Relevant Revelation

I think it is important to understand the historical context of D&C 138, the great revelation given to President Joseph F. Smith given in October 1918.  The revelation focuses on what will happen in the spirit world to those who have died, and if there was ever a time when death was on the minds of people it was certainly then.  World War I was about to be over after claiming the lives of 16 million people.  The influenza epidemic was also raging at this time, claiming more than 50 million people with 195,000 Americans dying the month it was given.  There was also a lot of death in his own family.  His eldest son Hyrum Mack Smith died in January of that year, and previous to that he buried his wife and eleven other children.  So certainly if there was someone who had reason to be interested in what happened to those who had died, he was it.  At this moment with death raging all over the world and ringing in the mind of Joseph F. Smith, the Lord chose to reveal more to us about how the gospel is preached in the Spirit World.  I think this shows, among other things, that revelation comes to those who earnestly seek and in answer to perplexing real problems and issues.  The Lord’s messages most often come to those are seeking understanding about the challenges of their own life.  The skeptic would of course argue that these relevant revelations are just the “effect of a frenzied mind” which has fabricated answers, but those with faith understand that the Lord wants reveal to us those things that will help us in the reality of our own lives. 

                This is, I think, what we see all throughout the Doctrine and Covenants.  These were not revelations given to curious people who sought to establish a theoretically sound theological framework under which to construct a religion.  No, the revelations provided much needed practical guidance in difficult situations.  D&C 103 was given to Joseph in the midst of the Missouri crisis so that he would “know how to act in the discharge of [his] duties concerning the salvation and redemption of [his] brethren” (D&C 103:1).  As the Saints headed from Nauvoo to the West, Brigham Young received revelation from the Lord to know “the Word and Will of the Lord concerning the Camp of Israel” as he sought to lead them (D&C 136:1).  The Lord taught Joseph about trials and their purpose as he pled with God from Liberty Jail concerning the difficult situation they were in (see D&C 121-122).  When there were vacancies in the Twelve caused in large part from the apostasies and difficult situations in Missouri, Joseph pled with the Lord, “Show us they will, O Lord, concerning the Twelve” and the he received the instruction he needed (see D&C 118).  When there were problems in the Church related to the fact that “some of the elders did not understand the manifestations of different spirits,” the Lord taught them about real revelation (see D&C 50).

                There are many other examples that we could give from the Doctrine and Covenants.  Nearly all the revelations were given to either answer questions or give what the Saints needed to hear at that time.  The message I think for us is that as we have various challenges and problems to face and overcome, we should be encouraged by the fact that the Lord wants to give us relevant revelation to guide our lives and help us overcome the difficulties that surround us.