Ether 4 - 6

After receiving the marvelous revelation on Mount Shelem, the brother of Jared was commanded to -

"...write the things which he had seen..." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:1)

"...and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:4)

but with those writings, the brother of Jared was given the restriction that -

"...they were forbidden to come unto the children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they should not come unto the world until after Christ should show himself unto his people." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:1)

And upon the Savior's visit to the Americas -

"...he commanded that they should be made manifest..." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:2)

Moroni tells us they were had amongst the Nephites until they did -

"...all dwindled in unbelief; and there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide them up again in the earth." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:3)

Moroni also writes that the Lord -

"...hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:5 - 6)

Before he ever received the golden plates, the prophet Prophet Joseph Smith had had many conversations with Moroni visiting him as an angel. As he translates the plates, I wonder how he felt as Moroni now speaks directly to him from the record -

"...I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God." (Book of Mormon Ether 5:1)

I'm sure there was a great burden lifted as he continues to translate -

"...behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work;
3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God; wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.
4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear record—and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day." (Book of Mormon Ether 5:2 - 4)

The Prophet was not to be left alone in this great work. But nonetheless, we know there was a sealed portion of the plates will not come forth unto the gentiles until they -

"...shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord." (Book of Mormon Ether 4:6)