D&C Section 2

Doctrine and Covenants Section 2: Elijah’s Promise and the Turning of Hearts (Received September 1823)

Doctrine and Covenants Section 2 may be brief in length—consisting of just three verses—but its significance is towering. This early revelation was delivered by the angel Moroni to the young Joseph Smith in September 1823, just after Joseph had begun praying for forgiveness and direction. This moment would mark the first of several heavenly visitations that opened the door to the Restoration of the gospel in the latter days. Section 2 serves as a bridge between the ancient prophetic promises of the Old Testament and the dawning of a new dispensation. It introduces a divine theme that echoes throughout all of scripture and latter-day revelation: the turning of hearts.

This revelation, though short, reveals a powerful prophecy from the book of Malachi and centers around the mission of Elijah. It points to the eternal nature of families, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the preparation of the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. What makes this passage even more profound is that it was not received by Joseph Smith as a prophet in official capacity, but as a humble boy seeking truth. It speaks to the universal reach of God’s purposes—how He prepares even the most unlikely individuals for great responsibility.

The Voice of Moroni: A Messenger of Restoration

In the quiet of Joseph Smith’s bedroom in Manchester, New York, an angel appeared, filling the room with heavenly light. That angel, Moroni, stood as a representative of ancient prophets and divine promises. Among the many messages he delivered, one stood out above the rest. Moroni quoted scripture—but not exactly as it appears in the Bible. He repeated the words of Malachi 4:5–6, but with key differences. These words were not just citations of prophecy; they were a divine reemphasis, tailored for the latter-day world. This quotation would become the entirety of Doctrine and Covenants Section 2.

The angel declared that Elijah would be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and that he would plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers. And if those hearts did not turn, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at His coming. This powerful message framed the entire purpose of the Restoration: to reconnect Heaven and Earth, past and present, children and parents, through the priesthood power restored in the last days.

Elijah’s Mission: The Binding Power of the Priesthood

Elijah the prophet holds a unique role in both biblical and modern scripture. He was not only a great miracle-worker or prophet of fire—he was the one chosen by God to hold the keys of sealing power, which bind earthly ordinances in heaven. This authority, bestowed upon him anciently, was preserved until the time when it would be needed again—in the last dispensation, just before the return of Jesus Christ.

The prophecy of Elijah’s return is found in the final verses of the Old Testament, making it a dramatic closing to that volume of scripture. That same prophecy became the opening voice of the Restoration when Moroni appeared in 1823. Why Elijah? Because his mission was to turn hearts, to forge eternal links between generations. Without that connection—between fathers and children, ancestors and posterity—God’s plan for eternal families would remain incomplete. Section 2 marks the promise that this connection was about to be restored to the earth.

When Elijah later did return, it was not with fire from heaven, but in sacred stillness in the Kirtland Temple in 1836, where he conferred the keys of this sealing power upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. But the foundation for that event began here in Section 2, with a prophetic foreshadowing delivered by a heavenly messenger.

The Promises to the Fathers: Covenants and Eternal Identity

Doctrine and Covenants 2 is centered on the concept of promises made to the fathers. These are not vague, ancient declarations. They are covenants—eternal agreements made between God and His children. The fathers spoken of in this context are the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and others who were promised lands, posterity, priesthood, and that through their seed all nations of the earth would be blessed.

These promises are renewed in every dispensation and find their fullness in the restored gospel. When Moroni quoted this prophecy, he was declaring that those promises are alive, and that they would become accessible once again through the keys and authority restored to the earth. The turning of hearts is not just an emotional longing for family; it is the spiritual movement toward covenantal identity, recognizing who we are in relation to God and our ancestors.

The Turning of Hearts: The Foundation of Temple Work

One of the most beautiful themes of Section 2 is the “turning of hearts.” This phrase has become synonymous with temple work and family history, a defining focus of the Latter-day Saint faith. The gospel of Jesus Christ restores not only saving ordinances, but also the vision of an eternal family, sealed across generations. The turning of hearts is a spiritual awakening—a recognition that salvation is not individualistic but collective. We are saved with our ancestors and for our descendants.

Moroni’s message makes it clear: if this work is not done, the earth will be wasted. That isn’t a threat of physical destruction alone—it’s a warning that without connection, without sealing, the very purpose of creation is frustrated. The earth was created to be a place where families are formed, sealed, and exalted. Without that, the plan of salvation loses its meaning.

Doctrine and Covenants 2, though only three verses, is the doctrinal root of one of the most important and joyful aspects of the gospel: the work of redeeming the dead and binding generations together in love and covenant.

A Small Revelation with a Global Vision

It’s easy to overlook Section 2 because of its brevity, but to do so is to miss a foundational piece of the Restoration. Here we have the echo of ancient prophecy resounding in a young boy’s room, heralding the return of prophetic power and the beginning of a divine work that spans heaven and earth. Elijah’s promise is more than a warning—it’s an invitation. It invites all people to join in the greatest project of love and redemption ever undertaken: the sealing of human hearts across generations.

The turning of hearts begins with awareness, grows through covenant, and flourishes in the temple. From the moment Moroni delivered this message, the course of history shifted. A Restoration had begun. A boy prophet was chosen. And the work of preparing the earth for Christ’s return had been set in motion. Doctrine and Covenants Section 2 reminds us that no matter how small something seems—three verses, a teenage farm boy, a nighttime visitation—it can be the spark that lights eternity.