Frequency of Revelation

The Book of Mormon describes how often Nephi and Lehi from the book of Helaman received revelation:

And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much strife. But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine, having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that same year. (Helaman 11:23.)

The Book of Mormon not only tells us that these two received many revelations daily, but that their knowledge depended upon those revelations. They are not alone in experiencing a high frequency of revelation. Jesus himself, our supreme example, said that God commanded him in all things.¹ Such consummate guidance would surely require many revelations daily.

Are individuals who receive frequent revelations rare? The Book of Mormon is a wonderful experiment for this question. How often do we see God communicating with individuals in the Book of Mormon? If you were to highlight every passage that describes God communicating with individuals, you will find that almost every verse of almost every page is highlighted. The Book of Mormon is an overwhelming evidence that God is exceedingly willing—even anxious—to communicate to individuals through revelation. So why don’t we receive more revelations?

The frequency of revelation is diminished under certain circumstances. Nephi received the Liahona, which would give them instruction from time to time “according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto [it].” (1 Nephi 16:28.) Alma later taught that revelation works the same way:

And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. (Alma 12:9.)

To heed is to take notice of. Diligence means persistent effort. Those who believe God speaks only infrequently, and that revelations are something exceptional and out of the norm will never exercise sufficient heed and diligence. Consequently, they will receive revelation far less often than they otherwise could. If you want more revelation, believe and obey the revelation you already have.²

Unbelief in God’s expressed desire to give us many revelations dramatically hinders its receipt. Modern Mormons teach that revelation is infrequent and unnecessary:

Revelation is not constant. The Lord’s way puts limits on how often He will speak to us by His Spirit. Not understanding this, some have been misled by expecting revelations too frequently. (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “In his own time, in his own way,” Ensign August 2013.)

I have learned that strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently. (President Boyd K. Packer, “The Candle of the Lord,” January 1983.)

Let me say first that we have a great body of revelation, the vast majority of which came from the prophet Joseph Smith. We don't need much revelation. We need to pay more attention to the revelation we've already received. (SF Gate, “SUNDAY INTERVIEW—Musings of the Main Mormon / Gordon B. Hinckley” April 13, 1997.)

If you believe that God will not give many revelations, you will not seek to have many revelations, and you will not believe them if you do receive them.

Nephi warned of those in our day who would state that we have enough revelation. “Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!” (2 Nephi 28:29.) Such satiety is a contrasting emotion to that expressed by the Book of Mormon prophets, whose desire for the word of God was never quenched. When left to choose between the modern examples quoted, and Lehi and Nephi, we must ask ourselves which example will draw us closer to the example given by the Lord? It is wrong to be satisfied in the consequences of living below our privileges.

If an individual believes that God does not want to be bothered with our questions, will he bother asking? Will God answer a question that remains unanswered? Jesus commands his followers to seek, ask, and knock an absurd number of times (see, for example, Matthew 7:7, D&C 11:5, D&C 4:7, Luke 11:9, D&C 6:5, 3 Nephi 27:29, etc.). Those who teach that God has limited how often he will give revelation, and encourage individuals not to ask, seek, and knock stand in opposition to Christ.