Joseph Smith — "I am going to bring about the redemption of Zion, and build up the kingdom of Go…"
I am going to bring about the redemption of Zion, and build up the kingdom of God.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
The speaker declares a personal mission to restore a sacred homeland and establish God's kingdom on earth. This is not passive hope but active commitment — a vow to lead a transformative spiritual and physical movement. It expresses total confidence in divine purpose, framing the speaker as an instrument chosen to accomplish what others might consider impossible: building a righteous society from scratch.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith founded the Church of Christ in 1830, claiming divine revelation and the Book of Mormon as scripture. He led thousands of followers westward, established communities in Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and conceived of Zion as a literal city of God to be built in America. This declaration reflects his self-understanding as a prophetic restorer, not merely a preacher, but an architect of God's earthly kingdom.
The era
In 1830s–1840s America, religious revivalism was intense — the Second Great Awakening produced dozens of new movements. Frontier expansion made utopian community-building feel tangible. Smith spoke as Jacksonian democracy celebrated the common man's destiny. Mormons faced severe persecution in Missouri and Illinois, making 'building Zion' both a spiritual ideal and a literal survival project for a besieged religious minority seeking a homeland.
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