Doctrine & Covenants 68— Study Guide

Summary

In this passage, the Lord reassures His servants of His presence and power as they go forth to preach the gospel. It contains both a commission and a promise: those who believe will experience signs, and faithful ministers will receive the power to seal unto eternal life. The text draws heavily from biblical language used in both the New Testament apostolic charge and the Old Testament revelation to Moses.

Language & Cultural Insights

• "Be of good cheer, and do not fear" — This phrase echoes Christ’s words to His disciples (see John 16:33). The Lord consistently instructs His messengers to cast off fear when undertaking divine assignments.

  
  

• "For I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you" — A covenantal assurance of divine companionship. Similar language appears in Isaiah 41:10, and D&C 84:88.

  
  

• "Ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ" — This parallels the commission given to New Testament apostles in Acts 1:8, and reflects the charge to testify of Christ’s divinity and messiahship.

  
  

• "That I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come" — This threefold declaration is deeply rooted in the divine name given in Exodus 3:14, where God says: "I AM THAT I AM" — Hebrew: ʼEhyeh ʼăšer ʼehyeh. It signifies God’s eternal, unchanging nature, transliterated into English as Jehovah or Yahweh.

  
  

• Verse 8 – "Preach the gospel to every creature" — This mirrors the Great Commission of Christ in Mark 16:15–16 and Matthew 28:19–20, affirming that the same apostolic charge is given to modern elders.

  
  

• "Signs shall follow" — Alludes to Mark 16:17–18, where miraculous signs (such as healing, casting out devils) are described as a witness of belief.

  
  

• "Signs of the times… and of the coming of the Son of Man" — Prophetic references to apocalyptic signs are found in Matthew 24, Luke 21:25–27, and D&C 45:39–44.

  
  

• "Power to seal them up unto eternal life" — This phrase is significant. The word "seal" in Hebrew is חָתַם (chatham) —  meaning to stamp, affix, or authorize.

  • In Greek, "seal" is σφραγίζω (sphragizō) — meaning to set a seal upon for security, authentication, or ownership.

  • The phrase appears in Ephesians 1:13 — "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" — indicating divine approval and eternal covenant.

  • In the context of priesthood authority, the power to "seal unto eternal life" represents the highest form of redemptive priesthood blessing (see D&C 132:49).

Reflection Questions

• What do the Lord’s assurances teach us about facing opposition in missionary or ministerial work?

• How do we discern between personal emotional impressions and spiritual impressions when "moved upon by the Holy Ghost"?

• What does it mean to bear record of Christ in our day-to-day lives?

• How can we understand "signs following" without becoming sign-seekers?

  
  

Additional Cross-References & Study Links

• John 16:33 – "Be of good cheer… I have overcome the world"

• Isaiah 41:10 – "Fear thou not; for I am with thee"

• Mark 16:15–18 – Commission with signs following

• D&C 84:88 – "I will go before your face"

• D&C 132:49 – "Sealed up unto eternal life"

Summary

Discusses the office of a bishop and how it connects to both Melchizedek and Aaronic lineages. The Lord sets forth the authority by which bishops are called and ordained, emphasizing the First Presidency's role in appointing high priests except when the individual is a literal descendant of Aaron—in which case, if he is also firstborn, he has a legal right to the office.

 Language & Cultural Insights

"Bishops to Be Set Apart Unto the Church… According to the First"

This phrasing reflects the need to maintain continuity with the pattern established by the early Church underJesus Christ and Joseph Smith, echoing Moses’ establishment of the priesthood under divine direction in Exodus and Leviticus.

Melchizedek & Aaronic Distinctions

• Melchizedek Priesthood: The higher priesthood, holding authority to officiate in all spiritual things, including the office of bishop (see D&C 107:8).

• Aaronic/Levitical Priesthood: A "lesser priesthood" given to the tribe of Levi (see Numbers 3). It became the priesthood of sacrifice, temple service, and outward ordinances, especially after the golden calf incident in Exodus 32, when the Levites proved faithful while the other tribes rebelled.

"At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant… to stand before the LORD to minister… and to bless in His name" – Deuteronomy 10:8

This shift reflects the principle of the "Church of the Firstborn"—those spiritually set apart to represent Christ and minister before the Lord. The Levites filled this proxy role for Israel after their brethren failed in covenant fidelity.

The "Legal Right" of Aaronic Descendants

Verses 15–18 affirm that if a man is a literal descendant of Aaron and the firstborn, he has a legal right to the bishopric. However, this right must still be validated through:

• Designation by the First Presidency

• Ordination under their hands (v. 20)

The Lord safeguards the worthiness and order of this office, even for those with a lineage-based claim.

Book of Mormon Context

• The Melchizedek Priesthood was evidently present among the Nephites (see Alma 13).

• Zoram, the servant of Laban, is believed by many scholars to have been a Levite, inferred from the accounts about him in the Book of Mormon, The term “servant” in Hebrew is Shirath and this was a term used to describe the Levite ministers, particularly thoses who served in the Temple and were appointed stewardship over the sacred records and artifacts of the Temple.  (see 1 Nephi 4:20–35).

• This implies both Levitical and Melchizedek lines were preserved post-scattering, and that both lines were preserved with Nephi’s family in their trek to the Americas.

The Scattering & Restoration

Following the Assyrian conquest (circa 721 BC), the ten northern tribes, including key priestly lines, were scattered. While much was lost, the Lord preserved key priesthood lines among Judah (in exile, and with the Mulikites in the BoM) and Joseph's descendants (in the Americas, through Lehi's seed, and as we discussed, possibly the Levites, through Zoram’s descendants). The restoration of all these lineages is one of the covenantal aims of the last days (see D&C 113:8).

Reflection Questions

• Why do you think the Lord preserved both lineage-based and authority-based rights in the priesthood?

• What does it mean to you that the Church of the Firstborn includes those who remain faithful, even if others falter? How do the examples of Cain and Abel, Jacob and Essau, Reuben and Joseph, etc. demonstrate the importance of how covenantal privileges are tied to righteousness, not just lineage? 

References

• Exodus 32 – The Golden Calf

• Numbers 3 – Levites Set Apart

• Deuteronomy 10:8 – Levites Chosen

• D&C 107:8 – Melchizedek Authority

• Alma 13 – Nephite Melchizedek Priesthood

• 1 Nephi 4 – Zoram Joins Nephi

• D&C 113:8 – Scattered Branches to Be Restored

Summary & Thematic Focus

These verses emphasize the divine responsibility of parents to teach their children core gospel doctrines—repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Lord holds parents accountable if they neglect this duty (v. 25). Baptism is set at eight years old, establishing it as the age of accountability in restored doctrine (v. 27).

Language & Cultural Insights

“The sin be upon the heads of the parents”: Echoes the legal and covenantal consequences in ancient Israelite tradition, where failure to warn or teach transferred guilt (cf. Ezekiel 3:18).

• Baptism at Eight vs. Bar/Bat Mitzvah at Twelve/Thirteen: In Judaism, age 12 for girls (Bat Mitzvah) and 13 for boys (Bar Mitzvah) mark formal accountability for observing commandments. In contrast, LDS doctrine establishes age eight as the point at which a child is ready to make covenants (Moroni 8:10–12). This reflects:

  • The restored gospel's view of early moral awareness.

  • Emphasis on nurturing children into covenant belonging from a young age.

Hebrew Context:

• Child / Youth (נַעַר — naʿar)A male from infancy to adolescence. Used broadly in the Hebrew Bible to refer to boys who are learning responsibility (e.g., Samuel in 1 Samuel 3:1, Joseph in Genesis 37:2).

• Knowledge of Good and Evil (דַּעַת טוֹב וָרָע — daʿat tov va-raʿ) Genesis 2:9 refers to the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” often connected to awareness and moral agency. Rabbinic sources sometimes interpret this as symbolic of the development of discernment, especially at the age when children become obligated to follow commandments.

Jewish Tradition:

• Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah From Hebrew בַּר מִצְוָה / בַּת מִצְוָה meaning “son/daughter of the commandment.” A rite of passage occurring at age 13 for boys, 12 for girls, signifying the point at which a child becomes personally accountable to observe the commandments of the Torah and participate fully in Jewish religious life (e.g., reading from the Torah, being counted in a minyan).

• Unlike Latter-day Saint baptism, this tradition does not cleanse sin, but it does mark covenantal and legal responsibility before God and community.

Restoration Doctrine:

• Doctrine & Covenants 68:25–27 establishes eight years old as the divinely appointed age for accountability, when children are capable of understanding repentance and covenantal responsibility.

• Moroni 8:10–12 strongly affirms that little children are alive in Christ and need no baptism until they have the maturity to understand what sin is: “And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old…”

• This restored doctrine:

  • Emphasizes early spiritual sensitivity.

  • Rejects infant baptism as unscriptural.

  • Teaches that children are born pure and become accountable only after developing the capacity to sin with understanding.

Key Points

The “age of accountability” is a restored principle marking the point where divine law begins to bind the soul based on understanding and agency. While Judaism emphasizes age 12/13 for full commandment-keeping, the Lord revealed age eight in the Restoration as the beginning of one’s covenantal and moral responsibility.

“Teach their children to pray”: A strong parallel to Deuteronomy 6:7, which commands parents to teach God’s laws continually—“when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Reflection Questions

• Why might the Lord assign spiritual accountability to parents rather than children?

• How does early baptism shape a child’s development in the covenant path?

• How does this instruction provide peace for parents whose children stray?

Language & Cultural Insights

• “Observe the Sabbath day” — From the Hebrew root שָׁמַר (shamar), meaning to keep, guard, or observe. This commandment echoes the covenantal call to holiness in Exodus 20:8–11.

  
  

• “Idler shall be had in remembrance” — The Hebrew term for lazy or sluggard is עָצֵל (ʿātsēl). Proverbs gives clear warnings about idleness in Proverbs 6:6–11.

  
  

• “Riches of eternity” vs. “eyes full of greediness” — Jacob 2:18–19 teaches that riches should be sought only to bless others after seeking the kingdom of God. Matthew 6:19–21 contrasts treasures on earth and in heaven.

  
  

• “Observeth not his prayers... in the season thereof” — The phrase points to covenantal responsibility and sacred timing, paralleling Malachi 3:16, where the Lord “hearkened and heard” those who feared Him and spoke often of His name.

  
  

• “Alpha and Omega” — A title of divine sovereignty that frames the Lord as the totality of time and authority. See Revelation 22:13 and 3 Nephi 9:18.

Reflection Questions

• How can we as covenant keepers better observe the Sabbath as a sign of our commitment to the Lord?

• What spiritual risks are associated with idleness in a Zion society?

• How do we balance our temporal responsibilities with a desire for the riches of eternity?

• What does it mean to be remembered before the Lord—or before the "judge of [His] people"?

• How does Jesus' identity as Alpha and Omega frame this call to repentance?

Additional Cross-References & Study Links

• Exodus 20:8–11 — Sabbath Commandment

• Mosiah 18:23–25 — Sabbath & Teaching

• Proverbs 6:6–11 — Warning to the Sluggard

• Jacob 2:18–19 — Riches of Eternity

• Matthew 6:19–21 — Treasure in Heaven

• Gospel Topics: Sabbath

• Gospel Topics: Work and Self-Reliance