Why Should We Hearken to the Voice of the Lord?

My Come Follow Me studies for this week took me to Doctrine and Covenants 1 in a lesson titled “Hearken, O Ye People.” The lesson was introduced by the following information. 

In November 1831, the restored Church of Jesus Christ was just a year and a half old. Though growing, it was still a little-known group of believers living in relatively small towns, led by a prophet in his mid-twenties. But God considered these believers to be His servants and His messengers, and He wanted the revelations He had given them to be published to the world.

Doctrine and Covenants section 1 is the Lord’s preface, or introduction, to these revelations. It clearly shows that even though the membership of the Church was small, there was nothing small about the message God wanted His Saints to share. It is a “voice of warning” for all “the inhabitants of the earth,” teaching them to repent and establish God’s “everlasting covenant” (verses 4, 8, 22). The servants carrying this message are “the weak and the simple.” But humble servants are just what God calls for – then and now – to bring His Church “out of obscurity and out of darkness” (verses 23, 30).

The lesson included the following principles: (1) “Hearken, O ye people” (Doctrine and Covenants 1), (2) The Lord speaks through His servants, including latter-day prophets (Doctrine and Covenants 1:4-6, 23-24, 37-39), (3) The Lord uses “the weak and the simple” to accomplish His work (Doctrine and Covenants 1:19-28), and (4) The Restoration helps me face the challenges of the latter days (Doctrine and Covenants 1:12-30, 34-36). I feel prompted to discuss the last principle.

In Doctrine and Covenants section 1, the Lord explains why He restored His gospel. How many reasons can you find in verses 12-23.

12 Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh;

13 And the anger of the Lord is kindled, and his sword is bathed in heaven, and it shall fall upon the inhabitants of the earth.

14 And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people;

15 For they have strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine everlasting covenant;

16 They seek not the Lord to establish his righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and after the image of his own god, whose image is in the likeness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol, which waxeth old and shall perish in Babylon, even Babylon the great, which shall fall.

17 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;

18 And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—

19 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—

20 But that every man might speak in the name of God the Lord, even the Savior of the world;

21 That faith also might increase in the earth;

22 That mine everlasting covenant might be established;

23 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.

The first reason that I see is that Heavenly Father loves all His children, and He wants all of them to return to His presence. He knows and understands that no one can return to His presence without listening to His prophets and apostles, keeping His commandments, receiving His ordinances, and making covenants with Him.

Heavenly Father accepts those people who repent and come unto Him and His Son Jesus Christ. Then They send some of the people who accept the gospel out to share it with those who have not heard it. God gathers His children one by one individual and one by one family.

Another reason for God giving this warning is that He knew that our day would have serious challenges (see verse 17). He wants all of us to increase our faith in Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and make covenants with God.

President Russell M. Nelson used the example of Captain Moroni, commander of the Nephite armies, who “faced opposing forces that were stronger, greater in number, and meaner.” Knowing that his armies were disadvantaged, he prepared his people in three essential ways. (See “Embrace the Future with Faith,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2020, 73-76,for more information.)  

First, he helped them create areas where they would be safe – “places of security” he called them. (See Alma 29:5; 50:4.) Second, he prepared “the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord.” (Alma 48:7.) And third, he never stopped preparing his people – physically or spiritually. (See Alma 49-50.)