A few weeks ago I taught the lesson in Sunday School about
the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. As part of the lesson we read some
verses in D&C 10 which was given to Joseph Smith after Martin Harris lost
the 116 pages. In the revelation Joseph was told not to re-translate the part that was lost. Joseph was assured
that the plates of Nephi (the “small plates” that Mormon was inspired to
include) did a better job of teaching the Savior’s gospel than the part that
was lost (see D&C 10:45). Then the Lord taught that the ancient prophets
had prayed that the Savior’s gospel would be preserved and brought forth by the
Book of Mormon so that the Savior’s church could come forth in the Latter days.
The phrases “my gospel” and “my doctrine” are repeated several times in D&C
10:48-67. In verse 67 the Savior teaches that His doctrine is to repent, be
baptized, and come unto Him and that those who do these things are His church.
Then in verse 69 He teaches that those in His church who endure [in faith] will
be established upon His rock and the gates of hell will not prevail against
them.
The footnote with “rock” sends us to D&C 11:24 where the
Savior says, “Build upon my rock, which
is my gospel.” The Savior used this same image in 3 Nephi 11:39 where He taught
that if we build on His doctrine (to repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy
Ghost) we will be built upon His rock. Of course when we do these things and
come unto Him we are building our life upon the Savior who said of Himself, “I
am the good shepherd, the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock
shall never fall” (D&C 50:44).
The Savior in the scriptures has used “rock” and “stone” to
indicate strength and stability. At the end of the Sermon on the Mount the
Savior taught that if we live according to His teachings we will be like the
man who built his house upon a rock that is able to withstand the storms of
life (see Matthew 7:24-25). On another occasion the Savior was with His
disciples near Caesarea Philippi where a large spring gushes forth beneath a
huge rock/cliff when He asked them “Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?”
(Matt 16:13) Peter responded, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus told Peter that He knew this truth because Heavenly Father had revealed
it to him and promised that upon this rock He would build His church. This
promise means a couple of things. For one thing it is connected to Jesus’
promise to Peter that He would give Peter the “keys of the kingdom” so that
Peter could preside as the head of the Savior’s church. Today we have prophets
who hold those keys and they are an important part of the foundation of the
Lord’s church (see Ephesians 2:19-20). In addition, Joseph Smith was asked what
the rock was that the Savior’s church would be built upon and he responded that
the rock was revelation. And thankfully the revelation that “Jesus is the
Christ” can come to each of us. This rock of individual testimony is an
important foundation stone in each of our lives.
The Topical Guide and the Index (from the Triple
Combination) are great resources to search topics such as Rock, Stone and Jesus
Christ, Rock. In addition, the Guide to the Scriptures (available in English in
the Gospel Library app or at lds.org) often gives a nice clear definition and a
concise list of related scriptures.
ROCK (Guide to the Scriptures)
See also Gospel; Jesus Christ; Revelation
Figuratively, Jesus Christ and his gospel, which are a
strong foundation and support (D&C 11:24; 33:12–13). Rock can also refer to
revelation, by which God makes his gospel known to man (Matt. 16:15–18).
He is the rock, his work is perfect: Deut. 32:4;
The Lord is my rock; in him will I trust:2 Sam. 22:2–3;
A stone was cut out without hands: Dan. 2:34–35;
It was founded upon a rock: Matt. 7:25; ( 3 Ne. 14:25; )
Jesus Christ is the stone that was set at nought: Acts
4:10–11;
That rock was Christ: 1 Cor. 10:1–4; ( Ex. 17:6; )
He that is built upon the rock receiveth the truth:2 Ne.
28:28;
The Jews will reject the stone [Christ] upon which they
might build: Jacob 4:15–17;
It is upon the rock of our Redeemer that we must build our
foundation: Hel. 5:12;
Whoso builds on Christ’s doctrines builds upon his rock and
will not fall when the floods come: 3 Ne. 11:39–40; ( Matt. 7:24–27; 3 Ne.
18:12–13; )
A wise man built his house upon a rock: 3 Ne. 14:24;
If ye are built upon my rock, earth and hell cannot prevail:
D&C 6:34;
He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall: D&C
50:44;
I am Messiah, the King of Zion, the Rock of Heaven: Moses
7:53;
Thinking about rocks and stones as symbols of the Savior and
His gospel reminded me that King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream where he saw “a
stone cut out of the mountain without hands” which rolled forth and eventually
destroyed and replaced all other worldly kingdoms, with the promise that it
(God’s kingdom) would “stand forever.” (see Daniel 2:44-45) I had not thought
about this connection before. I knew that this stone represented the
restoration of the gospel (see D&C 65) and the establishment of the kingdom
of God on the earth. But I had not thought about this stone that was cut out of
a mountain without [human hands] as being connected with the gospel, revelation
and the Savior.
About this time I read 2 Nephi 21:11-12 (Isaiah 11:11-12)
where we are promised that “the Lord shall set his hand the second time” to
recover/gather Israel from the four corners of the earth. As with the stone that
is cut out of the mountain without human hands, the Lord is intimately involved
in the gathering of His saints to the church in the last days.
Then in family scripture reading we read a promise in Mormon
8 where Moroni says prophets have prayed in behalf of him by whom the Book of Mormon
would come forth (v. 25) and then Moroni declares, “And no one need say they
shall not come, for they surely shall, for the Lord had spoken it; for out of
the earth shall they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and
it shall come in a day when …” (v. 26)and then he gives a long list of
conditions in the last days when the Book of Mormon will come forth.
The Book of Mormon contains “the fullness of the gospel of
Jesus Christ” (D&C 20:9). It is the keystone of our religion, a critical
foundation stone of our testimony, and the principle means by which we come
unto Christ (see 1 Nephi 6:4; Omni 1:26; Moroni 10:32-33). And it came forth
“out of the earth” (Mormon 8:26) or, as Isaiah prophesied, “out of the dust” (2
Nephi 26:16; Isaiah 29:4). It was preserved in Cumorah until it was brought
forth by the hand of God. It is a remarkable and significant part of the
fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the stone cut out of the mountain
without [human] hands (but by the hand of the Lord). And it is at the
foundation of my own testimony of the Savior. I’m grateful for its miraculous
coming forth.
