24 And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory.
The phrase, “the righteous must be led up as calves of the
stall,” catches my attention in this verse. One of the provided
cross-references takes us to Malachi 4: 2, and the other goes to 3 Nephi 25: 2,
which quotes the Malachi verse. The fist thing I find interesting is that these
prophets, separated by great distance and about 140 years (see Bible
Dictionary: Malachi), used the same phrase. And apparently these are the only
places in scripture that use this phrase in this kind of context. So it may
have just been a common phrase in the Jewish traditions or culture, but if so,
it wasn’t commonly used in scripture. To me it is evidence of the common source
of all scripture.
So what does it mean? To me it refers to humility and
compliance. The righteous are led by the Lord, who owns them (see 1 Corinthians
6: 19–20). He takes care of His people, as a farmer takes care of his calves,
making sure they are fed and taken care of. There is safety and security in
this arrangement for the calf.
Contrast this with the wild animals that are not compliant.
They have no master, nobody to feed and care for them. Their source of
nourishment is uncertain, as is their safety. They could be compared with the
natural man, which is an enemy to God (see Mosiah 3: 19). Where the calves of
the stall are able to receive constant and regular nourishment and protection,
so those who enter into a covenant with God receive regular spiritual
nourishment, wild animals, or the natural man, does not receive this spiritual
nourishment and protection (see 1 Corinthians 2: 14), and suffer as a result.
Those who are not calves of the stall “are as a wild flock which fleeth from
the shepherd, and scattereth and are driven, and are devoured by the bests of
the forest” (Mosiah 8: 21). They don’t have the protection of the Master
Shepherd.
- Malachi 4: 2
- Mosiah 8: 21 (for contrast)
- 3 Nephi 25: 2
