The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints
The Word of WIsdom
Note: Although we seek to provide an accurate representation of the Church’s scripture and doctrine, All Wholesome Herbs is not an official representative of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This section was written by a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are widely known for their religious code of health. In addition to the Bible, the Church also teaches obedience to the Word of Wisdom, the name given to the revelation given by God to the Prophet Joseph Smith in response to his inquiries about the use of tobacco. This article provides a simple breakdown of the Word of Wisdom, which you may read in full in Doctrine and Covenants section 89.
The Word of Wisdom contains three distinctive sections:
- The introduction, which defines the purpose and importance of the Word of Wisdom, and to whom it applies (Doctrine and Covenants 89:1-4).
- Instructions on substances to avoid and the order of foods to be eaten (Doctrine and Covenants 89:5-17).
- Blessings promised for obedience to the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-21).
To best understand the Word of Wisdom, let’s start with the promised blessings for obedience to this long-standing law.
Blessings Promised for Keeping the Word of Wisdom
And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments,
shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.
These blessings are rich with biblical reference. “Health in their navel and marrow to their bones” reminds of Proverbs 3:8, and the promise that they “shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint” refers to Isaiah 40:31. The promise of the passing by of the destroying angel references the Passover in Exodus 12:12-13, when the destroying angel passed over (did not smite) all the obedient Israelites, but smote their enemies to the deliverance of Israel from bondage.
These blessings together are an extraordinary promise for obedience to this law. We know from the book of Revelation that plagues will again be poured out upon the earth in the last days (see, for example, Isaiah 10:16-23; Revelation 16; Doctrine and Covenants 97:22-26). Obedience to the Word of Wisdom is given, as was the ark of Noah, for “the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:2). It is also significant to recognize that the Word of Wisdom includes “walking in obedience to the commandments,” requiring obedience to all that God has commanded us.
For "the Temporal Salvation of All Saints in the Last Days"
With the extraordinary promised blessings in mind, let’s examine the stated purpose of the Word of Wisdom. The first verse identifies to whom this revelation applies:
A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—
This commandment is given “for the benefit of the council of high priests” (the leaders of the Church), “the church,” and the “saints in Zion” – that includes everyone in the Church and those residing with the Church in Zion. No one is excluded; there are no exceptions.
To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom,
Showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days—
Some have wondered if obedience to the Word of Wisdom is optional since it was given “not by commandment or constraint.” However, as President Joseph F. Smith (a previous prophet of the Church) taught,
If [the Word of Wisdom] had been given as a commandment
it would have brought every man, addicted to the use of these noxious things, under condemnation;
so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to overcome, before He brought them under the law.
Conference Report, Oct. 1913, p. 14
When the Word of Wisdom was first revealed, virtually everyone habitually used tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and/or tea. The Lord allowed time for that generation to overcome their addictions before they were brought under the law by way of commandment. But that time was limited and has long since expired. President Heber J. Grant (the prophet following President Joseph F. Smith) emphasized that the Word of Wisdom is in full force as a commandment, and warned that “the day is gone by when the Lord will trifle with the Latter-day Saints” (Gospel Standards, pp. 55-56).
Remember that the Word of Wisdom was given “by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God.” Although a space of time was granted in which the Word of Wisdom was delivered “not by commandment or constraint,” the precedence was laid for it to become a commandment required of “all saints in the last days” for their “temporal salvation.”
Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints.
Like all commandments, the Word of Wisdom is “given for a principle with promise,” meaning that we will obtain the promised blessings when we keep the commandment. It serves as a means for both proving and preservation of true saints who are faithful to the Lord and obedient to His commandments.
Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—
The commandments given in this revelation enable us to evade, escape, and survive “evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days.” These surely include the multitude of enticements to addiction – both to drug and food products – and the continuous onslaught against health.
Abstinence from Addictive Substances
Having laid out the purpose for the Word of Wisdom, now we get into the specific instructions contained therein about how we are to eat and care for our physical bodies. This section begins with direction to abstain from all addictive substances:
That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you,
behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father,
only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him.
And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make.
As with Doctrine and Covenants 121:36 and Moroni 10:19, “only” means “except” – that it is the “only” way it is acceptable before the Lord. “Wine” used to mean juice, whether fermented (alcoholic) or unfermented (fresh). “Pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make” would indicate fresh, unfermented juice, which was used for the Sacrament to represent the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. All alcoholic beverages are forbidden.
And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies.
“Strong” means “intoxicating” (see definition 11). Alcohol is not for consumption, but for cleansing, such as with wounds.
And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man,
but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.
Tobacco has its purpose as an herb, but it is not meant for man’s consumption.
And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.
“Hot” doesn’t seem to refer to temperature (see Revelation 3:15-16), but rather means “stimulating” (see definition 6). At the time that the revelation of the Word of Wisdom was given (1833), the common stimulating drinks were coffee and tea; now, there is a plethora of stimulating drinks marketed. We are commanded to abstain from any stimulating drink, and to instead rely upon healthful means for strength and vigor.
Despite common misconceptions, the Word of Wisdom is not just a law of abstinence from drugs. A significant portion of the Word of Wisdom provides important instruction on how we are to eat, which relates directly to the counsel given in the Bible.
"All Wholesome Herbs"
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained
for the constitution, nature, and use of man—
Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof;
all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving.
“Wholesome” means promoting or contributing to health of body and mind. In botany, “herbs” are the fruit of plants, often containing the seed. “All wholesome herbs” is the same as “every herb bearing seed” spoken of in the Bible, and comprises whole (unprocessed) plant foods – vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
“Constitution” means “composition” or “formation.” This means that “all wholesome herbs” (vegetables, fruits, and nuts) are to constitute our whole diet, and thus the formation of our bodies, as often as these foods are available in their seasons. (There is place for great emphasis on the importance of growing our own food as much as possible.) Times of plenty are times of preparation, and nourishing our bodies with “all wholesome herbs” is essential to building our health, as well as our bodies’ nutrient storage, to sustain us through times of famine.
Flesh of Beasts and of Fowls (Meat)
Wait, we’re supposed to just eat whole PLANT foods? What about meat and protein?
Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used,
only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
“Sparingly” means “seldom” or “abstinently.” As with the discussion above about wine and strong drink, “only” means “except.” Thus, we should seek to spare, or abstain from, the eating of animal flesh (meat), except in times of winter, cold, or famine – times of hunger in which whole plant foods cannot be grown. This commandment is not new to the Word of Wisdom. Following the biblical flood, which God ordered to destroy corruption and violence from the earth (see Genesis 6:11-13), the Lord reiterated to Noah the commandments He had given to Adam and Eve, with additional instruction:
Blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives;
and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
Once again, “only” means “except.” In other words, animals are to be killed only for the purpose of food, only “to save [our] lives” from starvation in times of absolute scarcity. Furthermore, we will be held accountable for the blood we shed, even if we are removed from it – such as when we eat the flesh of animals killed in slaughterhouses, whose flesh is then sold in grocery stores, fast food outlets, restaurants, etc.
Christ Himself taught that God is aware of and cares for every one of His creations, even down to the little sparrow (see Matthew 10:29-31; 6:26; Luke 12:6-7). However, because He prioritizes His children (all people) above all other life and preserves our lives foremost, provision is given for man to slay and eat animals in absolute scarcity. Thus, God commands that animals are not to be slain, except for food “to save [our] lives.”
What about Eggs and Milk?
Eggs and milk are nomadic foods, or foods of the poor (see Isaiah 7:22), and appear to be similar to animal flesh in the reliance upon animals for food in the scarcity of plant foods. In a natural world (a world without animal “farming”), animals do not produce eggs or milk outside of reproduction any more than human mothers lactate when they do not have a baby. Contrary to modern nutritional philosophies, eggs and dairy are not required for, or even beneficial to, health, and contribute significantly to the development and progression of sickness and disease. We would do better, as the Word of Wisdom and Bible admonish, to comprise our diet of whole plant foods.
Grains
So the next big question: Why are grains not included in “all wholesome herbs”? Well, because grains are not an herb (fruit of a plant), but are rather the seed of grasses (wheat grass, rye grass, barley grass, etc.).
All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life,
not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;
And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.
A staff is a crutch, leaned on in times of need. Because they can be easily stored for long periods of time without spoiling, grains were prepared to be our food storage on which we can rely in a food shortage of any kind. As such, grains serve a very important purpose as the staff of life for both man and animal.
All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine;
that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—
“The fruit of the vine” is a specificity that seems to refer to legumes (such as beans), which share many similarities to grains in terms of nutrient content and storage.
Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.
Just as oats are not a horse’s best food (the fresh green herb is – see Genesis 1:30), neither is wheat the best food for man, although it is the best grain for man. Compared to the boundless healing and nourishing strength of wholesome herbs, grains and legumes provide only the most basic nutrition to sustain life. Both nutritionally and practically, it does not make sense to eat grains and legumes when the earth abounds with wholesome herbs and fruits in their various seasons. Grains (and legumes) are our staff (crutch), not our staple, reserved for use “only in times of famine and excess of hunger.”
Summary
In contrast to the “food groups” of modern nutritional recommendations, the Word of Wisdom provides a very different perspective on the organization of foods and their purpose:
- All Wholesome Herbs (vegetables, fruits, and nuts): for the primary sustenance and nutrition of man, ordained to compose the entirety of the diet of the saints in times of plenty. (Animals eat the green herb.)
- Grains (and legumes): for the sustenance of man (and animal) during times of food scarcity, such as a famine.
- Animal Flesh (meat): for the sustenance of man during times of total food scarcity.
During times of plenty, we eat wholesome herbs, and store grains “for times of famine and excess of hunger.” In times of famine and scarcity, we first rely upon grains (leaning upon our “staff of life”) for sustenance. If our stores of grain are depleted and scarcity continues, then we are to slay animals for food “to save [our] lives” from starvation. By our obedience to the Word of Wisdom, including “walking in obedience to the commandments,” we are promised wonderful blessings:
And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen.
These are real blessings, and the Lord is always true to His word. He declared that the Word of Wisdom is “a principle with promise” – in other words, when we live the principle, we will receive the covenant blessings God has promised.