D&C Section 85

Doctrine & Covenants 85:  Zion Under Construction (November 27, 1832)

In the fall of 1832, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were gathering in Missouri, designated as the land of Zion. The Lord had given commandments about the law of consecration, where individuals would offer their properties for the benefit of the entire community. This required careful stewardship from the Church’s bishops, especially Edward Partridge, who was tasked with organizing inheritances and maintaining records. But not all Saints were following through with the required consecrations. Confusion was rising over who had legal inheritance in Zion and who did not. Joseph Smith, while laboring in Kirtland, Ohio, sought the Lord’s guidance on how to record these matters and how to distinguish between those faithfully observing the law and those neglecting it. In response, D&C 85 was given—an answer that was administrative in purpose but eternal in scope.

Sacred Recordkeeping: The Book of the Living

The first verses of D&C 85 establish the sacred duty of the Lord’s clerk—the person responsible for maintaining a general Church record. This wasn’t merely a list of members; it was a spiritual census, recording those who consecrated their properties, received their inheritances lawfully, and lived righteously within the covenant. This record was to capture not only transactions but the “manner of life, their faith, and works.”

The Lord makes it explicitly clear that those who refuse to follow the law of consecration are not to be listed among the Saints. Their names are to be excluded not only from Church rolls but from the book of the law of God, echoing the eternal Book of Life referenced in Revelation and other scripture. This celestial ledger symbolizes God’s perfect knowledge of His people—those who walk in obedience and covenant, and those who do not. It is a sobering reminder that heaven keeps records, and that earthly choices are eternally remembered.

Obedience Determines Inclusion

D&C 85 draws a sharp boundary between those who are faithful and those who are not. While today we often focus on God’s mercy and grace (and rightly so), this section highlights a divine principle that can’t be ignored: Obedience matters. Those who neglect their covenants are not only in danger of spiritual decline but risk being forgotten in the most sacred records of all. This is not to suggest that God is eager to cast people out; rather, it emphasizes that inclusion in Zion—and ultimately in heaven—is a covenantal relationship built on trust, sacrifice, and integrity. Zion is not just an ideal; it is a heavenly structure with earthly protocols. To build it requires more than good intentions. It requires faith in action, fulfilled commitments, and sustained devotion to divine law. D&C 85 establishes that there is no room in Zion for rebellion masked as religious enthusiasm. The Lord is building a holy city, and only those who align with His laws can claim inheritance in it.

The Mysterious “One Mighty and Strong”

In what is perhaps the most referenced and enigmatic part of the section, the Lord declares that “I the Lord God will send one mighty and strong” to set in order the house of God. This person is described as bearing a scepter of power, tasked with dividing inheritances by line and decree, and correcting disorder among the Saints. The identity of this “one mighty and strong” has sparked countless discussions and interpretations throughout Church history. Some early Saints speculated that this referred to Joseph Smith himself, while others believed it pointed to a future figure yet to come. Others view it symbolically—as a divine promise that God will never let disorder reign unchecked in His Church. What’s most important is not just the person but the principle: when the Church faces spiritual or administrative confusion, the Lord will intervene through chosen servants to restore clarity, order, and righteousness.

This passage also reinforces the idea that Church leadership is not self-appointed. The Lord states clearly that only those whom He appoints—or who are lawfully appointed under His authority—have power to officiate. This concept defends the divine structure of priesthood governance and emphasizes that God’s kingdom is not chaotic or politicized, but deliberately organized and spiritually governed.

Zion Requires Stewardship and Obedience

Doctrine and Covenants 85 is not a comfortable revelation. It is challenging, even confrontational. But it is also visionary, corrective, and deeply loving. It reveals a God who is invested in the structure of His kingdom, who values accountability, and who is actively involved in the details of how Zion is built.

It teaches that spiritual records are real, and that our names, our choices, and our covenants are sacredly observed by divine hands. It shows that leadership in the Church is divinely directed, and that when course correction is needed, God sends His messengers to do the work.  Most of all, D&C 85 calls each disciple to consecrate not just their possessions, but their lives to the cause of Christ and the building of Zion. It asks us to live in such a way that our names are not only on Church rosters, but inscribed in the heavenly book—the book of those whose faith, obedience, and works are pleasing to God.

Final Thought: Be Found in the Book

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about the imagery in D&C 85. Imagine standing before the Lord’s book, hoping your name is found within its glowing pages—not because of fame or perfection, but because you were faithful, because you consecrated your life to something greater than yourself.

Doctrine and Covenants 85 is a mirror. It reflects who we are, what we value, and what we’re building. It asks: Are you helping to build Zion? Are you living with purpose and integrity? Will your name be found among the living? In the end, that’s the message of D&C 85. And it’s one we must carry with reverence and resolve.