Podcast Summary

Podcast: Standard of Truth
Episode: S6E1 – Book of Moses and D&C 24
Date: January 1, 2026
Host: Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat
Guest: Dr. Richard Leduc

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat and Dr. Richard Leduc explore the historical and theological significance of the Book of Moses and the events leading up to Doctrine and Covenants Section 24. Highlighting fresh perspectives and humor, they contextualize early Latter-day Saint revelations, emphasizing just how radical and underappreciated the Book of Moses is within the Restoration tradition. The podcast also details the intense persecution faced by Joseph Smith and early converts in Colesville, setting the stage for the next episode's discussion of D&C 24.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter and Introduction

• The hosts joke about podcast "seasons," self-deprecation, and their aging, bringing a light, relatable start.
  • “We’re still figuring it out.”—Gerrit (04:12)
• Dr. Dirkmaat is recording from Israel, adding an international twist.

2. Episode Structure & Purpose

• The episode is a re-release of a "premium" discussion focusing on the Book of Moses, coinciding with Come Follow Me study of Genesis.
• Emphasis that Latter-day Saints often underestimate the depth and significance of the Book of Moses:
  • “There is no way that we appreciate how incredible the book of Moses is. I…stand all amazed.” – Gerrit (05:03)

3. Setting the Historical Stage

The Early Church Organization

• First Church Conference (Fayette, June 9, 1830):
  • Joseph Smith reads Ezekiel 14 and the Articles and Covenants (D&C 20), which are accepted unanimously.
  • New elders and priests are ordained, but historical records are scant:
    • “The paucity of our accounts of Joseph speaking in these early records is just painful…” – Gerrit (12:48)
• Humor breaks up academic recitation, e.g. “It’s like my grandpa kept the notes.” – Richard (12:03)

Aftermath: Persecution Escalates

• Despite completing and publishing the Book of Mormon, problems intensify for Joseph in Harmony, especially with Emma’s father, Isaac Hale.
• Persecution and opposition become severe enough that Joseph preemptively leaves his farm before the Kirtland migration.

4. Revelation Chronology

• Book of Moses Precedes JST:
  • The “Revelation Given to Joseph the Revelator, June 1830” (the opening of the Book of Moses) is received before Joseph’s formal “translation” of the Bible.
  • Emphasis: the doctrines therein are “so far beyond” Joseph’s own period that historians might otherwise assume an 1840s origin.
    • “If the Book of Moses had never been published…historians…would draw [that] this revelation had to have been received sometime in the 1840s, probably 1843 or 1844.” – Gerrit (18:25)

5. Theological Radicalism of the Book of Moses

• Detailed reading and explanation of the Moses vision (Moses 1):
  • Moses sees countless worlds and inhabitants; God created “worlds without number” through His Only Begotten.
• The doctrine of multiple inhabited worlds, God’s work to bring to pass immortality and eternal life of humanity, and humanity’s profound purpose is revolutionary.
  • “There are many earths…God created all of them…so many that they can’t be numbered except that God has the ability to number them. That is some pretty deep stuff.” – Gerrit (24:56)
• This comes at a time when the Latter-day Saints are still debating “practical” questions like rebaptism; the contrast highlights the revelation’s profundity.

Contrast with Mainstream Christian Views

• Evangelical and mainstream Christian theology generally sees creation as a gratuitous act by a self-sufficient, immutable God.
  • “We are nothing to God…God is and always was. And us pitiful humans should be lucky…before we’re thrust into the hell that we all deserve to go to.” – Gerrit (28:34)
• Moses 1’s declaration—“This is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”—is seen as a radical departure from this.

Why Radical Theology Matters

• People seek religion for meaning and “answers to the big questions.”
  • “[Moses 1] is…fascinating because all other sects…fall short on that point…The answer leaves you wanting because it…has so many follow-up questions.” – Richard (29:50)
• LDS theology, even from the start, supplies coherent, far-reaching answers about God’s purpose and human destiny.

6. Persecution and Resistance in Colesville

• Demographics: In Palmyra or Fayette, LDS membership is negligible; but in Colesville, nearly 100 believers potentially make up a significant minority.
• Hostility Escalates:
  • Mob tears down a baptismal dam, preventing baptisms.
  • A Presbyterian minister physically and legally (via power of attorney) prevents Emily Coburn from joining the Saints, eventually resorting to kidnapping.
    • “They are physically dragging her away…physical violence perpetrated against a believer is perpetrated against this woman who wants to be baptized.” – Gerrit (57:04)
  • Early Saints brave mobs, threats, and legal harassment—Joseph is arrested as a “disorderly person”; mob tries to get him into their hands.

Notable Narratives

• Emily Coburn's story: Power struggles between Presbyterian clergy and aspiring Latter-day Saints, including manipulation and abduction.
• Joseph’s Arrest and Escape:
  • The (unexpectedly sympathetic) constable protects Joseph from the mob, even sleeping with a loaded musket to guard him.

7. Implications for D&C 24

• The climate of actual and threatened violence sets the stage for Section 24, with the Saints’ suffering shaping the revelation’s message.
• Promise that next episode will tackle the text of D&C 24—
  • “That’s the reason why I wanted to set the background of it, and maybe we’ll cover 24 and 25 next time…but we will get into the text of the revelation now that people know…what is going on…” – Gerrit (1:05:23)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the Broader Power of the Book of Moses:
  • “There is no way that we appreciate how incredible the book of Moses is…It is stunning to me how incredible it is.” – Gerrit (05:03)
• Book of Moses Chronology:
  • “If the Book of Moses had never been published…historians…would draw [that] this revelation had to have been received sometime in the 1840s, probably 1843 or 1844.” – Gerrit (18:25)
• Groundbreaking Doctrine:
  • “There are many earths…God created all of them…so many that they can’t be numbered except that God has the ability to number them. That is some pretty deep stuff.” – Gerrit (24:56)
  • “Moses is told that there are multiple earths with people…created by God…many heavens have passed away, and they’re all the workmanship of God. It’s mind boggling and mind blowing.”—Gerrit (25:53)
• Comparison with Christian Theology:
  • “We are nothing to God…God is and always was. And us pitiful humans should be lucky…before we’re thrust into the hell that we all deserve to go to.” – Gerrit (28:34)
• On Persecution:
  • “This is not just, hey, what about Joe Smith talking to God and His angels. This is actual physical violence.” – Gerrit (56:54)
• On Historical Documentation:
  • “The paucity of our accounts of Joseph speaking in these early records is just painful.” – Gerrit (12:48)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:37–02:31 | Humorous opening, hosts’ banter | | 02:42–05:35 | Purpose for this episode; Book of Moses focus| | 06:09–13:09 | Early church events, conference details | | 13:11–18:39 | Challenges after organization—persecution | | 18:39–28:34 | Book of Moses revealed—radical theology | | 28:34–35:10 | LDS doctrine vs mainstream Christianity | | 35:16–43:11 | Historical sources, absence of evidence | | 43:11–46:11 | Persecution context, events in Colesville | | 46:11–58:43 | Mob action, baptismal opposition | | 58:43–1:05:38 | Joseph's arrest, constable's protection, setup for D&C 24 |

Memorable Moments

• The “angry Gerrit” persona and dander meter banter.
• Extended riff on early church clerks’ brevity vs. what historians wish they had.
  • “Wouldn’t you like to know the first sermon that Joseph gave…? Instead, what you got is Joseph exhorted, we’ll see you guys next conference.”
• Narrative reenactments: Colesville mobs, baptismal dam sabotage, and humorous Missouri accent stereotypes.
• The story of the constable guarding Joseph with musket at the door: vividly portraying the real danger early converts and leaders faced.

Final Note

This episode is a deep dive into both the theological uniqueness and the historical struggles of the nascent Latter-day Saint movement. With humor and erudition, Dr. Dirkmaat brings to life the context surrounding some of the most pivotal early revelations and sets the stage for continued exploration of how persecution shaped the content and necessity of revelations like D&C 24.

Stay tuned for the next episode, where they promise to break down the actual text of Doctrine and Covenants 24, now firmly grounded in the stories of real courage, danger, and theological innovation.