Scriptural Imagery
While I was reading Doctrine and Covenants Section 58, I came to verses 8-12 and immediately realized that there was something profoundly deep that I needed to discover. Here are the verses, “And also that a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor; yea, a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined, that the earth may know that the mouths of the prophets shall not fail; Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited. First, the rich and the learned, the wise and the noble; And after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Behold, I, the Lord, have spoken it.”
I want to look first at the phrase “a feast of fat things might be prepared for the poor; yea, a feast of fat things, of wine on the lees well refined.” First, a feast in ancient cultures is a celebration where the participants come together to celebrate a covenantal relationship. It is an act of bonding people or forming alliances and cooperation. In the case of these verses, the words of the prophets concerning the land of Zion, and all that it entails, is being described.
What are “fat things”? In ancient cultures, fat was considered the most nutritious and best tasting part of the meat, and wine on the lees refers to the most rich and flavorful aged wine. In other words, the feast mentioned in these verses will serve only the most desirable and delicious food and drink possible. Another aspect of this is that no expense will be spared on this meal, and that the poor are the invitees to the feast. In modern terms the meal would indulge in a lavish meal of Beluga caviar, bluefin otoro sashimi with white truffles, golden lobster bisque, A5 Wagyu steak topped with foie gras and morels, Yubari King melon salad, Madagascar vanilla soufflé with gold-dusted macarons, all paired with 1945 Château Mouton Rothschild and Louis XIII Cognac. According to AI, a meal like that would cost $10,000 per person at a minimum.
In terms of a spiritual feast using the same criteria, what do you think God can come up with? So, in short, the “fat things” in D&C 58 represent the richest spiritual gifts, blessings, and knowledge, prepared for those willing to come unto Christ. In Isaiah 25:6 it says: “And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.” The phrase in this verse I want to emphasize is, “And in this mountain…”. Each time a mountain is mentioned in scripture, we should be thinking about the temple. Adding this context to the conversation shows us that the spiritual feast we can enjoy right now is possible in the temple. This is explicitly stated in these verses, “Yea, a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.”
The marriage of the Lamb is the second part of these verses that we should consider. In scripture, this marriage is Christ to his church. At first glance, this may seem impersonal. Sharing a relationship with the Savior with millions of others, leaves individuals vying for attention. But that is not how the Savior does things. One of the claims made about Christ’s atonement is that he suffered for each of us. Another indication that God knows us individually is when people have had interactions with him, He calls them by name. Also, those who enter into a covenantal relationship with him are given a new name. This is similar to a bride assuming the name of the bridegroom.
The marriage metaphor is significant because it involves an intimate relationship, in the sense of both parties sharing a complete knowledge of each other. We know that God knows everything about us, but until we enter into the marriage relationship, take upon ourselves the name of Christ, and make ourselves worthy by accepting His grace (divine help), we cannot know everything about Him. Again, the temple is the key to unlocking that knowledge.
So, the early saints were invited to prepare themselves and the church for the feast and the marriage. They were to prepare an environment where a temple and city could be built for all nations to come and feast, and experience a relationship with the Savior. Remarkably the rich, learned, wise, and noble would be the first to be invited, but would reject the invitation. Jesus taught this in a parable of a king who invited the ‘important people’ to his son’s wedding in Matthew 22:1-14. Those who were too busy or couldn’t be bothered are ultimately rejected, and the king gathered anyone who would to come to the wedding and feast. Section 58 says it this way, “And after that cometh the day of my power; then shall the poor, the lame, and the blind, and the deaf, come in unto the marriage of the Lamb, and partake of the supper of the Lord, prepared for the great day to come. Behold, I, the Lord, have spoken it.”
I doubt that I have captured all the symbolism and nuances of these verses. It is clear that we must continue the mission of the early church and prepare ourselves and the kingdom of God on the earth for the Second Coming of the Savior so that we can enjoy the feast of ‘fat things’ and the ‘wine on the lees’ and participate in the marriage of the Lamb.
The complex scriptural imagery in these verses is rich and powerful. I hope to pay more attention to the scriptures as I read them. My testimony of the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith is bolstered every time I come across verses such as these, that are multi-layered and full of meaning. I am compelled to acknowledge the miracle of the ongoing restoration of all things.