KINGDOM OF GOD (Teachings of Joseph Smith)

Kingdom of Heaven Likened to Mustard Seed/Tree — Unidentified Scribe (circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839)

The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed: The mustard seed is small but brings forth a large tree. The fowls are the angels the Book of Morman perhaps thus Angels come down combine together to gather their children & gather them, we cannot be made perfect without them, nor they without us, when these are done the son of man will desend, the ancient of days sit. We may come to an innumerable company of angels have communion with & recieve instruction from— Paul had these things, we may, & have the fowls of the heaven lodge in the branches. — The horse made war with the saints overcome them &c untill the ancient of days, and judgement was given to saints of the most high from the ancient of days the time came that the saints possesed the kingdom It not only makes us ministers here but in eternity

Discourse, between circa 26 June and circa 4 August 1839–A, as Reported by Unidentified Scribe, p. 4, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God and Man with Authority to Administer Ordinances Always Present on the Earth — Wilford Woodruff (January 17, 1843)

. . . the kingdom of God was set upon the earth in all ages from the days of Adam to the presant time whenever there was a man on earth who had authority to Administar the ordinances of the gospel or a priest of God & unto such a man God did reveal his will concerning the Baptism of John it was the Baptism of repentance unto remission of sins for the receiving of the Holy Ghost & it was the gospel Baptism, These were questions which had been in debate for many years & in some degree among the Saints

Discourse, 17 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 2, The Joseph Smith Papers.

From Beginning of Time, Kingdom of God and Individuals with Power & Authority on the Earth — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

. . . some say the kingdom of God was not set up on earth untill the day of pentecost & that John did not preach the Baptism of repentance for the remission of sins But I say in the name of the Lord that the kingdom of God was set upon the earth from the days of Adam to the present time whenever there has beein a righteous man on earth unto whom God revealed his word & gave power & authority to administer in his name: And whare theire is a Priest of God, a minister who has power & authority from God to administer in the ordinances of the gospel & officiate in the Priesthood of God, theire is the kingdom of God & in consequence of rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ & the Prophets whom God hath sent, the judgments of God hath rested upon people cities & nations in various ages of the world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom & gomoroah who were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets.

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 4, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Salvation Impossible without Kingdom of God — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

Now I will give my testimony I care not for man I speak boldly & faithfully & with authority. How is it with the kingdom of God, whare did the kingdom of God begin, whare their is no kingdom of God there is no salvation.

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported  by Wilford Woodruff, p. 4, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Consists of Prophet, Priest, or Righteous Man — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

What constitutes the kingdom of God Whare there is a prophet a priest, or a righteous man unto whom God gives his oracles there is the kingdom of God, & whare the oracles of God are not there the kingdom of God is not

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 4-5, The Joseph Smith Papers.

People of God Must Receive Revelation, Otherwise Damned — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

The plea of many in this day is that we have no right to receive revelations, But if we do not get revelations we do not have the oracles of God & if they have not the oracles of God they are not the people of God But say you what will become of the world or the various professors of religion who do not believe in revelation & the oracles of God as continued to his Church in all ages of the world when he has a people on earth, I tell you in the name of Jesus Christ they will be damned & whan you get into the eternal world you will find it to be so thay cannot escape the damnation of hell . . . I [Joseph Smith] have got the kingdom of God & I am coming after you, Ive got the kingdom of God & you can get it & I am coming after you & if you dont receive it you will be damned

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 5-6, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Appeared to Be Confined to Only John the Baptist — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

As touching the gospel & Baptism that John preached I would say that John came preaching the gospel for the remission of Sins he had his authority from God & the oricles of God were with him & the kingdom of God for a season seemed to be with John alone.

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 5-6, The Joseph Smith Papers.

John the Baptist Called to Preach Gospel and Kingdom of God — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

An angel of God Also appeared unto Zecheriah while in the Temple that he should have a son whose name should be John & he should be filled with the Holy Ghost Zechoriah was a priest of God & officiating in the Temple & John was a priest after his father & held the keys of the aronic priesthood & was Called of God to preache the Gospel & the kingdom of God & the Jews as a nation having departed from the Law of God & the gospel the Lord prepared the way for transfering it to the gentiles

But says one the kingdom of God could not be set up in the days of John for John said the kingdom was at hand But I would ask if it could be any nearer to them than to be in the hands of John, the people need not wait for the days of Pentecost to find the kingdom of God for John had it with him, & he came forth from the wilderness crying out repent ye for the kingdom of heaven is at hand as much as to baul out here . . .

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 6, The Joseph Smith Papers.

John the Baptist Legal Officiator of Kingdom of God — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

. . . the scriptures represant that all Jerrusalem went out unto Johns Baptism Here was a legal administrator, & those that were baptized were subjects for a king & also the laws & oracles of God were there therefore the kingdom of God was there, for no man could have better authority to Administer than John & our Savior submitted to that authority himself by being Baptized By John therefore the kingdom of God was set up upon the earth even in the days of John

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 6-7, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Different from Blessings & Fruits of Kingdom of God — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

. . . their is a differance between the kingdom of God & the fruits & blessings that flow from that kingdom becaus their was more miracles gifts visions healings, tongues &c in the days of Jesus Christ & the Apostles & on the day of pentecost that under Johns Administration, it does not prove by any means that John had not the kingdom of God; any more than it would that a woman had not a milk pan because she had not a pan of milk, for while the pan might be compared to the kingdom the milk might be compared to the blessings of the kingdom.

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 7, The Joseph Smith Papers.

John Held Authority over Kingdom of God in Preparation for Christ — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

John was a priest after the order of Aaron & had the keys of that priesthood & came forth preaching repentance & Baptism for the remission of sins but at the same time crys out there cometh one after me more mightier than I the latches of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose, & Christ came according to the words of John, & he was greater than John because he held the keys of the Melchisedic Priesthood & the kingdom of God & had before revealed the priesthood to Moses, yet Christ was baptisd by John to fulfill all righteousness & Jesus in his teaching says upon this rock I will build my Church & the gatas [gates] of hell shall not prevail against it what rock, Revelation Again he says except ye are born of the water & the spirit ye cannot inter into the kingdom of God, And though the heavens & earth should pass away my words shall not pass away If a man is born of the water & the spirit he can get into the kingdom of God it is evident the kingdom of God was on the earth & John prepared subject for kingdom by preaching the gospel to them & Baptising them & he prepared the way to before the Savior or came as a forerunner & prepared subject for the preaching of Christ, & &c

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 7-8, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Existed Before and After Pentecost — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

Christ preached through Jerrosalem on the same ground whare John had preached & when the Apostles were raised up they worked in Jerrusalem & Jesus commanded them to tarry there untill they were endowed with power from on high had thay not work to do in Jerrusalem, they did work & prepared a people for the pentecost The kingdom of God was with them before the day of pentecost as well as afterwords & it was also with John & he preached the same gospel & Baptism that Jesus & the Apostles preachng after him

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, p. 8, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Only Exists with an Administrator Legally Authorized by God — Wilford Woodruff (January 22, 1843)

Whenever man can find out the will of God & find an Administrator legally authorized from God there is the kingdom of God but whare those are not, the kingdom of God is not[.] All the ordinances systems, & Administrations on the earth is of no use to the Children of men unless they are ordained & authorized of God for nothing will save a man but a leger [legal] Administrator for none others will be acknowledge either by God or Angels

Discourse, 22 January 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff, pp. 8-9, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Kingdom of God Never Symbolically Represented by a Beast — William Clayton (April 8, 1843)

When God made use of the figure of a beast in visions to the prophets, he did it to represent those kingdoms who had degenerated and become corrupt— the kingdoms of the world, but he never made use of the figure of a beast nor any of the brute kind to represent his kingdom.

Discourse, 8 April 1843, as Reported by William Clayton–B, p. 2, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Order of the Kingdom of God Revealed through Spirits of Just Men Made Perfect — Times & Seasons (October 9, 1843)

The Hebrew church “came unto the spirits of just men made perfect, and unto an innumerable company of angels, unto God the Father of all, and to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant;” but what they learned, has not been, and could not have been written. What object was gained by this communication with the spirits of the just, &c.? It was the established order of the kingdom of God—the keys of power and knowledge were with them to communicate to the saints—hence the importance of understanding the distinction between the spirits of the just, and angels. Spirits can only be revealed in flaming fire, or glory. Angels have advanced farther—their light and glory being tabernacled, and hence appear in bodily shape.

Discourse, 9 October 1843, as Reported by Times and Seasons, p. 331, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Contrasting Requirements to See versus Enter Kingdom of God — Willard Richards (October 15, 1843)

. . . one thing to see the kingdom. & another to be in it. must have a change of heart. to see the kingdom of Good. & subsribe the articles of adoption to enter therein.

Discourse, 15 October 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 130, The Joseph Smith Papers.

Devil Sets Up Kingdom Alongside God’s Kingdom (May 12, 1844)