Oliver, John, and Peter

I think there is an interesting relationship between D&C 6 and D&C 7.  Section 6 is a revelation to Oliver and contains many invitations for him to serve the Lord.  He is invited, promised, and instructed in this way:

1.       “If you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you” (v5)

2.       “Keep my commandments, and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion” (v6)

3.       “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you” (v7)

4.       “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” (v8)

5.       “If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God” (v13)

6.       “Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest thy thoughts and the intents of thy heart” (v16)

7.       “I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (v21)

8.       “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” (v26)

9.       “And even if they do unto you even as they have done unto me, blessed are ye, for you shall dwell with me in glory” (v30)

All of these comments from the Lord seem to relate to what we see in the very next section about John and Peter and their desires that the Lord granted them. 

This section was given right around the same time and to Oliver and Joseph.  Here’s how I see a connection:

1.       John asked for “power over death” and it was granted him; he asked and received, just as Oliver was told

2.       John here seems to be the ultimate example of someone who sought to “bring forth and establish the cause of Zion.”  He wanted to spend not just one lifetime but thousands of years to “bring souls” unto Christ, the real cause of Zion

3.       John was one who certainly did not seek for riches—instead of going to the “mansions of the Father” as the Savior had promised him was prepared for him, he chose to stay on earth to spread the gospel, and surely that service has brought him incredible wisdom and a knowledge of all the  mysteries of God

4.       Again, John desired to do good and the Lord granted it, just as Oliver was promised

5.       We see in the words to Peter that he having been one who did good and held out faithful to the end was promised to come “speedily” to the kingdom of God

6.       The fact that the Lord asked John at all what he desired shows that He knew His thoughts.  The Savior also recognized that something was bothering Peter without, as far as we can tell, Peter explicitly voicing his concern.  Just as Christ knew Oliver’s thoughts, He knew those of His apostles

7.       This is a direct quote from John’s words in John 1:5

8.       Oliver is told that there are many records that have been kept back.  What happens in the next chapter?  He and Joseph are given the translation of a record that has been kept back that contained this account of John and Peter

9.       While John chose to live and serve until the Second Coming, Peter was ultimately killed because of his service, and if the account is to be believed, he was crucified upside down.  So he was certainly one for which we can say that they did unto him as they did unto the Savior.  I believe that Oliver was supposed to be there in Carthage with Joseph, and he like Peter would have had the privilege of giving his life literally to the Savior if he had remained faithful.