Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 31:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 31:4
"You shall declare the things which have been revealed to my servant, Joseph Smith, Jun. You shall begin to preach from this time forth, yea, to reap in the field which is white already to be burned."

What stood out to me was the part about the field "is white already to be burned". I usually hear that it's white already to harvest. I was curious and searched but could not find those words anywhere else in the scriptures.

"Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God."
(Doctrine & Covenants 12:3)

"Yea, verily, verily, I say unto you, that the field is white already to harvest; wherefore, thrust in your sickles, and reap with all your might, mind, and strength."
(Doctrine & Covenants 33:7)

Then I looked for when it mentioned the field being burned. These are two verses that mention this.

"Which causeth silence to reign, and all eternity is pained, and the angels are waiting the great command to reap down the earth, to gather the tares that they may be burned; and, behold, the enemy is combined."
(Doctrine & Covenants 38:12)

"Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto the Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down the fields;"
(Doctrine & Covenants 86:5)

It is interesting to note that during the Salt Lake Temple dedication (6-24 April 1893) President Wilford Woodruff spoke of those angels being released.

"God has held the angels of destruction for many years, lest they should reap down the wheat with the tares. But I want to tell you now, that those angels have left the portals of heaven, and they stand over this people and this nation now, and are hovering over the earth waiting to pour out the judgments. And from this very day they shall be poured out. Calamities and troubles are increasing in the earth, and there is a meaning to these things. Remember this, and reflect upon these matters. If you do your duty, and I do my duty, we’ll have protection, and shall pass through the afflictions in peace and in safety.
(“The Temple Workers’ Excursion,” Young Woman’s Journal, Aug. 1894, 512–513.)

Day 3620

Today's Favorite Verse: D&C 86:6-7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 86:6-7

"But the Lord saith unto them, pluck not up the tares while the blade is yet tender (for verily your faith is weak), lest you destroy the wheat also.

Therefore, let the wheat and the tares grow together until the harvest is fully ripe; then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares, and after the gathering of the wheat, behold and lo, the tares are bound in bundles, and the field remaineth to be burned."

I had to sit and reflect on how living among the tares has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I truly have learned faith. I have had to learn to turn to the Lord and rely on him and not man. These are lessons I could have learned no other way.

The other thing I thought about is how merciful the Lord is to have the wheat and tares grow together. I know the tares are planted by Satan, but with them living among the children of God there is always a chance the now wicked will change before they become fully ripe. Repentance would never happen if they didn't have examples around them of the mercy of the Lord. It really is for both our sake we are growing up together.

When I have fully grown in faith, and they have fully become ripe to wickedness, there is no longer any benefit we can receive from each other. Then God is merciful to his saints to gather them from the field. What a comfort it is to know that the Lord will move me to a better place when the time is right. Right now because I know there are things I can still learn, I wouldn't change a thing.

Day 505