A Marvelous Work

“A marvelous work.” Such an interesting phrase.

In the LDS church, we use it so frequently I sometimes doubt we actually comprehend what it means. This is not a phrase coined by men; rather, it came into use through divine inspiration and revelation from God to men. In my view, this sheds a whole new light on the phrase.

God created so many wondrous things. Mountains, oceans, children, birds. There is so much grandeur in the creations of the Almighty, that it seems quite a high standard to be considered “marvelous” in His sight. The greatness of the world is not referred to as “marvelous” as far as I am aware. Instead, a small, simple book, the Book of Mormon, is termed “marvelous.” When looking at this comparison, it throws a vivid vision of what the Book of Mormon means in an eternal perspective.

Without the Book of Mormon, the works of God would falter and the plan would not progress. Without the Book of Mormon, the world would be a waste. Without the Book of Mormon, there would have been no Restoration as we know it, and the church of the devil would reign. Without the Book of Mormon, all else is empty of meaning or eternal purpose. Therefore, the Book of Mormon is truly “a marvelous work.” It not only is a strong point in its own right, it is also the piece of the plan that ties it all together.

When God declares that “a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men,” He is not merely saying that the Book of Mormon is important to the plan. He is saying that it is pivotal and vital to the plan of eternal salvation. When I see the Book of Mormon from this perspective, it is no wonder that the declaration of its imminent emersion into the world is repeated so often in the early chapters of the Doctrine and Covenants.

I’m skimming back over the chapters where this declaration opens the revelation. In section 4, the overall theme is missionary work, in section 6 as well, along with instruction on revelation. These two themes dig deeper into how the Book of Mormon can become a pivotal force in the history of the world. As missionaries spread the gospel, they bring the Book of Mormon to nations and multitudes that had previously not had this knowledge or source of comfort. We all understand this pretty well. But when it’s put in conjunction with the verses about revelation, a new meaning unfolds.

When combined with revelation, the Book of Mormon is not just a source of knowledge and comfort; it also becomes a source of power. The power of the priesthood is explained to us through the Book of Mormon, as are gifts and talents possessed by all. These gifts and talents, if used in a righteous manner, become a power to those who wield them and for the benefit of those they are used for. All who come in contact with someone who has prayerfully studied and understood the Book of Mormon will be changed for the better. This power is the life-changing force that God was anticipating when he declared “a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.”