is collectively pleased with His Church. Individually, we can all do better.

Vs 31-33 The Lord has always provided a way for us to repent and be forgiven.

Vs 34-36 The Lord has been warning us for a long time. There is so much evil in the world; but, Jesus loves us all and invites us to follow Him. He invites us all. He will protect His saints and reign in our midst.

Memorize: vs 37-39

37 Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

38 What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.

39 For behold, and lo, the Lord is God, and the Spirit beareth record, and the record is true, and the truth abideth forever and ever. Amen.

What do you find in verses 17–30, 34–36 that helps you feel peace and confidence despite these challenges? What is the Lord accomplishing through His servants? How are the prophecies in these verses being fulfilled throughout the world and in your life?