D&C 5

As Martin Harris visited the Prophet Joseph Smith in hopes to see the ancient plates, the Lord provides the Prophet instructions on how he was to answer Martin Harris.  But I read this section, what I seemed to derive was the importance of obedience to the Lord even when it may not necessarily seem reasonable to man or to man's council.  This seems apparent as the Lord instructs the Prophet first -

"...I have caused you that you should enter into a covenant with me, that you should not show them except to those persons to whom I commanded you; and you have no power over them except I grant it unto you."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:3)

Even though there may be a tendency to show others so they would stop mocking oneself, the commandment was otherwise.  The Lord even goes to suggest -

"Behold, if they will not believe my words, they would not believe you, my servant Joseph, if it were possible that you should show them all these things which I have committed unto you."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:7)

And thus -

"...I command you, my servant Joseph, to repent and walk more uprightly before me, and to yield to the persuasions of men no more;
22 And that you be firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I have commanded you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you eternal life, even if you should be slain."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:21 - 22)

And in addition to this strict commandment -

"And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:4)

As the Lord announces that He would allow three witnesses to not only see the plates, interpreters, and other things, even a voice from heaven declaring such, He acknowledges that Martin Harris might be considered to be one of those witnesses and instructs -

"...I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.
25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:24 - 25)

Again giving explicit instructions or commandments on what he should do with no variance or additions, therefore, continuing -

"...I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say.
27 But if he deny this he will break the covenant which he has before covenanted with me, and behold, he is condemned.
28 And now, except he humble himself and acknowledge unto me the things that he has done which are wrong, and covenant with me that he will keep my commandments, and exercise faith in me, behold, I say unto him, he shall have no such views, for I will grant unto him no views of the things of which I have spoken."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:26 - 28)

In summary the Lord tells the Prophet -

"...I have given unto thee these commandments.
34 Yea, for this cause I have said: Stop, and stand still until I command thee, and I will provide means whereby thou mayest accomplish the thing which I have commanded thee.
35 And if thou art faithful in keeping my commandments, thou shalt be lifted up at the last day..."  (Doctrine and Covenants  Section 5:33 - 35)