Section 5

Section 5 was given in answer to prayers. Martin Harris wanted to see the plates. I believe the Lord had already said no, but he had great desires to see them so he asked Joseph Smith to ask again.  It is interesting that since everyone knew Joseph Smith so well and were such good friends, that they felt they could always go to him if they wanted the Lord's guidance.  These days most of us are not so closely associated with the prophet, but I think even if we were, if we wanted some guidance from our Heavenly Father, the prophet would tell us to fast and pray about it ourselves instead of looking to him to pray and receive our answers. But the members were new and it is very different when you haven't been raised in the Church and taught that God answers prayers. They looked to Joseph Smith to pray for them and tell them what God said.

It is also interesting to me that this whole revelation, which was in answer to M.H. request, is directed to Joseph Smith, and in it, God tells him to tell M.H. what he wanted to know.

We are counseled to weary the Lord with our requests and prayers in righteousness. If we have a wayward child or need a particular blessing, sometimes we need to pray for years for that blessing to be given. I believe that is so we will develop our faith and learn patience and to trust in the Lord's time.

But in this case, M.H. wanted the privilege of seeing the plates. I'm sure his family and friends and enemies were pressuring him constantly and he wanted to be able to say he had seen them in order to shut them up, but his request was not in righteousness. Seeing the plates was not necessary for his salvation, and he needed to show his faith without seeing them with his own eyes.

For me there is a lesson here for both sides of prayer. We should pray long and hard for the things that we need in righteousness. But if the Lord says no, we need to be humble and trust in His wisdom and love and knowledge of what is best for us.