Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants
Doctrine and Covenants 133–134

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In 1833, mobs attacked and destroyed the Church’s printing press. Among the print jobs in progress at the time was the Book of Commandments—the Church’s first attempt to compile God’s latter-day revelations into one volume. The mob scattered the unbound pages, and although courageous Saints preserved some of them, only a few incomplete copies of the Book of Commandments are known to have survived.

What we now know as section 133 of the Doctrine and Covenants was meant to be the appendix to the Book of Commandments, like an exclamation point at the end of the Lord’s published revelations. It warns of a coming day of judgment and repeats the call found throughout modern revelation: Flee worldliness, as symbolized by Babylon. Build Zion. Prepare for the Second Coming. And spread this message “unto every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (verse 37). The original plans for the Book of Commandments were not fulfilled, but this revelation is a reminder and a witness that the Lord’s work will go forward, “for he shall make bare his holy arm … , and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of their God” (verse 3).
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D&C 133: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, November 3, 1831. Prefacing this revelation, Joseph Smith’s history states, “At this time there were many things which the Elders desired to know relative to preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering; and in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November, 1831, I inquired of the Lord and received the following important revelation.” This section was first added to the book of Doctrine and Covenants as an appendix and was subsequently assigned a section number.

D&C 134: A declaration of belief regarding governments and laws in general, adopted by unanimous vote at a general assembly of the Church held at Kirtland, Ohio, August 17, 1835. Many Saints gathered together to consider the proposed contents of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. At that time, this declaration was given the following preamble: “That our belief with regard to earthly governments and laws in general may not be misinterpreted nor misunderstood, we have thought proper to present, at the close of this volume, our opinion concerning the same.”

President Henry B. Eyring taught: “The Restoration of the gospel started with a humble question pondered in a humble home, and it can continue in each of our homes” (“A Home Where the Spirit of the Lord Dwells,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 25).

D&C 133: Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, November 3, 1831. Prefacing this revelation, Joseph Smith’s history states, “At this time there were many things which the Elders desired to know relative to preaching the Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth, and concerning the gathering; and in order to walk by the true light, and be instructed from on high, on the 3rd of November, 1831, I inquired of the Lord and received the following important revelation.” This section was first added to the book of Doctrine and Covenants as an appendix and was subsequently assigned a section number.

D&C 134: A declaration of belief regarding governments and laws in general, adopted by unanimous vote at a general assembly of the Church held at Kirtland, Ohio, August 17, 1835. Many Saints gathered together to consider the proposed contents of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants. At that time, this declaration was given the following preamble: “That our belief with regard to earthly governments and laws in general may not be misinterpreted nor misunderstood, we have thought proper to present, at the close of this volume, our opinion concerning the same.”

Resources on ChurchofJesusChrist.org

•   Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
•   Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
•   Come, Follow Me—For Primary (lesson materials at ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
•   “Come, Ye Children of the Lord,” Hymns, no. 58.

• William McLellin’s Five Questions, Revelations in Context
• Section 133, The Lord’s Appendix to the Doctrine and Covenants, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 335–43
• Chapter 53: Doctrine and Covenants 133, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)
• Of Governments and Laws, Revelations in Context
• Section 134, Earthly Governments and Laws, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2002), pp 344–47
• Chapter 54: Doctrine and Covenants 134–36, Doctrine and Covenants Institute Student Manual (2017)

Resources on Interpreter Foundation

•   Come, Follow Me Study and Teaching Helps — Lesson 47: D&C 133–134, Jonn Claybaugh
•     Audio Roundtable: Come, Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants Lesson 47 (D&C 133–134)

Resources on Other Sites

•   Come, Follow Me Week 47 – Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, FAIR
•   Why Was the Nauvoo City Charter Important for Protecting the Saints?, Book of Mormon Central KnoWhy #622
•   Section 133, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Section 134, Harper, Steven C. – D&C Contexts (Book of Mormon Central Archive)
•   Come Follow Me with Casey Paul Griffiths (Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, November 15-21), Book of Mormon Central
•   Come Follow Me Insights (Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, Nov 15-21), Book of Mormon Central
•   Come Follow Me: Act in Doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, Nov 15-21), Book of Mormon Central
•   Come Follow Me with Taylor Halverson (Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, November 15-21), Book of Mormon Central
•   Hard Questions in Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson: Week 47 (D&C 133-134, Nov 15-21), Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 133, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Doctrine & Covenants 134, Doctrine & Covenants Central
•   Come Follow Me Doctrine and Covenants 133-134 (Nov. 15-21) Don’t Miss This, Don’t Miss This
•   Come Follow Me – Doctrine and Covenants 133-134: “Go Ye Out of Babylon”, Unshaken
•   Come, Follow Me Podcast #47: “Prepare Ye for the Coming of the Bridegroom”, Doctrine and Covenants 133-134, Meridian Magazine
•   Come, Follow Me for Sunday School: “Prepare Ye for the Coming of the Bridegroom”, Sections 133-134, Meridian Magazine
•   November 15–21, 2021 Come, Follow Me Songs, Music for Latter-day Life
•   Doctrine and Covenants 133 to 134 – “Prepare Ye for the Coming of the Bridegroom”, BYU Studies