In T&C 50:6-7 the following instruction (and commandment) was given:
“But, unto him that keeps my commandments, I will give the mysteries of my Kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water springing up unto everlasting life. And now behold, this is the will of the Lord your God concerning his saints — that they should assemble themselves together unto the land of Zion, not in haste, lest there should be confusion, which brings pestilence.
“Behold, the land of Zion; I, the Lord, hold it in my own hands. Nevertheless, I, the Lord, render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s. Wherefore, I, the Lord, will that you should purchase the lands, that you may have advantage of the world, that you may have claim on the world, that they may not be stirred up unto anger. For Satan puts it into their hearts to anger against you and to the shedding of blood. Wherefore, the land of Zion shall not be obtained but by purchase or by blood; otherwise, there is no inheritance for you. And if by purchase, behold, you are blessed, and if by blood, as you are forbidden to shed blood, lo, your enemies are upon you and you shall be scourged from city to city, and from synagogue to synagogue, and but few shall stand to receive an inheritance.”
This 1831 instruction remains as relevant to us today as when originally given. There is a direct cause and effect between keeping commandments and gaining understanding. Christ taught: “If any man will do [God’s] will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it is of God or whether I speak of myself.” NC John 6:4
Haste is no better today than it was before. Cutting corners and moving quickly always results in compromises. There are not short-cuts in following the Lord. He is the prototype, as explained in Lecture 7, paragraph 9 of the Lectures on Faith: “Where is the prototype? Or where is the saved being? We conclude as to the answer of this question there will be no dispute among those who believe the Bible that it is Christ. All will agree in this, that he is the prototype or standard of salvation, or in other words, that he is a saved being. And if we should continue our interrogation, and ask how it is that he is saved, the answer would be, because he is a just and holy being. And if he were anything different from what he is he would not be saved, for his salvation depends on his being precisely what he is and nothing else.” T&C 110
Christ explained the process He followed: “Truly, truly I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for whatever things he does, the Son likewise does these also, for the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that he himself does.” NC John 5:4
If we follow Him, we will also obey the commandments and let them direct our behavior. We will not act in haste, but proceed wisely, patiently, and respecting the demands of Caesar. It does not matter that Caesar (or “Babylon” or “the world”) is corrupt, vain, anti-Christ, and doomed, we “may have advantage of the world” by satisfying their demands. By meeting their demands, we get to have a “claim on the world” rather than the world having claim on us.
There are clearly many signs underway in the heavens above and in the earth beneath. NC Luke 12:17 Christ told our generation to “look up” and realize He will soon come. Of course the meaning of “soon” is the Lord’s, and He alone will set the event. But the generation now lives who will see Him vindicate His prophecies.
There are great reasons to be optimistic and hopeful. Far more reasons for that than for despair and gloom. Keeping the commandments is the first step in having the mysteries of God’s last-days “strange act” revealed. (T&C 101:20)