Doctrine & Covenants 61 — Study Guide

The Waters Were Cursed, and the Destroyer Rides

Summary:

This section continues the Lord’s warning regarding the dangers upon the waters, emphasizing that this is not merely practical advice but a spiritual decree. In the last days, the waters have been cursed—symbolizing both literal danger and the broader condition of chaos outside divine covenant. The “destroyer” who rides upon the waters is not Satan but an angel of divine justice (see Exodus 12:23; 1 Corinthians 10:10). Those who are upright in heart will be preserved.

Language & Cultural Insights:

• “The Waters… in the beginning, I Blessed, in the last days I Cursed” (v.14) — This references Revelation 8:8–11 and the plagues brought upon the sea and rivers. John symbolically curses the waters as part of the final judgments.

  1. “Destroyer” (v.19) — In Hebrew: הַמַּשְׁחִית (hammašḥîṯ), derived from the root שָׁחַת (shâchath) meaning “to destroy.”

     
     

• This “destroyer” aligns with the divine messenger of judgment seen in Exodus 12:23, not Satan but an angel executing divine justice (as observed with the accounts od Sodom & Gommorah, Noah’s flood, etc.)

  
  

• Greek parallel: θάνατος (thanatos) – “death,” used in the Septuagint and New Testament to personify death as a power or agent.

  
  

• “Cursed the Land / Blessed the Land” (v.17) — This covenant reversal echoes previous  blessings and cursings (see Genesis 3:18-19,  Deuteronomy 28) where obedience leads to land prosperity.

• what I say unto one I say unto all, — “דִּבּוּר לַכֹּל” (dibbūr la-kol) — A saying for "all generations .” This is a hebraic idom, used in Exodus 12:14 and Deuteronomy 29:14–15, that became very prominent in later rabbinic commentary, especially in the Talmud and Midrash, teachings are sometimes described as being “for all generations” (לְדֹרוֹת, le-dorot), (if time and eternity) implying that what was said to one audience was meant for all future hearers.

  
  

• Principles of time in Hebrew & Greek

📖 GREEK TERMS

Reflection Questions:

• What is the spiritual significance of God cursing the waters in the last days?

• How does the symbolism of the “destroyer” challenge or expand your understanding of divine justice?

• Why might the Lord emphasize personal righteousness as the only safeguard upon the waters?

• The Lord is clear that this revelation is meant for more that just Joseph and his brethren in this circumstance, but this warning is relevant to all. How do these symbolic teachings apply to us today?

Summary:

The Lord provides detailed travel instructions for Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery—directing them to journey by canal and land rather than by river, to avoid danger. Yet He makes clear that He can give power through the Spirit to command the elements, including the waters. This suggests that faithful saints may receive divine direction for unique circumstances, while also reinforcing the general covenant pattern of following divine instruction.

The phrase “pitching their tents by the way” (v.25) explicitly evokes Israel’s wilderness journey, reinforcing the imagery of the Restoration as a modern Exodus. The saints are being led, step-by-step, through perilous terrain, by revelation and covenant.

Language & Cultural Insights:

• “Power to command the waters” (v.27) — This echoes scriptural examples like Moses parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21–22) or Jesus calming the sea (Mark 4:39). The “Spirit of the living God” grants authority aligned with divine will, not personal ambition.

  
  

• “Pitching their tents by the way” (v.25) — This idiom is deeply symbolic of the Exodus journey. In Hebrew, אָהֵל (’ohel)  and סֻכּוֺת sukkot are the words for tent(s), and the phrase points to a pilgrimage journey guided by divine presence, like the cloud and fire in Exodus 13:21–22, 1 Nephi 2:15, 16:10.

  
  

• “The way” (v.24, 29) — This phrase often refers to the covenantal path. In Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ (derekh), and in Greek: ὁδός (hodos), both meaning “road, path, or manner of life.” Christ Himself declared, “I am the way” (John 14:6), linking this travel imagery to personal discipleship.

 Reflection Questions:

• Why might the Lord specifically limit the use of rivers, yet allow canal travel, how does this compare to traveling on the open seas with traveling in more controlled waters, especially as one is first learning how to sail? What does this teach us about how the Lord teaches and prepares us?

  
  

• What does the Lord’s reference to Israel’s camp and “pitching tents” teach us about our own journey as covenant people?

  
  

• How can we better seek and follow the personal revelation the Lord promises in verses 27–28, how does acquiring a wide range of knowledge help to prepare us for our specific callings and missions?

Summary:

This final segment closes the revelation with a mix of stern instruction and tender comfort. The Lord commands the elders not to preach among the wicked until arriving in Cincinnati, where they are to testify boldly. There, they will symbolically lift their voices “unto God against that people,” a prophetic act reminiscent of ancient witnesses who testified before destruction came upon a city (cf. Jeremiah 26:12–13; Alma 9:24).

The Lord reminds the elders that their words are not to be wasted on the unreceptive but prioritized among the humble and faithful. Yet, even their testimony among the wicked will serve as a witness, enabling them to “rid their garments” (v.34)—a covenantal phrase meaning they have fulfilled their duty and are no longer accountable (cf. Jacob 1:19; Ezekiel 3:18–19).

The final verses offer hope and eschatological perspective, calling the elders “little children” (v.36), affirming divine presence, and encouraging watchfulness for the coming of the Son of Man (v.38)—a phrase deeply tied to apocalyptic expectation and covenant fulfillment.

Language & Cultural Insights:

• “Rid their garments” (v.34) — This phrase echoes the ancient practice of shaking the dust off one’s feet or clothing as a testimony of shaking off the sins and pollutants of a fallen world (cf. Luke 9:5).  To be without spot means to be תָּמִים Tamim, to be whole, complete, sincere, healthy, without beamish, to be of sound mind and character. In Hebrew, the concept of cleansing one’s garments (בֶּגֶד beged, כְּתֹנֶת kᵉthôneth) symbolizes moral purity (cf. Isaiah 1:18).

  
  

• “Little children” (v.36) — Christ often uses this phrase to tenderly address His followers (cf. John 13:33). In Greek, teknia (τεκνία) conveys both affection and dependency—a reminder of our trust in Him as children to a parent.

  
  

• “Gird up your loins” (v.38) — A Hebrew idiom meaning to prepare for action (cf. Exodus 12:11; 1 Peter 1:13). It invokes the Passover readiness and calls for spiritual alertness in light of the Lord’s imminent coming.

• “Whether in life or in death” (v.39) — A reminder that the Lord’s promises extend beyond mortality. Compare Paul’s testimony in Romans 14:8 and D&C 42:46.

Reflection Questions:

• What does it mean to “rid your garments” in your own ministry or discipleship?

• How can you apply the Lord’s comfort in verse 36 to your life today?

• Are you spiritually girded—ready and watching—for the Lord’s call, for His return?