Doctrine & Covenants 63 — Section Outline
Overview
Date: August 30, 1831
Location: Kirtland, Ohio
Recipient: Joseph Smith and gathered elders
Revelation Context: Given shortly after Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery returned from Missouri. Many Saints were eager to know more about Zion, the gathering, and spiritual matters. This revelation addresses the need for purity, warns against sign-seeking, teaches about inheritance in Zion, and emphasizes spiritual preparation for the Second Coming.
Timeframe & Setting
After returning from Missouri, Joseph Smith resumed his work in Kirtland, where anxiety and excitement about Zion’s establishment were growing.
The Church was still very young, and leaders and members alike were learning to discern the Lord’s will amid complex practical and spiritual challenges.
Section 63 comes in response to the Saints' eagerness to obtain direction concerning Zion, along with ongoing issues of sin, sign-seeking, and pride among Church members.
Key Circumstances
The Missouri journey had left many questions unanswered. Members were seeking clear guidance on land acquisition and how to gather.
Some were focused more on signs and wonders than on faith and obedience, prompting a rebuke from the Lord.
Issues of adultery, pride, and misuse of the Lord’s name were also prevalent, needing correction.
A clear division is drawn between the faithful and the rebellious, with the warning that judgment is imminent if repentance does not occur.
Purpose of the Revelation
To correct and warn the Saints regarding unrighteous desires, particularly the seeking of signs without faith.
To reaffirm the Lord’s pattern of spiritual gifts and revelation—signs follow faith, not vice versa.
To direct the Saints in the purchase of Zion by peaceful means.
To prepare the Saints for the Second Coming and Resurrection through righteousness and spiritual sobriety.
To warn against misuse of sacred things, including the Lord’s name.
Significance
This section includes some of the strongest language in the Doctrine and Covenants regarding judgment and the wrath of God.
It lays out essential principles related to spiritual gifts, signs, and the correct order of faith.
It offers one of the earliest prophetic teachings on the “transfiguration of the earth” and touches on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The warning against vain use of the Lord’s name is notable for its clarity and force.
Provides doctrinal foundation for understanding the relationship between obedience, spiritual power, gathering, and eternal inheritance.
Veres-by-Verse Summary
Doctrine & Covenants 63:1–6 — A Day of Wrath and Divine Sovereignty
Verses 1–6
1 Hearken, O ye people, and open your hearts and give ear from afar; and listen, you that call yourselves the people of the Lord, and hear the word of the Lord and his will concerning you.
2 Yea, verily, I say, hear the word of him whose anger is kindled against the wicked and rebellious;
3 Who willeth to take even them whom he will take, and preserveth in life them whom he will preserve;
4 Who buildeth up at his own will and pleasure; and destroyeth when he pleases, and is able to cast the soul down to hell.
5 Behold, I, the Lord, utter my voice, and it shall be obeyed.
6 Wherefore, verily I say, let the wicked take heed, and let the rebellious fear and tremble; and let the unbelieving hold their lips, for the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind, and all flesh shall know that I am God.
Summary
These verses are a call to reverent attention. The Lord asserts His divine authority and warns of impending judgment upon the wicked, rebellious, and unbelieving. He reminds His people that He is the sovereign power over life and death, commanding both salvation and destruction according to His will. This warning prepares the Saints for the rest of the revelation, which deals with Zion, signs, purity, and covenantal obedience.
Language & Cultural Insights
“Hearken” – שָׁמַע (shama) – “to hear, listen, obey.” A covenantal term used throughout scripture (cf. Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 6:4 “Shema Yisrael”). Implies not only hearing, but obeying.
“Day of Wrath” – This echoes prophetic language such as Zephaniah 1:15, Romans 2:5, and Revelation 6:17. In Hebrew, this is יוֹם עֶבְרָה (Yom Evrāh), “the day of fierce anger.”
“Destroyeth when he pleases” – This echoes Jesus’ warning in Luke 12:5: "Fear him who… hath power to cast into hell."
“Whirlwind” – רוּחַ סְעָרָה (ruach searah) – “whirlwind spirit”, גַּלְגַּל galgal, describes the action of whirling like a wheel. Often used in scripture to describe divine judgment or appearance (e.g., Job 38:1, Jeremiah 23:19, 2 Kings 2-12, Ezekiel 10 (wheels)). A symbol of sudden, sweeping, and overwhelming power.
In Doctrine & Covenants 63:6, the Lord warns that “the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind.” In biblical language, the whirlwind is not merely a destructive storm, but a symbol of divine judgment, movement, and revelation. The Hebrew word גַּלְגַּל (galgal), meaning “wheel” or “rolling whirlwind,” is closely tied to this imagery—appearing in scriptures like Ezekiel 10:13 where it describes the fiery, living wheels beneath God's chariot throne. These wheels are part of the merkavah, or heavenly chariot, symbolizing God's omnipresence, justice, and power to elevate or destroy.
In prophetic texts such as Ezekiel, Psalms, and even in apocalyptic literature like 1 Enoch, the whirlwind and galgal express the overwhelming force of divine decree. To the wicked, it brings chaos and scattering; to the righteous, it may represent spiritual ascent, transformation, and being “caught up” into God’s presence. Thus, when D&C 63 describes a whirlwind descending upon the unfaithful, it evokes this ancient tradition of the Lord’s swift and righteous judgment, echoing the cosmic motion of His will throughout heaven and earth.
The Saints are thus warned to stand ready—not only for coming tribulations but for the possibility of participating in divine movement, as Ezekiel, Enoch, and Elijah did. The whirlwind becomes a test: it destroys the rebellious but transports the prepared. In this sense, to withstand the whirlwind is to be aligned with the will of God, moving forward in covenant faithfulness rather than being swept away in spiritual chaos.
Reflection Questions
How can I “open my heart” and more fully hearken to the Lord’s will for me?
Do I sometimes demand signs instead of developing spiritual sensitivity through faith?
What can I learn from the Lord’s emphasis on obedience, both in word and in consequence?
References
General Conference:
Russell M. Nelson, “Hear Him” – April 2020
Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Greatness of the Evidence” – October 2017
Doctrine and Covenants 63:7–12 — Signs and Faith — Seeking Without Belief
Doctrine and Covenants 63:13–19 — Spiritual Adultery and Inner Wickedness
Doctrine and Covenants 63:20–23 — Enduring to Receive the Mysteries
Doctrine and Covenants 63:24–31 — Instructions on Zion and the Law of Purchase
Doctrine and Covenants 63:32–35 — Wicked Slay the Wicked
Doctrine and Covenants 63:36–39 — Gathering & Temporal Preparation
Doctrine and Covenants 63:40–44 — Financial Stewardship
Doctrine and Covenants 63:45–48 — Divine Inheritance
Doctrine and Covenants 63:49–54 — Blessings of the Faithful in the Resurrection and Second Coming
Doctrine and Covenants 63: 55–58 — Beware of Pride
Doctrine and Covenants 63: 59–66 — Sacred Names & Authority