The Call to Battle
Yesterday, a good friend shared with me a link to the reading of the full 7,400+ word letter Joseph Smith wrote while a prisoner in Liberty jail (to which I will place a link below). Small excerpts of that letter are now found in Sections 121-123 of the Doctrine and covenants. But hearing those sections in context of the full letter and all that surrounds it was very informative and shed new and wonderful light on some of those verses we know and love. I would recommend listening to it if you have an hour to spare in the link below.
One of the things which struck me, was a portion when Joseph
was explaining how all of their sufferings, trials and persecutions in jail,
and those of the Saints in general who were being driven out of their homes and
deprived in terrible ways, was a necessary occurrence. It was necessary so that they would then feel
welcome, and not ashamed, to be in the presence of the faithful ancients who
gave their all for the gospel’s sake and for their love and testimony of God,
but would now someday stand worthily in their company.
Forgive me for a Lord of the Rings parallel, but it brings to mind the scene from “The Return of the King” of Théoden, the King of Rohan. He had lived a portion of prior life being deceived and unwittingly serving some of the forces of darkness, having been misled by his counselor ‘worm tongue.’ He was essentially in a state of spiritual slumber, and was not fulfilling his role as King to his people.
Through events he had then been awakened from his bewitched slumber, but suffered doubts and concerns as to his reign and how he would be remembered or compared to the heroic ancient Kings. But finally, when the call to final battle had come against the enemy forces of darkness, he had risen to the occasion.
He fought bravely and valiantly, and in the face of overwhelming odds he proved himself a true King. As he lay upon the field of battle, broken and dying, he briefly reflects upon his life and proclaims, “I go to my fathers. And even in their mighty company I shall not now be ashamed. I have felled the black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset!”
It occurred to me during the explanation of Joseph Smith in his full letter,
that in addition to the personal spiritual refinement which the trials,
persecutions and calamities preceding the Second Coming will help us with, it
will also serve to offer us the opportunity to sacrifice at a necessary level
to put us on par (at least in some small degree) with the ancients, who have
gone on to inherit their eternal reward.
Of course, our sacrifices will all be individualized and meted out
according to what the Lord sees fit. But
what Joseph seemed to be indicating throughout his full letter to the Saints,
is that we must gracefully and willingly endure such events to be worthy of the
grand company we hope to associate with some day. And I think that perspective can offer us
more resolve in facing what must come, and why it must come for our betterment,
and our eventual eternal reward.
We may not know what our personal part and portion will be
in the winding up scenes between now and the glorious Second Coming of our Savior,
but we can know that the Lord has customized and allowed it for our betterment,
and to prove our own resolve, so that we too might stand worthy to mingle with
the faithful ancients who we admire. We
who have made covenants with God and our Lord, and seek to be true disciples of
Jesus Christ, are being mustered to the battle.
And our most important and significant battles will likely not be in the public eye upon some grand stage, but rather, within the private chambers of our own hearts and within our own homes.
In another Lord of the Rings parallel, consider what we may
face in our lives in context of the scene when the riders of Rohan are being
mustered to arms, to go and join the fight to deliver the world from evil. Their Captain and King call to them:
“Now is the hour come, Riders of the Mark (Covenant people
of the Lord). Foes and fire are before
you, and your homes are far behind. Yet,
though you fight upon an alien field, the glory that you reap there shall be
your own forever. Oaths ye have taken;
now fulfill them all, to Lord and land and league of friendship! …Forth now, and fear no darkness!”
May we too faithfully heed the call of the trumpet, fortify
our spiritual foundations, and face with face and fortitude the days and years
to come. We need not fear or tremble,
knowing that our Lord is with us and that He has already triumphed over all the
foes of darkness. He is but giving us
the chance to rise, humbly yet faithfully, into the ranks of the righteous who
will inherit the eternal reward, and feel worthy among the Mighty Company which
there awaits us with rejoicing!
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