These four verses apparently cover a twenty-one year period, assuming Enos died one hundred and eighty years (420 B.C.) after Lehi left Jerusalem. Although Jarom had prophesied and received revelation, he did not include their content on the plates because the revelations and prophecies of his fathers had been recorded, and thus had given his people the plan of salvation (v. 2). Jarom’s statement answers an often asked question today. Since the Church believes in continuous revelation, and the Church leaders do receive revelations constantly, why are these revelations not added to the Doctrine and Covenants? The revelations given to Joseph Smith likewise revealed the plan of salvation and succeeding prophets of the Church have received revelations that clarified or added to our knowledge of the plan of salvation. These revelations were periodically added (i.e. sections 137 and 138 were added to the Pearl of Great Price in 1976 and later to the Doctrine and Covenants in 1980). However, most of the revelations received today are instructions on how to administer the Church in its expanding growth and development toward a Zion society. Nephi admonished Jacob to include “preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying” (Jacob 1:4), but, although those received by Jarom were important for the Church in his day, they were not significant enough to benefit his Lamanite brethren in the future. As the Lamanites have and will come back into the Church restored by the Prophet Joseph, new revelation was and will be given to administer the latter-day Church.
59 Thou shalt take the things which thou hast received, which have been given unto thee in my scriptures for a law, to be my law to govern my church;
60 And he that doeth according to these things shall be saved, and he that doeth them not shall be damned if he so continue.
61 If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.
62 Thou shalt ask, and it shall be revealed unto you in mine own due time where the New Jerusalem shall be built. [D&C 42:59–62]
Jarom and his brethren received revelations and had communion with the Holy Spirit (Jarom 1:4). At least some of these revelations were probably on how to govern the Church.