Continued from the previous post regarding more information on interpreting what the prophet meant when writing the Book of Mormon.
• Know what is being referred to:
D&C 89:
The following revelation, called the Word of Wisdom, was "given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints." This was "not by commandment or constraint" and was the "order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days." The emphasis was on awareness against the "consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days" the Lord "warned" us and "forewarned” us, "by giving unto [us] this word of wisdom by revelation."
[1] “That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong [full of spirit, intoxicating] drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet [suitable, proper] in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. And behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make
[2] And again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies
[3] And again, tobacco is not for the body [external], neither for the belly [internal], and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill
[4] And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly
[5] And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome [healthful] herbs God hath ordained [established, decreed] for the constitution, nature, and use of man -- every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof
[6] All these to be used with prudence [caution, reservation] and thanksgiving
[7] Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving
[8] Nevertheless they are to be used sparingly [frugally, moderately, seldom]
[9] And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine*
[10] All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven [sky, air], and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth; and these
[11] Hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger*
[12] 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 –
[13] Nevertheless, wheat for man
[14] Corn for the ox,
[15] And oats for the horse,
[16] And rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field,
[17] And barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain
[18] And all Saints who remember to keep and do these sayings
[19], Walking in obedience to the commandments
[20], Shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones
[21] And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures
[22] And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
[23] And I the Lord give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.
* Note the different language between these two statements. Meat is to be used during winter, cold, or famine, since that is when plants (grain and fruit) normally do not grow, and in 1833 when the revelation was given, not available to man; however, in the second statement, it is in times of famine and excess of hunger, i.e., when more food is needed than what wheat will provide, it is all right to eat the other grains such as corn, oats, rye, barley, etc. The reason is simple: grains and the flesh of beasts and fowls have all been ordained (established, decreed by the Lord) for man to eat, however, the principle of obedience^ is hereby established by the Lord# with an accompanying promise "showing forth the order and will of God" who knows the nutritional value+ of meat, grains, fruits, etc.
^ Discussed by Stephen L. Richards in Conference Report, April 1949, in which he states that this type of obedience (following the Words of Wisdom) "increases our faith and development of more spiritual power and, in turn, more wisdom."
# "This is a spiritual commandment” (Stephen L. Richards in Conference Report).
+ "The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. Food can affect the mind and deficiencies in certain elements in the body can promote mental depression” (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, October 1974, pp 91-92).
[1] There was a concern that conspiring men would poison any wine Joseph Smith, or the early brethren, might purchase for use in the sacrament;
[2] Liquors are considered strong drink;
[3] Alcohol has always been a medicinal wash for the body, wounds, etc.
[4] Even today, tobacco plant is used for a poultice on open wounds, and used for healing animals;
[5] At the time this revelation was given, hot drinks were teas and coffees. In the areas where the Church was organized, there were no herbal drinks that were heated at that time;
[6] To have eaten plants and fruits out of season at a time when no refrigeration or modern agricultural technologies existed would have been unhealthy and dangerous
[7] Over-indulgence in any eating habits or any foods is not wise
[8] Eating meat, generally, is sanctified by the Lord
[9] Meat is to be eaten sparingly, that is, not at every meal, not even at most meals
[10] Meat should be reserved for times when plants (grains and fruits) are not grown (winter) or when they do not grow (famine). Today, of course, plants are grown during winter in many parts of the country and world and there are few, if any, famines in the United States. However, the statement is clearly an indication that meat was to be used to supplement diets when normal dietary foods (grains and fruits) were unobtainable; therefore, meat is not recommended by the Lord to be eaten as a main staple
[10] Grains
[11] Certain grains are not for use of man at all times, though they are ordained (established) for his use
[12] Evidently wheat has certain nutritious properties the other grains lack
[13] Clearly, wheat is the preferred grain for man. All the other grains are better used for animal consumption, with certain grains having nutritional value for certain animals. The intent is to show that while man can eat all grains, certain grains are better than others, and wheat is what the Lord has established (ordained) for man--the other grains are to be used by man "only in times of famine and excess of hunger," that is, when there is not enough wheat, other grains may be used
[14] "These sayings" refers to the words of wisdom being given by the Lord to man in this section of the D&C
[15] "The Commandments" refers to all the commandments the Lord has given us for our benefit, not just those in this section of the D&C, but in all of scripture
[16] Evidently, good health is received as a combination of obedience to both dietary laws and life commandments. The Lord seems not to be separating these two things. That is, good health seems not only dependent upon leading a healthful life, but also in leading a righteous life
[17] Clearly, the more obedient we are to all the commandments, the greater knowledge we are granted; and the greater the knowledge we are granted, the greater becomes our obedience
• Know the Words Being Used
(See the next post, “What Did the Prophet Mean? - Part II,” for more information on interpreting what the prophet meant when writing the Book of Mormon).
The Word of Wisdom is fantastic advice. However, I still believe that the wheat industry we have today has been corrupted.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with modern wheat