November 02, 2025

D & C 129 - 132 My House is a House of Order and Not a House of Confusion

1 hour 21 minutes

Revelation Dates: February 1843 – July 1843

Revelation Places: Nauvoo, Illinois

Section 129 - Historical Background: One of the saints in England, converted by Heber C. Kimball, was a faithful man named William Clayton. Three years after his baptism, Clayton moved his family from England to Nauvoo and in 1842 became a secretary and scribe to the Prophet Joseph. Over the next two years, William Clayton was present and recorded significant revelations, instructions and sermons given by Joseph, including the following three sections of inspired instruction.

Recap: There are two kinds of beings in heaven: resurrected beings and spirits of the righteous. If God sends you a messenger, ask to shake his hand. If he is a resurrected being, he will do so and you will feel his hand. If he is a righteous spirit, he will not shake your hand but will simply deliver the message. If he is an angel of Satan, he will try to deceive you by attempting to shake your hand but you will feel nothing.

Section 130 - Historical Background: Orson Hyde gave a talk at a meeting attended by Joseph Smith. Afterwards, Joseph made some corrections to the talk and answered questions from the group. Several brethren, including Wilford Woodruff, took extensive notes which became section 130.

Recap: Jesus is a distinct, glorious personage. Angels reside with God the Father on a globe like a sea of glass. Those who will reside with God will be given a new name. The timing of the return of Christ is not given. A person will have an advantage in the next life by gaining more intelligence and knowledge in mortality. When we receive blessings, it is because of obedience to that law pertaining to that blessing. The Godhead is described.

Section 131 - Historical Background: A small group of people went with Joseph to Ramus, Illinois and a discussion with the Prophet was held. The apostles carefully recorded these notes of gospel gems which became section 131.

Recap: In the celestial kingdom there are 3 degrees. To obtain the highest degree, one must enter into the everlasting covenant of marriage, for time and all eternity. To receive your calling and election sure, it will be by revelation and sealed through the priesthood. One cannot be saved in ignorance. Spiritual matter is tangible, but too refined to see it.

Section 132 - Historical Background: Joseph Smith learned the doctrine of plural marriage gradually. He first became acquainted with it early in his prophetic career as he translated the gold plates. Under the reign of Lehi’s son Jacob, the people began to practice polygamy, justifying their immoral behavior on prophets of old, such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and Soloman. Here, the Lord declared polygamy as a sin unless the Lord had commanded it. As early as 1831, while Joseph was revising the Old Testament, he again came across the accounts of ancient prophets being commanded to practice polygamy. Joseph asked the Lord about it. What he received was such a shock that Joseph didn’t dare record it. The most frightening part was the declaration that Joseph himself would be called upon to introduce this doctrine to the whole church. Joseph carried this burden for over a decade, when on July 12, 1843, at the request of his brother Hyrum, Joseph finally dictated the revelation, known today as section 132. Through the years, this revelation had haunted Joseph Smith. Even after dictating the revelation, it wasn’t made public until after Joseph’s martyrdom 11 months later. It was finally published to the saints in 1852.

Recap: “Thus sayeth the Lord”, a new and everlasting covenant of eternal marriage must be accepted to achieve exaltation. This new covenant must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, as it must for all covenants entered into through priesthood keys and proper authority. Any covenant not made properly will have no effect after death. Thus the Lord’s house is a house of order, not of confusion. When marriage is performed under the laws of men it will end at death, and those people will remain single and becoem angels; whereas celestial marriage performed under the laws of God will remain in effect for time and eternity, and those people will continue to increase and progress to godhood.

The plurality of wives is forbidden unless God commands it, as He did in ancient times to Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and David. Because God commanded it, there was no condemnation. Joseph Smith is also commanded of God to introduce plural marriage into this, the last dispensation. Emma is commanded to accept this law and consent. The same abides for all who are commanded to enter plural marriage, that the first wife must give consent.

Note: Emma did consent to obey the "law of Sarah," but only temporarily. Joseph was sealed to a number of wives, however there is no record of any children resulting from these sealings. Nevertheless, Joseph’s example opened the door to the patriarchal order of matrimony under the Lord's strict conditions. Only 5% of the saints were permitted to live the law of plural marriage, yet the entire church suffered the avalanche of new persecution. Following the supreme court of the United States' decision declaring the practice of polygamy illegal, the prophet Wilford Woodruff sought the Lord for direction. In 1890, the Lord released the church from further efforts to extend the number of plural marriages in the future. The sacrifice, persecutions and suffering of the members had been sufficient, just as Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son Isaac was sufficient.

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