shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man, which dreameth, and behold he eateth, but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man, which dreameth, and behold he drinketh, but he awaketh, and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion : 4. For behold, all ye that do iniquity, stay yourselves and wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken, but not with wine, ye shall stagger, but not with strong drink : 5. For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep. For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he covered because of your iniquity. 6. And it shall come to pass, that the Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered. 7. And behold the book shall be dsealed: and in the book shall be a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ending thereof. 8. Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the wickedness and abominations of the people. Wherefore the book shall be kept from them. 9. But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who have slumbered in the dust; and he shall deliver these words unto another; 10. But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither shall he deliver the book. For the book shall be sealed by the power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept in the book until the own 'due time of the Lord, that they may come forth for behold, they reveal all things from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof. 11. And the day cometh that the words of the book which were sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read by the power of Christ: and all things shall be revealed unto the children of men which ever have been among the children of men, and which ever will be, even unto the end of the earth. 12. Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto the 'man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it be that "three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the c, I. Nep. 13: 34, 35, 39-42. II. Nep. 3: 6-23. 26: 16, 17. 29: 11. Enos 1: 13-18. Mor. 5: 12, 13. 8: 14-16, 25-32. d, Isa. 29: 11. e, Ether 4: 1–7. f, Ether 4: 6, 7. g, Joseph Smith, Jr. h, Martin i, Ether 4: 7, 15. j, Ether 4: 15. k, Ether 4: 6, 7, 13—17. 7, Joseph Smith, Jr. m, see c, 11. Nep. 11. Harris. book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth of the book and the things therein. 13. And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a "few according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men: for the Lord God hath said, That the words of the faithful should speak as if it were from the 'dead. 14. Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him good, will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that rejecteth the word of God. 15. But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say unto "him to whom he shall deliver the book, Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may shew them tunto the learned, saying, "Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say, Bring hither the book, and I will read them: 16. And now, because of the glory of the world, and to get gain will they say this, and not for the glory of God. 17. And the man shall say, I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. 18. Then shall the learned say, I cannot read it. 19. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will deliver again the book and the words thereof to "him that is not learned; and the man that is not learned shall say, I am not learned. 20. Then shall the Lord God say unto him, The learned shall not read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give unto thee. 21. Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them forth in mine own due time: for I will shew unto the children of men that I am able to do mine own work. 22. Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have commanded thee, and obtained the "witnesses which I have promised unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read, until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom, "to reveal all things unto the children of men. 23. For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles: and I will shew unto the world that I am the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and I work not among the children of men, save it be according to their faith. 24. And again it shall come to pass, that the Lord shall 26: 16, 17. 27: 6. 33: n, Book of Mor. p. v. o, II. Nep. 3: 19, 20. 13-15. Mor. 9: 30. Moro. 10: 27. Isa. 29: 4. P, see c, 11. Nep. 11. q, II. Nep. 28: 29, 30. 33: 13-15. Ether 4: 8. r, Joseph Smith, Jr. 8, Martin Harris. t, Prof. Anthon of New York city. u, Isa. 29: 11. v, Joseph Smith, Jr. w, Ether 5: 1. 2, see c, II. Nep. 11. y, II. Nep. 27:7, 8. Ether 4: 6, 7. say unto him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him, 25. 2aForasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts of men, 26. Therefore, I will proceed to 2'do a marvellous work among this people, yea, a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid. 27. And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord. And their works are in the dark; and they say, Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? And they also say, Surely, your turning of things upside down. shall be esteemed as the potter's clay. But behold, I wil. shew unto them, saith the Lord of Hosts, that I know al their works. For shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it,' He had no understanding? 28. But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts, I will shew unto the children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest. 29. 2cAnd in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness, 30. And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. 31. 2d For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off; 32. And they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of naught. 33. Therefore thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale. not now 34. But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel. 35. They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine. z, Joseph Smith, Jr. 2a, Isa. 29: 13-24. 2b, see i, II. Nep. 25. 2c, see c. 2d, see j, I. Nep. 22. 2e, see e, I. Nep. 15. 2f, 1. Nep. 13: 35-38. 14:1-3. CHAPTER 28. 1. AND now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you, according as the Spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know that they must surely come to pass. 2. The things which shall be written out of the "book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel. 3. For it shall come to pass in that day, that the 'churches which are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto the other, Behold I, I am the Lord's; and the others shall say, I, I am the Lord's. And thus shall every one say that hath built up churches, and not unto the Lord; 4. And they shall contend one with another; and their priests shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance. 5. And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and they say unto the people, Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is no God to-day, for the Lord and the Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto men. 6. Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say, There is a miracle wrought, by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work. 7. Yea, and there shall be many which shall say, Eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die; and it shall be well with us. 8. And there shall also be many which shall say, Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God, he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbour; there is no harm in this. And do all these things, for to-morrow we die and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God. 9. Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this manner, false, and vain, and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark; 10. And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against them. 11. Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become corrupted. 12. Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up. 13. They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the meek, and the poor in heart; because in their pride they are puffed up. 14. They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have all gone astray, save it be a few, who are the humble followers of Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they do err, because they are taught by the precepts of men. 15. O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the right way of the Lord; iwo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell. 16. Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught and revile against that which is good, and say, That is of no worth; for the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are fully ripe in iniquity, they shall perish. 17. But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of their wickedness and abominations, they shall not be destroyed, saith the Lord of Hosts. 18. But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of all the earth, must 'tumble to the earth, and great must be the fall thereof; 19. For the kingdom of the devil "must shake, and they which belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be stirred up to anger, and perish; 20. For behold, at that day shall he "rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good; 21. And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say, All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well; and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell. 22. And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth 9, see q, II. Nep. 26. h, II. Nep. 27: 35. i, 1. Nep. 22: 23. II. Nep. 26: 20-22, 32. Alma 39: 5. III. Nep. 29: 4-9. Mor. 8:41. 9: 26. j, II. Ether 2:8-11. Mor. 8: 41. 1, 1. Nep. II. Nep. 28:7-14. Mor. 8:31. Nep. 27:32. k, I. Nep. 22:16-23. 14: 3, 4, 6, 7, 15-17. See k, I. Nep. 14. m, 1. Nep. 22: 22, 23. |