“Anxiously Engaged in a Good Cause”
- CFMCorner
- 2 days ago
- 10 min read
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Videos, Podcasts, & Weekly Lesson Material
VIDEOS & PODCASTS
Media | Resource Links |
|---|---|
BYU RSC Library | |
Come Follow Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson | |
Come Follow Me Kid | |
Come Follow Me Scott Woodward & Casey Griffiths | |
Come Follow Up | |
D&C Historical Background | |
Don't Miss This | |
Follow Him | |
Grounded with Barbara Morgan | |
Gospel For Kids | Not yet published |
Seminary Decks | Not yet published |
Hurricane Adult Religion Class | |
Latter Day Kids | D&C 58-59 |
Line Upon Line | |
Meridian Magazine Podcast | |
Our Mother's Knew It | D&C 58-59 |
Saving Talents | |
Scripture Study Central | |
Scripture Explorers | D&C 58-59 |
Scripture Gems | |
Scripture Insights | |
Talking Scripture | |
Teaching With Power | D&C 58-59 |
Thumb Follow Me | D&C 51-57 |
The Red Crystal | |
The Scriptures are Real | D&C 58-59 |
The Interpreter Foundation | D&C 58-59
|
Unshaken |
Resources and Insights for this Week's Lesson
In last week’s lesson, I explored the ancient PaRDeS model of Hebrew interpretation—a multi-layered approach to scriptural study that I was introduced to during my Jewish Studies coursework through the Israel Institute of Biblical Studies, in partnership with Hebrew University in Israel. I discussed how this interpretive framework aligns with the pattern of study outlined in Doctrine & Covenants 52:14–19, and how it resonates with methods found in Jewish apocalyptic literature, such as those we examined in our lesson titled “Seek Ye Earnestly the Best Gifts.”
In a recent Gospel Doctrine class, I also highlighted how this model is reflected throughout the Book of Mormon, suggesting that this approach to scriptural interpretation, or a form thereof, may trace back to at least the First Temple period (My PowerPoint from that lesson). I demonstrated how applying this model can deepen our understanding of sacred texts, revealing covenantal layers and symbolic meaning that might otherwise go unnoticed and unappreciated.
Last week, I also shared how I personally apply this model in my own study process—focusing especially on the concept of darashim, the plural form of midrash, meaning “interpretive investigations.” This method often centers on word studies, which help the reader to uncover rich connections between language, covenant, and doctrine, and in last week's lesson, we investigated the word for "pattern," revealing some remarkable connections.
For this week’s lesson, I’ve continued with that same approach to unpack the material in D&C 58–59—and I’m excited to share some of the meaningful insights and symbolic gems that emerged through this study.
Crossing Over Into Covenant: D&C 58–59 and the Pattern of Zion
“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes for the present time the design of your God.” — D&C 58:3
The early Saints had finally arrived in Zion—but Zion didn’t look like what they had imagined.
Instead of a thriving holy city, they saw a rugged frontier. Instead of instant unity, they faced hardship and disagreement. Instead of miracles, they were called to labor, sacrifice, and patience.
In Doctrine and Covenants 58 and 59, the Lord reveals that this disappointment is not failure. It is formation. Zion wasn’t something they would find—it was something they would become.
To understand the deeper message of these revelations, we need to look at a powerful biblical concept:
The Hebrew Root of Transformation: עָבַר (Avar) — “To Cross Over”
The Hebrew verb עָבַר (avar) means:
“to pass over, to traverse, to cross a boundary.”
This word shows up throughout the Old Testament whenever someone leaves one state and enters another—whether that’s physical (crossing a river), moral (leaving sin), or spiritual (entering covenant).
Now consider this: The name Hebrew—in Hebrew, עִבְרִי (Ivri)—comes from this exact same root: ʿ–b–r (ע־ב־ר). To be a Hebrew is to be "one who crosses over."
Abraham is first called a Hebrew in Genesis 14:13. Why? Because he crossed over the Euphrates, leaving behind his old life in Babylon to follow the true and living God.
His descendants—the Israelites—were known as the “Ivrim” because they, too, were called to cross boundaries: from Egypt to Canaan, from sin to sanctification, from death to deliverance.
Covenant and Crossing: The Link to בְּרִית (Berit)
The Hebrew word for covenant is בְּרִית (berit). It comes from the root ב־ר־ת (b–r–t), likely meaning “to cut”—as in cutting a covenant, a sacred ritual bond sealed through sacrifice.
While עָבַר and בְּרִית are different roots, they are deeply linked in meaning and context.
🔗 In Deuteronomy 29:12, the Lord says:
“That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God.”
In Hebrew, this literally reads:
“לְעָבְרְךָ בִּבְרִית” — that you might cross over into the covenant
Here, the two ideas—crossing over and entering covenant—are joined in the same phrase.
This teaches us something profound:
A Covenant is not just a contract—it is a crossing. A leaving behind. A stepping into. A transformation of identity and purpose.
The Saints and the Path of the Hebrew
In this light, D&C 58–59 takes on a powerful resonance.
The early Latter-day Saints were walking the same ancient path as Abraham, Moses, and Lehi:
Saint | What They Crossed | What They Left | What They Entered |
Abraham | Babylon & Idolatry | Covenant with God | |
Jacob | Jabbok River | Self-deception, Doubt | Israelite Identity |
Moses & Israel | Slavery, Idolatry & Ignorance, Fear | Law, Promised Land, and Covenant Blessings | |
Nephites | Apostasy in Jerusalem | Promised Covenant Land | |
Early Saints | Mississippi Frontier Doctrine and Covenants 58, | Ignorance, Religious Persecution, & Limitations (Physical and Spiritual) | Zion in Missouri, and then in the West, where they could Learn about the Covenant, the Gathering, and their individual and collective relationship with God. |
But just like in scripture, not everyone finished their crossing:
Ezra Booth crossed physically, but not spiritually. Focused on results, he became disillusioned and left.
Edward Partridge, though deeply discouraged, repented and endured. His humility helped establish the blueprint of Zion.
Martin Harris, though consecrated, wrestled with pride. His journey would see both falling away and returning.
W.W. Phelps also left—and later came back, like so many Saints do—because God forgives, and honors those who return.
Each had to decide whether they would cross over into Zion, or turn back.
🌳 A Tree, a Rod, and a Choice
Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life in the Book of Mormon mirrors this same pattern. Some cling to the iron rod and reach the tree. Others let go. Some taste the fruit and walk away.
Zion is not a place you arrive at by accident. It’s a place you choose, and a path you must cross—again and again.
D&C 58:3 gives us the Lord’s lens:
“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes… the design of your God.”
Like the ancient Hebrews, the Saints were being invited not just to see, but to see spiritually—to believe, obey, and to be transformed.
🎶 The Song of Zion: Harmony, Holiness, and the Hero’s Journey
Joseph Smith did not just envision Zion as a frontier town. Atuned to the divine vision of God's composition, he transcribed it—like a heavenly symphony.
Zion, in his blueprint, was patterned after the camp of ancient Israel, where the Tabernacle stood at the center, and the twelve tribes encamped in a divine order around it (Numbers 2). Every tribe had a place. Every space had a purpose.
In Joseph’s revealed plan for the New Jerusalem, the structure expanded even more gloriously:
24 temples arranged at the heart of the city—twelve for the Melchizedek Priesthood, twelve for the Aaronic Priesthood.
This design echoes the Book of Revelation, where 24 elders surround the throne of God (Revelation 4:4), representing divine government, priestly authority, and celestial worship.
This is not merely architecture. It is divine orchestration.
🎼 The Circle of Fifths: A Map of Musical Zion
In music, the Circle of Fifths shows how all twelve keys relate to one another. Each key has its unique color, mood, and identity—yet they all orbit a center of tonal gravity.
Think of:
The Tabernacle as the tonic (the home key).
The Throne of God, surrounded by a rainbow and concourses of heavenly angels, all in the manner of singing praises to their King.
The Tribes as the keys around the circle, each with its unique role, sound, flavor, and purpose.
The modulations between keys as the journeys of the Saints, crossing over from one experience, one phase, one calling, one mission, to the next.
Like ancient Israel, or the blueprint of Zion, the Circle of Fifths organizes diverse parts into unified harmony. Each key is distinct, yet none is excluded.
🎻 A Symphony of Discipleship
The Saints of D&C 58–59 had each followed their own path:
Some, like Ezra Booth, raced ahead, out of tempo—expecting resolution without rehearsal—and found only dissonance and frustration.
Others, like Edward Partridge, stumbled in rhythm but chose humility and perseverance, in spite of the overwhelming tempo and complexity that he was desperately trying to manage.
Martin Harris offered deep chords of sacrifice, even while wrestling with pride in his dynamics.
W.W. Phelps modulated out of key for a time, but later returned to the motif with renewed perspective.
Just like in a great symphony:
Some Saints played solo lines, for a season, following their unique melodic thread.
Others prefer ensemble work, combining voices to build something bigger than themselves.
Some experienced dissonance—conflict, discomfort, divergence.
But dissonance, in music, is not failure. It is tension that longs for resolution.
Modulation and Transformation
In our personal discipleship:
We modulate—shifting from one key (phase, perspective, calling) to another.
Sometimes we transpose—returning to an earlier key with deeper understanding.
We adapt our tempo—slowing down to grieve, speeding up to serve.
We rearrange our phrasing and intonation—refining how we speak, sing, pray, and live to work in harmony with God and others.
But always, the call is the same:
🎵 🎵 “Though hard to you this journey may appear, Grace shall be as your day.”
Each Saint must compose their own passage—
adapting key and tempo through faith—
until the dissonance resolves, and heaven and earth sound in harmony.
A Zion People in Tune with God
Zion is not built with perfect notes. It’s built by willing players who keep practicing, returning to the score, again and again, faithfully plunking along while doing their best, anxiously listening for the Conductor’s cues, as they keep tuning their hearts to heaven.
As D&C 58:26–27 reminds us:
“It is not meet that I should command in all things… Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause…”
Each Saint must step in with agency, not just wait for instruction. Each must learn to play by the Spirit—to discern when to lead, when to follow, when to rest.
Zion is not a static place—it is a living performance. And we, scattered across keys and measures, are being gathered into His final and glorious symphony.
Final Thought
The Lord does not expect perfection before Zion begins.
He asks us to step forward—to cross over—to walk the path of covenant.
And then, through much tribulation, He promises glory.
“Let Zion in her beauty rise…”But first—let us rise.
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