I've never looked closely at the 1st section. I've read it many times, I suppose, but there are wonderful things there I hadn't noticed before! It's amazing what we find when we read the scriptures a little more carefully!
First of all I knew the first section was given after many of the ones that follow it, and was given to be a preface. Excellent. But I appreciate that it clearly states the reasons that the Doctrine and Covenants was to be printed and given to all. It isn't just to say that here is a really cool collection of great revelations that were received in the early years of the Church. The reasons for this book of Scriptures is:
23 That the afulness of my bgospel might be cproclaimed by the dweak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before ekings and frulers.
28 And inasmuch as they were ahumble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive bknowledge from time to time.
I particularly found interesting verse 25, that it is a blessing to be able to know when we err, so we can correct it and do things the right way. I've never particularly enjoyed finding out I've done something wrong, but this shows that it is a blessing! How wonderful that we have a way of knowing what is right so we can do it and not have to just learn by doing things wrong first, but if we do things wrong, we can read scriptures and then learn how to do things the right way.
I also like verse 27, that through scriptures we are taught why we are chastened, so that we can repent and then do things right and be blessed! I've also always tried to do anything to avoid being chastened! Who enjoys that? But what a wonderful thing that there is a reason for being chastened, and it is so we can repent and change our lives to a happier way. If we are humble, we can receive the chastening and use it to be better and happier. We can even learn to be grateful for being chastened.
Verse 14 says, "And the arm of the Lord shall be revealed; and the day cometh that they who will not hear the voice of the Lord, neither the voice of his servants, neither give heed to the words of the prophets and apostles, shall be cut off from among the people";
In Spanish instead of 'cut off' it says 'uprooted', showing that it is talking about fully active, 'rooted' members of the Church who will be cast out from among the people if they don't give heed to the words of the leaders of the Church.
We can so much better appreciate something when we know what its purpose is, and we can get much more out of it if we read it while remembering what its purpose is!
It is a wonderful preface for the Doctrine and Covenants and clearly explains why we need this book of Scripture. I look forward to studying it slowly and carefully.
