<![CDATA[Topic Study: Zion and Work]]>(TG Entry: Zion)

This earth for man and woman began as a garden, the Garden of Eden.  Yet prophecy is clear that it does not end as a garden; it ends as the City of Zion.

62  And righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.

Moses 7:62 (Emphasis added)

A city is not a garden.  A city is placed within a garden, and has gardens and parks within it.  But a city is not a garden.  A city has infrastructure, and substance.  A city is built; man participates in the building of it.

Does God care about what we build, and how we build it?

5  And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the law of the celestial kingdom; otherwise I cannot receive her unto myself. (D&C 105:5)

He cares deeply how we do it.  If so, what evidence do we have in his word?  In a broader sense, how do we know he is concerned about what so many of us do for work, where we spend a very large portion of our lives?

Consider these verses:

Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.

Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual. (D&C 29:34-35)

So if the Lord gives us commandments that touch upon our work in some way, it is evidence that not only does he care, but it has eternal significance.

Wherefore, as ye are agents, ye are on the Lord’s errand; and whatever ye do according to the will of the Lord is the Lord’s business. (D&C 64:29)

I have used the High-Level Summary codes of the International Standard Industry Classification (ISIC) from the United Nations (Rev. 4 current as of 2017) to compile a list of scriptures from the D&C alone which touch upon each industry at least partially.  I believe that if our eyes are single to the glory of God, and we exercise greater faith in him and his purposes, he can assist us in our employment.

A – Agriculture, forestry and fishing D&C 59:17 and the good things which come of the earth, whether for … orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;
D&C 89:8 herb for bruises and all sick cattle
D&C 89:12 Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man
D&C 89:16 All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground
D&C 117:6 For have I not the fowls of heaven, and also the fish of the sea, and the beasts of the mountains?
B – Mining and quarrying D&C 124:26 Come ye, with all your gold, and your silver, and your precious stones
D&C 124:27 And with iron, with copper, and with brass, and with zinc, and with all your precious things of the earth; and build a house to my name
C – Manufacturing D&C 89:6 pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
D&C 59:19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.
D&C 124:26 knowledge of antiquities, that will come, may come, and bring the box tree, and the fir tree, and the pine tree, together with all the precious trees of the earth;
D – Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply D&C 88:7 … He [Christ] is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made.
D&C 50:24 That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day
E – Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities D&C 10:66 Yea, if they will come, they may, and partake of the waters of life freely.
D&C 84:92 cleanse your feet even with water, pure water, whether in heat or in cold,
D&C 103:11 shall return to the lands of their inheritances, and shall build up the waste places of Zion.
F – Construction D&C 94 the building of a house for the presidency, for the work of the presidency
D&C 124:23 And it shall be for a house for boarding, a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein
D&C 84:3 Which city shall be built, beginning at the temple lot,
D&C 124:31 But I command you, all ye my saints, to build a house unto me;
G – Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles D&C 57:8 establish a store, that he may sell goods without fraud, that he may obtain money to buy lands for the good of the saints,
D&C 51:13 let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church; and let all things both in money and in meat,
D&C 63:42 Let my servant Newel K. Whitney retain his store
H – Transportation and storage D&C 61:3 But verily I say unto you, that it is not needful for this whole company of mine elders to be moving swiftly upon the waters
D&C 107:33 The Twelve are a Traveling Presiding High Council, to …regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations,…
D&C 44:1 the elders of my church should be called together, from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, by letter or some other way.
I – Accommodation and food service activities D&C 124:23 And it shall be for a house for boarding, a house that strangers may come from afar to lodge therein
D&C 84:89 Whoso receiveth you receiveth me; and the same will feed you, and clothe you, and give you money.
J – Information and communication D&C 57:11 That the revelations may be published, and go forth unto the ends of the earth
D&C 124:3 This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, … to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.
D&C 20:64 Each priest, teacher, or deacon…, may take a certificate from him at the time, which certificate …shall entitle him to a license, which shall authorize him to perform the duties of his calling,
K – Financial and insurance activities D&C 19:35 Pay the debt thou hast contracted with the printer. Release thyself from bondage.
D&C 51:11 if another church would receive money of this church, let them pay unto this church again according as they shall agree
D&C 90:23 That thereby he may be enabled to discharge every debt;
D&C 117:5 Let the properties of Kirtland be turned out for debts, saith the Lord.
D&C 124:64 And they shall not receive less than fifty dollars for a share of stock in that house
L – Real estate activities D&C 57:8 establish a store, that he may sell goods without fraud, that he may obtain money to buy lands for the good of the saints,
D&C 104:36 he should sell the lots that are laid off for the building up of the city of my saint
D&C 48:6 to purchase the lands, and to make a commencement to lay the foundation of the city
M – Professional, scientific and technical activities D&C 123:4 a committee can be appointed … to take statements and affidavits
D&C 72:5 the elders of the church… shall render an account of their stewardship unto the bishop
D&C 88:45 The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light…
N – Administrative and support service activities D&C 136:25 If thou borrowest of thy neighbor, thou shalt restore that which thou hast borrowed
D&C 85:1 It is the duty of the Lord’s clerk, … to keep a history, and a general church record of all things that transpire in Zion, and of all those who consecrate properties…
D&C 69:5 And also, my servants who are abroad in the earth should send forth the accounts of their stewardships to the land of Zion;
O – Public administration and defence; compulsory social security D&C 134:1 We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man
D&C 98:6 Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land;
D&C 105:26 until the army of Israel becomes very great.
D&C 119:4 And after that, those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually
D&C 120:1 it [tithing] shall be disposed of by a council, composed of the First Presidency of my Church, and of the bishop and his council, and by my high council
D&C 128:2 there should be a recorder, who should be eye-witness, and also to hear with his ears, that he might make a record of a truth before the Lord.
P – Education D&C 69:3 And also that he shall continue in writing and making a history of all the important things
D&C 90:11 every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language,
D&C 97:3 I, the Lord, am well pleased that there should be a school in Zion
D&C 88:77 Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you…Of things in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are…; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations
Q – Human health and social work activities D&C 42:43 And whosoever among you are sick, and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be nourished with all tenderness,
D&C 109:72 Remember all thy church, O Lord, with all their families, and all their immediate connections, with all their sick and afflicted ones, with all the poor and meek of the earth
D&C 42:45 Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die
R – Arts, entertainment and recreation D&C 136:28 If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing
D&C 66:11 thou shalt magnify thine office, and push many people to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon their head
S – Other service activities D&C 4:2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength
T – Activities of households as employers; undifferentiated goods- and services-producing activities of households for own use D&C 58:28 For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.
U – Activities of extraterritorial organizations and bodies D&C 109:55 Remember the kings, the princes, the nobles, and the great ones of the earth, and all people, and the churches
D&C 134:2 We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for

 

In conclusion, let’s take the Lord more literally at his word:

11 It is wisdom in me; therefore, a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall organize yourselves and appoint every man his stewardship;

12 That every man may give an account unto me of the stewardship which is appointed unto him.

13 For it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures.

14 I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.

15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.

16 But it must needs be done in mine own way; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low.

17 For the earth is full, and there is enough and to spare; yea, I prepared all things, and have given unto the children of men to be agents unto themselves. (D&C 104:11-17)

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