Knowing the Calamity

One of my favorite verses of scripture is in the middle of the Lord’s preface to the Doctrine and Covenants. The section opens with a sobering description of the divine consequences coming upon the wicked in the last days, including how the “wrath of God shall be poured out upon the wicked without measure” and how “the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth” and how “Babylon the great… shall fall.” After these descriptions intended to have us “fear and tremble,” the Lord declared what He has done to prepare us against these great difficulties: “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; And also gave commandments to others” (Doctrine and Covenants 1:7,9,13,16-17). That is the antidote for the great challenges of the last days—He has called a prophet to declare unto us His word and teach us how to be the Lord’s covenant people and receive His divine protection. How grateful I am that the Lord called the Prophet Joseph Smith and spake unto him from heaven!

                This verse declaring the Joseph Smith’s calling is a hinge point in this revelation, and as my gospel doctrine teacher pointed out this Sunday, the subsequent verses give multiple descriptions of why Joseph was called and the blessings which come because of it (in sharp contrast to the preceding verses describing the calamities of the last days). Six statements follow which begin with the word that to indicate they are the desired consequences of Joseph’s calling: 

·         “That that they should proclaim these things unto the world” (v18).

·         “That it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh” (v19).

·         “That every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world” (v20).

·         “That faith also might increase in the earth” (v21).

·         “That mine everlasting covenant might be established” (v22).

·         “That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers” (v23).

So if we ask the question, “Why did God call a prophet in our days?” then we have His answer right here. What is clear in these descriptions is that Joseph’s calling was for the benefit of all mankind: he was called so the gospel could be taken “unto the world” and be proclaimed “unto the ends of the world”; he was called so that every person could come to speak in the name of the Savior, coming to know Him; he was called so that faith in Jesus Christ could increase in the earth; he was called so that God’s covenant could be established and we could come to trust in Him and not the arm of flesh. The Church was not set up in these last days in order to glorify Joseph Smith but rather that he as a “weak thing of the world” could, with so many others called, declare the gospel of repentance to all the world so they could be spiritually prepared for the calamities coming upon the earth in these last days. The purpose of prophets is to help each of us individually exercise our faith in Jesus Christ and learn to speak and act in His name. How blessed we are that despite the great challenges of these last days, we have through those called by Him the everlasting covenant allowing us access to His ordinances and saving power.