D&C 45 - Come Follow me with Sam - Ave Magna Apocalyptica

 Hey Everyone and welcome to a full blown apocalyptic section in the good old D&C! We struggle to deal with apocalyptic prophecy. There just isn't enough material, or it isn't written in the right way for us to pidgeon hole it in the way we want. This has led me to believe that God wants us to treat prophecy differently than we normally do. The last time we ran into this in Section 29, I wrote a few guidelines to help get more out of these sections.

now, if you really do want the best view of future events (you should), the two books I would recommend are

Cleon Skousen - prophecy and modern times (written BEFORE the physical reestablishment of the state of Israel, by the way) 

Duane Crowther - Prophecy, Key to the Future (written later and more comprehensive)

These can help us to get a rough map of the events upon which we can hang the spiritual meaning, the more sure word of prophecey.

Section 45

Here are some themes of Section 45

vs 2 do not let death overtake you in an hour when you think not the summer shall be past. Every day is a moment in eternity. The chapter starts with the call to that vigilance to not be distracted from your work; to live in a manner where we are always ready for the tempests of hail, and rejoicing that we might be in a place to see the Savior.

vs 7 Jesus is a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not. The things that God is about to reveal is something that cannot be comprehended by earthly means, something I suspect that has hindered our ability to understand  these revelations. This section is a next level game plan, and its not something that is comprehensible at an earthly level. (It's like God is telling you what you need to know to understand the section. Crazy.)

vs 10-14 This is the game plan. The big cahuna. The unfolding of the mysteries. god is telling us how we get to the city of enoch in a few simple verses. He is orienting us toward what our end goal and focus is on when we are supposed to be reading these prophecies, and the pattern by which others were able to walk God's path in Calamitous times (remember that God was dropping mountains on Enoch's enemies at his command)

vs 15 Wherefore, hearken and I will reason with you, and I will speak unto you and prophesy, as unto men in days of old. This means you are a candidate now to receive everything holy men and women received long ago, by walking the covenant path.

vs 16-24 there is some really cool stuff that happens there. Check out how the temple in Jerusalem present and past is juxtaposed with the temple of our bodies, and our sojourn of our earthly temple is compared to the jerusalem temple. Juicy stuff

vs25 - 41 these verses describe the gross darkness that will fill the earth. As I've studied closer some of the major trends that psychologists and rhetoricians are picking up on, I can see these things playing out right now. crazy stuff.

vs 40s-50s serious stuff going down in Israel. check out vs 57-58. recieve the truth. take the holy spirit for your guide. Do not be deceived. That is the only way you and I are getting out of this.

vs 63 Ye hear of wars in foreign lands; but, behold, I say unto you, they are nigh, even at your doors, and no many years hence ye shall hear of wars in your own lands. We can use this as a pattern. Joseph and company did not realize how close the happy United States was to going to straight up civil war. Who wants a war when those things mess up the pickets and Rhododendrons, right? and today, when we are invested in a global supply chain and have netflix and cars, why would anyone want to end the party? Well, too bad, because netflix rhododendrons can't get rid of the war inside your heart, and the more you distract yourself with those things, the more the war will spill over into the physical world.

vs 64-70ish sometimes it is the moment when you need to GET OUT. This was a recurring theme in the Book of Mormon. When it comes time, don't delay. Don't look back. Get out.

fin chapter God is truly glorious, in a way that is beyond the reasoning of man to understand. The closing of this revelation is a reminder of the beginning, that the light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not, but that the light shall prevail completely.


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