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Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 [D&C 88:1–126]

Source Note

Revelation, [, OH], 27–[28] Dec. 1832. Featured version copied [between 22 Jan. and ca. 27 Feb. 1833] in Revelation Book 2, pp. 33–46; handwriting of ; CHL. Includes redactions. For more complete source information, see the source note for Revelation Book 2.

Historical Introduction

JS dictated a lengthy revelation at a of in , Ohio, on 27–28 December 1832. The revelation’s heading, which was probably provided by , states that the revelation was addressed to the “first ” of the church. The text of the revelation describes its audience as those who had congregated at the conference in Kirtland “to receive his [God’s] will concerning you.” Although in later years the term “first Elders” generally referred to the leading elders of the church, here it appears to have a less hierarchical meaning, equating the elders to whom the revelation was addressed with “the first Elders labourers, in this last kingdom” who were referenced in a parable presented in this revelation. A later JS history emphasizes that the revelation came two days after a revelation describing an outbreak of wars and slave rebellions that would precede Christ’s second coming.
JS called this revelation “the Olieve leaf which we have plucked from the tree of Paradise” and “the Lords message of peace to us.” Perhaps JS described the revelation in this way because it offset the stark apocalyptic imagery of the 25 December revelation or perhaps because he saw its messages regarding the conduct of church members and the need for unity as a way to heal ongoing difficulties with church leaders. Like the 25 December prophecy of war, the 27–28 December revelation discusses eschatological events, but interspersed throughout the revelation are explanations of the requirements to enter the , , and in the life to come and an exposition on light and its relation to Jesus Christ.
Much like the first chapter of the book of John (which JS revised in late 1831 or early 1832 as part of his Bible revision), the first part of this revelation connects Christ with light and the creative process. This explanation expanded on ideas expressed in earlier revelations. Revelations in 1829, for example, generally used the concept of light to represent Jesus Christ. By 1831, revelations were also using light as a metaphor for the gospel and as a more abstract representation of truth and knowledge. The 27–28 December revelation brings such ideas together by explaining that Christ’s light, which the revelation defines as truth and knowledge, is in all things, is the power by which they were created, and is the law governing them. Such concepts were not entirely novel; in the 1700s, Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, for example, argued that “the light which proceeds from the Lord as a sun is Divine Truth, from which the angels derive all their wisdom and intelligence,” but this revelation goes further in its connection of light to the creative and governing processes.
While it explored theological themes, the revelation also issued concrete directives, instructing the elders to sanctify themselves at a “solemn assembly,” to construct a , and to be taught there in both spiritual and temporal matters before embarking on their missions to the “for the last time.” These instructions came in response to specific prayers that God show “his will . . . concerning the upbuilding of ,” which suggests that the revelation would apply only to church members in . Saints in , Ohio, however, took the direction as a call to action. Just two weeks after JS dictated this revelation, he informed church leaders in Missouri that the revelation provided a from God “to build an house of God, & establish a school for the Prophets” in Kirtland. Regarding the direction as “the word of the Lord to us,” JS and the Saints in Kirtland promptly began to organize the “.” A revelation dictated less than a week after the 27–28 December revelation, which would later become associated with it, provided more instructions on establishing the school. Over the next several months, church leaders in Kirtland took steps to construct a for “the Elders who should come in to receive ther education for the ministry” and broke ground for the building they called the .
Many Saints focused more on the revelation’s immediate directives than on its metaphysical aspects. , for example, wrote in his journal that the revelation instructed “the first labourers in this last vinyard” to “call a sollem assembly” where they could “sanctify themselves & wash their hands & feet for a testimony” against an unbelieving generation. He also highlighted the revelation’s requirement to “appoint a teacher among” the elders so that they could obtain “knowledge of countries & languages.” Nowhere in his journal did Samuel Smith refer to the eschatology of the revelation or its other doctrinal points. Likewise, when printed part of the revelation in the February 1833 issue of The Evening and the Morning Star, he chose portions explaining the and the construction of the .
As the note at the end of the inscription indicates, wrote this revelation as JS dictated it. The original manuscript is not extant; Williams copied the revelation into Revelation Book 2, probably between late January and late February 1833. Soon after dictating the revelation, JS transmitted it to the Saints in by enclosing a copy of the text in a letter to , explaining that its contents showed “that the Lord approves of us & has accepted us, & established his name in for the salvation of the nations.” This revelation was first published in its entirety on a broadside in late 1833 or early 1834. It was later combined and printed with the revelation of 3 January 1833.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    For additional information on this conference, see Minutes, 27–28 Dec. 1832.

  2. [2]

    See, for example, Revelation, 22 June 1834, in Revelation Book 2, p. 97 [D&C 105:7]; and JS, Journal, 5 Oct. 1835.

  3. [3]

    JS History, vol. A-1, 245; Revelation, 25 Dec. 1832 [D&C 87].

  4. [4]

    Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.

  5. [5]

    For more information on these kingdoms, see Vision, 16 Feb. 1832 [D&C 76].

  6. [6]

    Faulring et al., Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible, 69.

    Faulring, Scott H., Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews, eds. Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2004.

  7. [7]

    See Revelation, Apr. 1829–A [D&C 6:21]; Revelation, Spring 1829 [D&C 10:58]; and Revelation, June 1829–A [D&C 14:9].

  8. [8]

    See Revelation, ca. 7 Mar. 1831 [D&C 45:28]; Revelation, 9 May 1831 [D&C 50:24]; Answers to Questions, between ca. 4 and ca. 20 Mar. 1832 [D&C 77:4]; and Revelation, 22–23 Sept. 1832 [D&C 84:45–46].

  9. [9]

    Miscellaneous Theological Works, 148, 154–155; Bushman, Rough Stone Rolling, 206–207.

    Miscellaneous Theological Works of Emanuel Swedenborg, Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Volume the First. New York: American Swedenborg Printing and Publishing Society, 1892.

    Bushman, Richard Lyman. Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling. With the assistance of Jed Woodworth. New York: Knopf, 2005.

  10. [10]

    Minutes, 27–28 Dec. 1832.

  11. [11]

    Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.

  12. [12]

    Revelation, 3 Jan. 1833 [D&C 88:127–137].

  13. [13]

    Minute Book 1, 4 May 1833; see also Revelation, 8 Mar. 1833 [D&C 90:13–15]. Apparently, the Saints did not act quickly enough: a June 1833 revelation condemned them for not having begun construction. Site location and groundbreaking occurred soon thereafter. The House of the Lord was completed and dedicated in March 1836. (Revelation, 1 June 1833 [D&C 95:3, 8, 13–17]; Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1844–1845, bk. 14, [1]–[2]; JS, Journal, 27, 29, 30, and 31 Mar. 1836

  14. [14]

    Samuel Smith, Diary, Dec. 1832.

    Smith, Samuel. Diary, Feb. 1832–May 1833. CHL. MS 4213.

  15. [15]

    The phrase “solemn assembly” is found a number of times in the Old Testament, usually referring to a gathering of elders in a spirit of fasting and prayer. (See, for example, Joel 1:14; and 2:15.)

  16. [16]

    “Revelation,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Feb. 1833, [5].

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  17. [17]

    Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.

  18. [18]

    Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together, [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834], copy at CHL [D&C 88–89]. A portion of the revelation was published earlier, in The Evening and the Morning Star. (“Revelation,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Feb. 1833, [5].)

    Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, who have assembled yourselves together [D&C 88–89]. [Kirtland, OH: ca. Jan. 1834]. Copy at BYU.

    The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.

  19. [19]

    Revelation, 27–28 Dec. 1832 and 3 Jan. 1833, in Doctrine and Covenants 7, 1835 ed. [D&C 88].

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 [D&C 88:1–126] Revelation Book 2 Revelation, 27–28 December 1832, Extract, as Recorded in Gilbert, Notebook [D&C 88:1–124] Revelation Book 1 Revelations printed in The Evening and the Morning Star, June 1832–June 1833 Revelation, 27–28 December 1832, Extract, Unidentified Scribe Copy [D&C 88:1–51] Revelation, 27–28 December 1832, Broadsheet [D&C 88:1–126] Doctrine and Covenants, 1835 Revelations printed in Evening and Morning Star, January 1835–June 1836 History, 1838–1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805–30 August 1834] Doctrine and Covenants, 1844 “History of Joseph Smith” “History of Joseph Smith”

Page 40

become single to God, The days come, that you shall see him, for he will, unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according, to his own will; Remember the last promise which I gave unto you, cast away your idle thoughts, and your excess of Laughter, far from you; tarry ye, tarry ye in this place, and call a , even <​of​> those, who are the first Elders labourers, in this last kingdom, and let those, whom they have warned, in there travling, call on the Lord and ponder, the warning in there hearts; which they have received, for a little season, behold and lo I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up , and send unto them, behold I will hasten my work, in its time, and I give unto you, who are the first labourers, in this last kingdom, a , that you assembl yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselvs yea purify yourselves, hearts, and clean your hands, and your feet, before me, that I may make you clean, that I may testify unto your father, and your God, and my God, that you, are clean, from the blood of this, wicked generation, that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will, also I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall continue in prayer, and fasting, from this time forth; and I give unto you a commandment, that you shall teach one another, the doctrines, of the kingdom, teach ye diligently, and my [p. 40]
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Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Revelation, 27–28 December 1832 [D&C 88:1–126]
ID #
2960
Total Pages
14
Print Volume Location
JSP, D2:334–346
Handwriting on This Page
  • Frederick G. Williams

Footnotes

  1. [28]

    A November 1831 revelation also promised that if those who had “been ordained unto the ministry” would rid themselves of “Jealesies & fears” and be humble, they would see God and know that he is. Upon sending this December 1832 revelation to Missouri members in early January 1833, JS stated that the Lord had “promised us great things, yea even a visit from the heavens to honor us with his own presence.” (Revelation, ca. 2 Nov. 1831 [D&C 67:10]; Letter to William W. Phelps, 11 Jan. 1833.)

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